The Procedure and House Affairs Committee met to study the implementation of the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act (FITAA), part of Bill C-70. The sole witness was Sébastien Aubertin-Giguère, Assistant Deputy Minister for the National and Cyber Security Branch at the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
Aubertin-Giguère said the FITAA, which received royal assent in June 2024, will establish an independent commissioner and a public registry of foreign influence activities. He reported that Anton Boegman has been selected as commissioner-in-waiting but cannot be formally appointed until the act comes into force, which requires three things to be ready: the commissioner's appointment, final regulations, and the IT infrastructure. He stated that all three components are nearly complete, with about 20 of a planned 27 staff hired, the website ready, and the regulations being finalized after receiving 154 public comments, including concerns that the proposed administrative monetary penalty range of $50 to $1 million was too low. He said the implementation timeline is consistent with allied countries like Australia and the UK, which took over two years, and that he could not provide a specific date for bringing the act into force as that remains cabinet confidence.
Under questioning from Conservative MP Michael Cooper, Aubertin-Giguère confirmed that the commissioner has not been formally appointed, the regulations are not finalized, and the IT solution is not yet operational, though he said it is "almost done." He said he briefs the minister's office weekly but could not recall his last direct conversation with the minister on this matter. When pressed for a ballpark timeline, he repeated that the government is "very close to the finish line." Liberal MP Matt Jeneroux asked about lessons learned from Australia and the UK, and Aubertin-Giguère said those countries emphasized the need for a credible enforcement regime with flexible compliance mechanisms and extensive public outreach before going live.
Bloc Québécois MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval expressed disappointment that neither Minister Anandasangaree nor Commissioner-in-waiting Boegman appeared, and questioned whether the two-year delay was reasonable. Aubertin-Giguère reiterated that the timeline is in line with international standards and that the 20 staff are working full-time on implementation. Conservative MP Tako Van Popta cited Justice Hogue's report criticizing the government's slow response to foreign interference, and asked for assurances the registry is being treated as a priority. Aubertin-Giguère said the FITAA is one element of a broader ecosystem of measures and that the implementation is proceeding with due diligence.
Liberal MP Jessica Fancy asked how success will be measured, and Aubertin-Giguère said the key metric is transparency in public affairs, including the public's clear understanding of registration obligations and the regime's ability to identify non-compliant individuals. In response to Barsalou-Duvall's questions about Chinese influence, Aubertin-Giguère denied any Chinese government influence on the implementation and said the regime will include information-sharing with the RCMP and CSIS to help detect non-compliance. Conservative MP Michael Cooper pressed Aubertin-Giguère on a secret law enforcement agreement between the RCMP and China's Ministry of Public Security, asking what safeguards exist to prevent transnational repression. Aubertin-Giguère said he had no specific insights on the agreement and that Canada's position on protecting people from transnational repression has not changed.
Liberal MP Élisabeth Brière asked about the use of regulations to define exemptions and registry details, and Aubertin-Giguère said this approach allows for faster adaptation to changing circumstances. He explained that the commissioner will have discretion to impose administrative monetary penalties or refer cases to the RCMP for criminal prosecution, depending on the severity of the offence. He expressed confidence that the registry will increase public trust in institutions once operational. No procedural motions or votes were recorded during this meeting.
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