Governments must act on foreign interference

Just days after Prime Minister Mark Carney warned Canadians that “Many of our former strengths, based on our close ties to America, have become our weaknesses,” both the Toronto Star and CTV News have reported that a network of foreign-based YouTube channels are spreading misleading and inflammatory messages regarding the issues of potential separation from Canada and annexation by the United States.

The reports reveal that according to an analysis conducted by the Montreal-based Canadian Digital Media Research Network, the videos appear to be part of a co-ordinated strategy that shares and repeats scripts with similar titles via approximately 20 channels. Those channels have collectively received more than 40 million views in just the past few months.

The videos exploit real frustrations among Albertans and repackage factual distortions into extreme narratives that appear to be aimed at increasing support for separation in that province. They frequently distort genuine news reports, falsely claim to represent the views of Canadians, and often contain “deepfakes” of Carney and/or Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

For example, the CTV report referred to a video that claims 65 per cent of Albertans, 61 per cent of Saskatchewan residents and 58 per cent of Manitobans openly support separation or even U.S. statehood.

That is an absurd fabrication. There has never been a poll that has found those levels of support for separation in any of those provinces.

Some might dismiss the videos as somebody having fun at our expense, or perhaps claim the videos are protected as “freedom of expression,” but they appear to be part of a foreign interference strategy and pose a threat to both national unity and public safety.

Given the growing likelihood of a referendum on separation being held in Alberta later this year, there is a growing fear the videos could impact the outcome of that plebiscite.

On that point, it is noteworthy that the CTV report quotes Jeffery Rath, one of the leaders of the so-called “Alberta Prosperity Project,” as saying “Anybody promoting U.S. annexation or U.S. statehood, they’re not part of our movement,” and “As far as I’m concerned, those videos aren’t helping Alberta independence. We wish to be a free and independent country.”

Those words appear to contradict Rath’s claims that he has met with Trump administration officials to discuss U.S. support for Alberta’s separation. He is also leading APP’s effort to prevent Elections Alberta from forcing disclosure of the sources of his organization’s funding, and how that money is being spent.

Given that the Alberta referendum threatens the continued existence of Canada, and the that foreign-produced videos increase that danger, it is appropriate to ask why our governments are not taking steps to address the issue and reduce the risk.

The Carney government has been largely silent on the issue, but the Alberta government recently passed a law giving Elections Alberta authority to address “all forms of deepfakes, misinformation, disinformation and other nefarious online activities, both foreign and domestic.”

That’s encouraging, but the “Information Integrity Unit” responsible for the enforcement of those provisions will not be operational until June at the earliest.

That means that the only organization currently capable of shutting down the deceptive video network is the same foreign-based organization that is currently broadcasting those videos. YouTube recently updated its content guidelines to address mass-produced content, and told CTV that it “doesn’t allow spam, scam or other deceptive practices that take advantage of the YouTube community … and will remove any content that violates our Community Guidelines.”

That absurd reality — relying on YouTube to fix a problem caused by YouTube — underscores the dangerous power of social media and the relative impotence of governments to limit, let alone prevent, the corrosive influence of those websites.

For more than a year, there has been a growing chorus of concern regarding the threat of foreign interference on the Alberta separation issue. Given the rising anxiety, it is disappointing that our governments appear to be so ill-equipped to respond to the issue and so apparently unconcerned about the danger it poses.

Canadians deserve better. With the future of Canada at stake, our governments must do more to protect the nation from foreign interference.

The clock is ticking.