This article originally appeared in the Hamilton Spectator.
By Andrew Kirsch, December 8, 2025
A shifting global landscape and uncertain relationship with the United States has set Canada on a path of diversifying its trade and strategic relationships.
That makes sense. But as we search for new partners abroad, it’s crucial we acknowledge how some countries we are courting have acted in the recent past: harming Canadians, targeting our intellectual property and critical infrastructure and interfering in our democracy.
What’s more, Ottawa’s global charm offensive is happening despite it not having delivered on key tools it promised to combat foreign influence. In light of our new global ambitions, we must get serious about these issues.
Consider how, just last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney met with the government of India to launch new trade negotiations. This is the same government former prime minister Justin Trudeau accused of involvement in killing a Canadian citizen on our own soil. Moreover, the RCMP claims to have evidence of Indian government “agents” engaging in extortion, intimidation, coercion and harassment.
Foreign actors have also targeted sensitive Canadian information and technological services we rely upon. At Ontario Power Generation, an employee was charged under the Security of Information Act for allegedly attempting to share safeguarded information with a foreign entity. At Hydro-Québec, a researcher was charged with obtaining trade secrets for the benefit of a foreign state. We must not become numb to persistent hacking attempts by hostile foreign states.
A series of stories in national newspapers — prompted by the leak of sensitive intelligence assessments from an alleged former CSIS member — raised the alarm on foreign interference in our democracy. The leaker claimed the threat of interference was growing while senior public officials ignored the problem and took no serious action to combat it.
These allegations prompted national attention and contributed to the pressure that ultimately forced a public inquiry. At the time, the director of CSIS and the national security and intelligence adviser assured Canadians the leaker would be identified and held accountable. More than two years later, that individual has not been charged.
However, the inquiry confirmed the seriousness of foreign interference in Canada. A separate report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians went further, stating that an unspecified number of parliamentarians — which the publicly released version of the report did not name — had semi-wittingly or wittingly colluded in foreign interference and acted “contrary to the oaths and affirmations parliamentarians take to conduct themselves in the best interest of Canada.”
As Canadians, we know the identities of individuals accused of compromising our energy grid, yet we do not know the names of lawmakers alleged to have been accomplices to foreign interference in our democracy. Some may have been re-elected to the House or remain in the Senate. Most likely continue to shape national policy.
Meanwhile, the core protections Canadians were promised to defend against future influence activities — particularly, a foreign agent registry and foreign influence commissioner — remain undelivered. Both were described as essential tools to safeguard our democratic institutions and rebuild public confidence, but neither has materialized.
This is the contradiction at the heart of Canada’s foreign policy moment. We are seeking to expand our partnerships while failing to implement the very protections we said were necessary to safeguard the country from many of those foreign actors.
Canada should engage globally. And there are legitimate debates to be had about who we align ourselves with. But whoever we choose, we must do so from a position of strength, not vulnerability. That means delivering on the commitments for a registry and commissioner, and ensuring transparency and accountability for those implicated in foreign interference.
Until then, our citizens, secrets and democracy are left vulnerable — while we protect foreign states, and those who collude with them, from scrutiny.
Canada cannot lead internationally while leaving itself exposed at home. And the countries exploiting our vulnerabilities know it — even if we pretend not to.
