In response to growing concerns about foreign interference, the Canadian government has proposed new legislation to combat this threat. The Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act was proposed in May 2024, and must undergo parliamentary review before it is passed. Until then, the act will be scrutinised against similar legislation among Canada’s allies in the Five Eyes security alliance (Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States — New Zealand has developed its own approach). This policy brief looks at how these countries have implemented foreign influence transparency registries and what Canada can learn from them to create its own model.

Key messages:

• The deployment of a Canadian foreign influence transparency registry should be aligned with Canada's Five Eyes partners (Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States).
• The effectiveness of foreign influence transparency registries lies primarily in deterrence, public education and enhanced resilience.
• Foreign influence transparency registries are but one tool in an array of policy and legislative instruments to combat persistent foreign interference.