Vincent Rigby on Public Inquiry into Canadian Foreign Interference | Policy Options
February 18, 2025 | Professor聽Vincent Rigby聽discussed the final report from the Public Inquiry into Canadian Foreign Interference, led by Justice Marie-Jos茅e Hogue, released in late January after nearly 18 months of investigation. The report concluded that while foreign interference did undermine public confidence in Canadian democracy and affected the electoral ecosystem, it did not compromise the integrity of the 2019 or 2021 elections. When asked whether the government made mistakes, Rigby explained how Justice Hogue's critique of the government's inadequate transparency regarding foreign interference.The report identified multiple instances where intelligence was not communicated to elected officials in a timely manner,聽and where coordination within government聽was less than ideal, leading to governance shortcomings that undermined the effectiveness of the response to foreign interference threats. He concludes by urging Canadian government to act on the recommendations to safeguard democracy against future interference threats.