China and India Accused of Likely Interference in Canada’s Upcoming Election

Canada’s spy agency has warned that China and India are likely to attempt interference in the country’s general election scheduled for April 28, with Russia and Pakistan also posing potential threats. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) revealed these concerns during a press conference on Monday, citing rising foreign meddling risks and the growing use of AI in disinformation campaigns.

Vanessa Lloyd, CSIS Deputy Director of Operations, said hostile state actors—especially China—are “highly likely” to deploy AI-enabled tools to disrupt Canada's democratic processes. She emphasized that foreign interference can significantly damage public trust in the country’s electoral system, even if it doesn’t alter election outcomes directly.

Canada’s ties with both China and India remain strained. In early March, Beijing imposed tariffs on over $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food exports. The move was in retaliation for Canada’s levies on Chinese electric vehicles and metals last year. Tensions escalated further after Ottawa condemned China for executing four Canadian nationals on drug charges.

Relations with India have also deteriorated. Last year, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats following allegations of their involvement in a plot targeting Sikh separatists in Canada. “We have seen that the government of India has both the intent and capability to interfere,” said Lloyd.

An official investigation found that foreign efforts by China and India to meddle in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 elections did not impact final results but noted the country’s slow response at the time.

Diplomatic missions for both China and India in Ottawa have yet to respond to the latest allegations.

The CSIS warning comes amid heightened concerns over global election integrity as AI-powered influence operations become more sophisticated and harder to trace.