Canada's Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act is now in force (with limited exceptions)

Plain-language summary · AI-assisted · not legal advice

The Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act has been brought into force, meaning its registration and disclosure requirements for foreign-influence arrangements are now operative. The Act requires persons who have entered into arrangements with foreign principals to carry out activities relating to Canadian political or governmental processes to register and provide specified information. Two narrow provisions remain not yet in force: paragraphs (c) and (d) of the definition of 'public office holder' and paragraph 4(c), which relates to Indigenous processes. People or organizations that entered into a covered arrangement before the relevant provisions came into force have a 60-day window after those provisions take effect to provide the required information. Anyone who may be operating under an arrangement with a foreign principal in relation to Canadian political or governmental processes should assess whether they now have registration obligations.

Who this affects: persons acting under arrangements with foreign principals · lobbyists and government-relations professionals · organizations engaged in political or governmental activities on behalf of foreign states or powers · public office holders (certain categories) · Indigenous process participants (provisions not yet in force)