Canada - March 2026

On 26 March, the Liberal government proposed amendments to the Canada Elections Act through Bill C 25, the Strong and Free Elections Act, introducing a set of reforms aimed at strengthening federal electoral integrity. The proposed amendments extend prohibitions on foreign interference, bribery and disinformation beyond election periods, including new offences targeting deceptive deepfakes of electoral actors. They also restrict the use of unduly long ballots, tighten political financing rules by closing channels for foreign and opaque funding, and introduce new privacy and data breach disclosure requirements for political parties. In parallel, enforcement powers and penalties under the Act were strengthened, and additional resources were allocated to counter foreign information threats. The changes mark a shift toward a more continuous and comprehensive electoral protection framework. The bill passed a second reading on 24 April, and it was referred to committee for detailed consideration and potential amendments.

Sources: CBC, Government of Canada (1), Government of Canada (2), Parliament of Canada