C-70Countering Foreign Interference Act
An Act respecting countering foreign interference
Government bill, introduced in the House of Commons on May 6, 2024
- Status
- Became law on June 20, 2024 · S.C. 2024, c. 16
- Sponsor
- Dominic LeBlancLiberal
- Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
What it does
Creates new foreign interference offences, sets up a transparency commissioner and registry, and changes rules for security, evidence and intelligence law.
What it does
- Updates the Canadian Security Intelligence Act rules for collecting, keeping, querying and using datasets, and changes how CSIS can disclose information and get certain warrants and orders.
- Requires a parliamentary review of the Canadian Security Intelligence Act every five years.
- Creates new offences in the Security of Information Act for acting for a foreign entity, including some indictable offences and deceptive conduct tied to Canadian interests or democratic rights.
- Broadens the Criminal Code sabotage offence to cover certain acts involving essential infrastructure, and applies some private communications interception rules to certain foreign interference offences.
- Creates a new scheme under the Canada Evidence Act for sensitive information in Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal cases, and limits some appeals until after conviction unless there are exceptional circumstances.
- Creates the Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act, including a Foreign Influence Transparency Commissioner and a public registry for certain arrangements with foreign principals.
Who it affects
- Canadian Security Intelligence Service
- People and groups with foreign principals
- People accused of foreign interference offences
- Federal court parties
- Federal boards and tribunals
- Parliamentary oversight bodies
- Immigration and national security officials
Background
The bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 6 May 2024 and is split into four parts. It amends the Canadian Security Intelligence Act, the Security of Information Act, the Criminal Code, the Canada Evidence Act and other laws.
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Senate
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Senate pre study
Completed.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Completed.
Introduced by a cabinet minister on behalf of the government. Government bills get set time for debate, so they are the most likely to become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-70, An Act respecting countering foreign interference
Vote 814,
Passed
319 yeato0 nay · 2 paired
Party breakdown for vote 814 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 145 0 10 Conservative Yea 114 0 4 Bloc Yea 32 0 0 NDP Yea 23 0 1 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 3 0 0 Total 319 0
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalDominic LeBlanc· May 29, 2024
“Under Bill C-70, the government proposes to have Canada's registry overseen by an independent foreign influence transparency commissioner. This commissioner would be responsible for independently administering and promoting compliance with the act.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeMichael Chong· May 29, 2024
“It took years for the government to introduce Bill C-70, an act respecting countering foreign interference, but finally it has been introduced. Let me outline our views on this bill.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocRené Villemure· May 29, 2024
“With this bill, the government is telling us, or trying to tell us, that it has finally shaken its naivety. That is a good start.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPAlistair MacGregor· May 29, 2024
“I want to let the minister know that the NDP will be supporting the bill at second reading. In fact, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security unanimously agreed to start a prestudy of the bill tomorrow morning because we do want to get important work under way.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caGreenElizabeth May· June 12, 2024
“The bill needs to be carefully administered, and much of what remains of what we would be passing, in a breathtakingly expedited fashion, would be be left to further regulations. There are still a lot of questions as the bill moves forward.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Royal assent received. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.