Foreign interference commission vows to protect diasporas who help inquiry

The commissioner probing foreign interference in Canada is urging diaspora groups and organizations to step forward and help with its current investigation by promising protection from potential reprisal.

The safety measures come after numerous members of diaspora groups voiced concern over the possibility of facing negative consequences for providing information to the Commission of Foreign Interference, a press release said Thursday.

Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue says in the release that input from diaspora members is “essential” to the commission’s investigation into foreign election interference, and she is “heartened” by those who have stepped up to help so far.

“They bring a necessary perspective to the discussion about foreign interference in Canadian democracy,” she said. “I invite other diaspora members and groups to also contribute to the important work of the Commission.”

Hogue says she’s aware that some also worry that information submitted will be shared with participants in the commission.

“I want to reassure them that it is not the case. None of the Participants in the Commission, including those with Party standing, will have access to classified information, or information provided to the Commission on a confidential basis,” she said.

Hogue outlined three ways that the commission is protecting diaspora members who provide information.

First, the commission’s email address for sharing information is confidential and has strict controls to protect the identity of the person or group providing information. The address is [email protected].

In “appropriate circumstances,” individuals and groups can also redact sensitive information from documents before they are sent to the commission or before it reaches “some