The FITR Coalition is co-chaired by Gloria Fung, President Emeritus of Canada-Hong Kong Link, and Marcus Kolga, founder of DisinfoWatch and chairman of the Central and Eastern European Council in Canada. Both have been targeted by foreign authoritarian regimes as part of transnational repression efforts. Kolga has been sanctioned by both the Chinese and Russian governments.
The Coalition was joined at the press conference by NDP MP Jenny Kwan.
Below are Kolga’s remarks from the press conference:
“Justice Hogue’s final report is an important step in acknowledging the existential threat that disinformation and transnational repression pose to Canada’s democracy and society.
However, it is deeply concerning that it fails to acknowledge Russia’s extensive and long term information warfare against Canada. The Kremlin has spent years spreading disinformation, eroding trust in our institutions, and manipulating public discourse in Canada. Denying Moscow’s intent to do so and dismissing this threat serves to embolden the Kremlin and its authoritarian allies, offering them a sense of impunity.
With looming elections and ongoing nomination processes, where we have already witnessed foreign interference, Canada cannot afford any delays in responding to these threats. The passage of Bill C-70 created critical tools that enhance our ability to counter foreign interference. The swift implementation of all components of C70 is essential to deterring and preventing foreign efforts to interfere in our elections, nominations and to threaten and intimidate Canadian activists, journalists, elected officials and vulnerable communities.
These rapidly escalating authoritarian threats require the swift and full implementation of these measures, along with robust enforcement and our unwavering collective resolve to defend our democracy.”
