Foreign Interference in a Geopolitical Context PIFI Submission
The threat of foreign interference continues to grow and evolve as the geopolitical structure of the world changes. Canada is often targeted by adversaries, and allies, who seek to advance their interests through transnational means, such as mobilising diaspora groups and hybrid tactics. These actions are typically not considered a type of open warfare, but they are efforts to both influence and interfere in a country’s internal economic and political processes. As we know, democratic states, like Canada, cannot guarantee complete immunity from interference without becoming the enemies of their own open societies. To make open societies fully resistant to harmful influences would render them closed societies. At the same time, the risks that interference poses from both friend and foe should not be an excuse to foreclose on opportunities for growth and investment. Canada is, ultimately, a trading nation and, as a middle power, has a degree of agency that should be fully exploited to advance economic and political opportunities. The desire for a strong, secure Canada need not undermine the country’s competitiveness and productivity.
