Canadian Intelligence Chief Warns of Foreign Interference Risks in Alberta Secession Vote

The head of Canada’s intelligence agency has raised concerns that Alberta’s potential secession referendum could become a target for disinformation campaigns and foreign interference, particularly from Russia.

In an interview with CBC’s “The House,” Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) Director Dan Rogers emphasized that his agency’s role includes investigating foreign interference threats. “A referendum like the one in Alberta, that may have a divisive effect on society, is rife for amplification or for the sort of disinformation or foreign interference that we’ve seen from players like Russia in the past,” Rogers told host Catherine Cullen.

Rogers’ warning comes on the heels of a comprehensive report released by DisinfoWatch, the Canadian Digital Media Research Network, and CASiLabs. The report identified a range of threats targeting Alberta’s separatist movement, including covert influence campaigns from countries such as Russia and China, as well as public remarks from the Trump administration that appear to encourage Alberta separatists.

While Rogers avoided commenting on specific ongoing investigations, he acknowledged awareness of “the Russian information and disinformation ecosystem.” He noted that the findings from academic and public institutions align with Russia’s historical patterns of interference.

The report predicts an intensified disinformation campaign if the independence referendum moves forward to the October 19 vote date proposed by Premier Smith. Rogers cautioned that Russia “has regularly across the world sought to amplify divisive narratives, to sow distrust in institutions, and has shown proclivity to looking at democratic processes.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, however, has pushed back against these concerns. On Friday, she stated that the RCMP has informed her government that “there’s no credible evidence that we’re seeing any state actors who are interfering in our politics.” Smith added that she is pursuing top-secret security clearance to “be assured that remains the case” and expressed confidence in Albertans’ ability to evaluate different viewpoints critically.

The civil society report also highlighted that statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about Canada have provided momentum to Alberta’s separatist movement. Rogers clarified that for CSIS, foreign interference has a specific legal definition requiring clandestine or deceptive actions, or threats to individuals. “The sort of overt commentary that many people will see from influencers or from officials from any country doesn’t constitute foreign interference, in that definition,” he explained.

CSIS’s annual report, submitted to Parliament last week, revealed that the agency used threat reduction powers 16 times last year—once with a warrant and 15 times without. These operational measures are designed to stop or weaken threats to Canada’s security. While the report mentions CSIS’s efforts to counter Russia’s sophisticated disinformation methods, Rogers declined to specify whether any of these measures involved the Alberta referendum.

In addition to referendum concerns, CSIS has been actively supporting the government’s economic agenda by briefing the Major Projects Office about potential security risks. This office is responsible for accelerating projects of national importance, including ports, railways, energy corridors, and critical mineral developments, as prioritized by Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The CSIS annual report warns that “states who seek to advance their interests at the expense of Canada may target public and private sectors working on these projects.” Rogers elaborated that these concerns include foreign control of critical infrastructure that could be manipulated or disrupted, and the installation of infrastructure that might be used for espionage purposes.

Under the Building Canada Act, the responsible minister must conduct a national security review for all state-owned or foreign investments from hostile countries in any project designated as being in the national interest, providing an additional layer of protection against potential foreign interference.