Backgrounder
The Government of Canada has a strong plan in place to safeguard our democratic processes from threats of foreign interference as we approach the 2019 General Election.
However, new technologies and advances in how we consume information may potentially allow adversaries to use cyber-enabled means to influence Canada's democratic processes.
Canada's best defence is an engaged and informed public.
To enhance citizen preparedness, the Government of Canada is implementing a Critical Election Incident Public Protocol ahead of the 2019 General Election. This is a simple, clear and non-partisan process for informing Canadians if serious incidents threaten the integrity of the 2019 General Election. It would be used to respond to egregious incidents that meet a high threshold, occurring during the writ period, and that do not fall within Elections Canada's areas of responsibility for the effective administration of the election.
In addition, the Government is dedicating $7M towards digital, news and civic literacy programming. Helping Canadians better understand online deceptive practices can reduce the impact of efforts by malicious actors.
The Government will support skills development, awareness sessions, workshops and learning material for Canadians. These activities would help citizens to:
