Toronto/Ottawa, March 25 — Canada’s intelligence agency has warned that China and India are likely to interfere in the country’s general election on April 28, while Russia and Pakistan also pose potential threats.
Vanessa Lloyd, deputy director of operations at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), said hostile state actors were increasingly using artificial intelligence to meddle in democratic processes.
“The PRC (People’s Republic of China) is highly likely to use AI-enabled tools to attempt to interfere with Canada’s democratic process in this current election,” Lloyd said at a press conference on Monday.
CSIS noted that Canada had been slow to respond to interference efforts by China and India during the 2019 and 2021 elections. However, an official probe concluded that the meddling did not affect the outcomes.
Tensions between Ottawa and Beijing have escalated in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, China imposed tariffs on over $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products in retaliation for Canadian levies on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum.
Besides, Canada condemned Beijing last week for executing four Canadian citizens on drug smuggling charges.
Relations with India remain strained after Canada expelled six Indian diplomats last year over allegations of involvement in a plot against Sikh separatists on Canadian soil. “We have also seen that the government of India has the intent and capability to interfere in Canadian communities and democratic processes,” Lloyd said.
CSIS flagged Russia and Pakistan as potential threats but noted that directly linking foreign interference to election results remained difficult.
“Nevertheless, threat activities can erode public trust in the integrity of Canada’s democratic processes and institutions,” Lloyd added.
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