The Canadian government has denounced Russia’s alleged attempts to interfere in the upcoming U.S. presidential election through disinformation campaigns. This condemnation follows the Biden administration’s latest measures targeting the Kremlin for its alleged efforts to influence the November 2024 election.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a series of actions aimed at exposing Russian interference. Among these actions were criminal charges unsealed against two employees of the state-run media company RT and the seizure of internet domains allegedly used by the Kremlin to propagate disinformation.
In a statement issued Thursday, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to collaborating with the United States and other allies to confront this growing threat. “I condemn in the strongest terms the attempts by Russian state-owned media entity RT to spread disinformation, influence election outcomes, undermine democracy, and engage in cyber incidents against Western targets,” LeBlanc said, though he declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
The U.S. measures, which also include sanctions and visa restrictions, reflect the continued efforts to counter Russia’s persistent threat to elections. American officials have reiterated that Moscow remains the primary source of electoral threats aimed at creating discord and confusion among voters.
One of the criminal cases accuses RT employees of covertly funding a Tennessee-based media company with approximately USD 10 million to produce pro-Russian content on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. This content, according to the U.S., was disseminated without disclosure of the company’s ties to RT, as required by law.
Additionally, the U.S. seized 32 internet domains allegedly used by the Kremlin to spread propaganda and undermine international support for Ukraine.
LeBlanc emphasized that Canada and its allies are united in countering Russian aggression, asserting that any Canadians involved in assisting Russia’s disinformation efforts or illegal activities will face severe legal consequences. He also highlighted Canada’s previous actions in 2022, when the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission removed RT and RT France from the list of non-Canadian channels distributed in Canada.
— With files from The Associated Press
