OTTAWA – Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is urging all federal parties to work together to swiftly implement key recommendations from Justice Marie-Josée Hogue’s inquiry into foreign interference before the next federal election.
Hogue’s report, released last Tuesday, includes 51 recommendations—24 of which she emphasized should be adopted before the next election to protect Canada’s democratic process. However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to prorogue Parliament during the Liberal leadership race has stalled legislative action, leaving crucial electoral safeguards in limbo. With the opposition parties expected to bring down the minority government when Parliament resumes on March 24, Canada could soon be headed to the polls without these vital protections in place.
“In the interest of Canada, we need to come together and act now,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada. “We could adopt these changes in as little as 30 minutes through unanimous consent if all parties agree. This is not a partisan issue—it is about protecting our democracy from foreign interference.”
The Green Party is particularly concerned about the growing impact of disinformation on Canada’s electoral process, exacerbated by the unchecked spread of false information on social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), under the leadership of Elon Musk.
“This is a serious threat to our democracy,” said MP Mike Morrice. “We need to ensure that disinformation, amplified by social media algorithms and foreign actors, does not manipulate Canadian elections. Justice Hogue’s recommendations provide a roadmap, but we must act now to implement them.”
One of the report’s key suggestions is public financing of Canada's political parties. The Green Party strongly supports restoring the per-vote subsidy. This measure would reduce the influence of big-money donors and ensure fairer electoral competition.
Additionally, the report urges political parties to strengthen internal safeguards against foreign interference, including ensuring that only Canadian citizens or permanent residents are party members. The Green Party of Canada has already implemented these measures, requiring all members to confirm their citizenship or residency status and restricting donations to Canadian-issued credit cards to prevent foreign entities from influencing the party.
The Green Party also notes an error in Justice Hogue’s report, which claimed that all federal parties opposed new rules for nomination and leadership races. In fact, the Green Party believes some of the recommendations are worth considering, such as having CSIS screen leadership candidates to identify potential foreign affiliations with malicious actors. Additionally, Hogue’s assertion that all party leaders have the final say on candidate selection is inaccurate—unlike other parties, the Green Party of Canada does not grant its leader the power to unilaterally approve or reject candidates. The Green Party is committed to democratic processes within its own structure and believes that robust, transparent nomination and leadership rules are essential to maintaining public trust.
“The Green Party has long championed greater transparency and accountability in our political system,” added Elizabeth May. “We urge all parties to take these recommendations seriously and act before it’s too late.”
With time running out, the Green Party is calling on all federal leaders to put partisanship aside and adopt these crucial reforms before the next election.
#####
For more information or to arrange an interview :
Fabrice Lachance Nové
Press secretary
514-463-0021