Laundering of fentanyl cash linked to online betting sites, intelligence agency warns

Canada's financial intelligence agency suspects online gambling platforms are being used to launder proceeds from fentanyl dealing and production.

In an operational alert, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada says there is reason to believe people are depositing and withdrawing funds at online casinos to disguise proceeds from the traffic in deadly fentanyl and other opioids as wagers and winnings.

Problems with RCMP police dog program pose 'health and wellness risks': evaluation

The RCMP's police dog training centre has been plagued by staffing shortages, low morale and rundown facilities that pose health risks to officers and canines, an internal review says. 

The evaluation of RCMP police dog services reveals numerous challenges for the program that supplies and trains four-legged helpers to protect VIPs, support emergency teams, and sniff out suspects and illicit drugs.

Chief electoral officer proposes legislative changes to crack down on deepfakes

Canada's elections chief wants a ban on the misrepresentation of candidates and other key players in the electoral process through manipulation of their voice or image without consent.

The proposed change to the Canada Elections Act is among several measures chief electoral officer Stéphane Perrault is putting forward to address the use of deepfakes and other artificially created content to fool voters.

In an interview, Perrault said he is "hoping to convince" MPs to expand an electoral reform bill, currently in a House of Commons committee, to include some new elements.

CSIS tracked intelligence flow across government in foreign interference leak probe

Canada's spy service tracked the flow of its intelligence reports across government and studied how other agencies handled them as part of an investigation into leaks of classified information about foreign interference, a newly released memo shows. 

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service described the "tireless efforts" in the memo prepared for staff who were keen for an update on the probe into unauthorized disclosures to the media. 

Focus on possibly treasonous MPs could become 'kangaroo court': ex-minister

A former public safety minister says he is very worried the unfolding conversation about some parliamentarians being complicit in foreign interference is becoming a "kangaroo court." 

Marco Mendicino told a commission of inquiry into foreign meddling Thursday it is important to follow due process under the law before jumping to conclusions about the conduct of parliamentarians. 

Federal ministers were told of increasing 'volume and complexity' of foreign threats

A newly released document shows federal cabinet ministers were warned in May 2022 that hostile states were targeting Canada's strategic interests, the integrity of Canadian institutions and democratic processes, and the ability of the public to exercise Charter-protected rights and freedoms.

The document is a summary of one of four memorandums to cabinet, generally considered closely held confidences, that were provided to a federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference as part of its terms of reference. 

CSIS says a former parliamentarian may have worked on behalf of a foreign government

A former parliamentarian is suspected of "having worked to influence parliamentary business" on behalf of an unnamed foreign government, Canada's spy service told a federal inquiry Friday.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service also cited indications that an unspecified foreign government engaged in meddling to reduce the likelihood of a specific Liberal candidate of being elected federally.

Foreign ministry rang alarm bell over challenges in countering disinformation online

Canada's foreign ministry expressed alarm about its shrinking ability to counter foreign disinformation online due to limited access to data and the evolving tactics of adversaries, a newly released memo shows. 

The memo, tabled Wednesday at a federal inquiry into foreign interference, noted Canada had led the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism to identify and respond to threats to democracy through open-source data analytics. 

PM, senior security officials slated to return to foreign interference inquiry

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his inner circle are slated to return to a federal inquiry into foreign interference in coming weeks.

A newly published provisional witness list for the next phase of the inquiry's public work indicates senior government bureaucrats and members of national security agencies will also testify.

Trudeau and key government officials took part in the commission's initial hearings earlier this year on allegations of foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

Strained RCMP resources mean a 'delicate balance' on protecting MPs: internal memo

The demands of protecting parliamentarians and other public figures are placing "significant strain" on RCMP personnel and taking resources from other federal policing priorities, warns an internal briefing note. 

The national police force is "forced to walk a delicate balance" in providing protective services in response to threats flagged by parliamentarians, says the newly released February memo.

"The limited capacity of the RCMP's protective services must be prioritized based on these assessments."