Elections Chief Calls for Reforms to Combat Trust-Eroding Disinformation

Elections Canada Chief Calls for Stronger Measures Against Electoral Disinformation

Elections Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer Stéphane Perrault has expressed concern that the Liberal government’s proposed electoral reform legislation fails to adequately address attempts to undermine public confidence in Canada’s electoral system.

Speaking before the House procedures committee on Thursday, Perrault said that while he generally supports Bill C-25, the legislation contains significant gaps in addressing deliberate disinformation campaigns.

“What is not addressed by this bill is a situation where inaccurate information about the electoral process is published with the goal of undermining trust in the election or its results,” Perrault told MPs.

Bill C-25, introduced to Parliament in late March, aims to crack down on various forms of political interference, including foreign donations, bribery, disinformation, and AI-generated deepfakes of candidates. While the bill does make it an explicit offense to publish false information about the electoral process with the intent to interfere with voting, Perrault noted that similar provisions already exist in current election laws.

The chief electoral officer recommended amending the legislation to specifically target misinformation designed to erode faith in the electoral system itself. “If someone is deliberately spreading falsehood to undermine trust in the result of an election, or trust in the election itself… there needs to be a mechanism in the act to address this,” he explained.

As an example, Perrault cited scenarios where bad actors might spread manipulated images or videos showing “stolen or destroyed ballots.” He emphasized, however, that any new provisions must set a high standard to avoid restricting legitimate criticism of “the process or criticism of its administration.”

The committee hearing also touched on a recent controversy in Alberta, where a separatist group called the Centurion Project published a database containing personal information of registered provincial voters. The data breach is currently under investigation by Elections Alberta and the RCMP.

Commissioner of Canada Elections Caroline Simard, who also testified at the hearing, faced questions about how such a situation would be handled at the federal level. When asked by Alberta Liberal MP Matt Jeneroux about investigative thresholds, Simard clarified that unlike the apparent constraints faced by Elections Alberta, her office has broader authority.

“According to the Elections Act I can launch an investigation on my own initiative,” Simard explained in French. “Hypothetically, if this case were to occur federally, such a possibility does indeed exist.”

The Alberta case has raised concerns about the response capabilities of electoral bodies after journalist Jen Gerson reported alerting Elections Alberta on March 31 about the apparent data breach. Despite prompt initial contact from an investigator, Gerson said she later received correspondence indicating the agency was unable to investigate.

A spokesperson for Elections Alberta has since explained that recent legislation raised the evidentiary threshold required to initiate investigations, necessitating “reasonable grounds to believe an offense has occurred.”

The contrast between provincial and federal investigative powers highlights the patchwork of electoral protections across Canada, even as federal authorities work to strengthen safeguards against interference.

As Parliament continues to examine Bill C-25, Perrault’s testimony underscores a growing concern among electoral officials about sophisticated disinformation campaigns designed not just to influence votes, but to undermine public confidence in the democratic process itself.

The bill’s provisions against foreign interference and technological manipulation represent important steps forward, but Perrault’s critique suggests that protecting electoral integrity in the digital age may require more comprehensive measures to combat threats to democratic legitimacy.