Commissioner Justice Marie-Josée Hogue speaks to reporters after the release of the final report of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in Ottawa. Photo courtesy the Foreign Interference Commission.

Canadian democracy is under threat. Or so we have been told on repeated occasions over the past few years. Malign foreign actors are said to be spreading dangerous disinformation, interfering in elections, suborning members of Parliament, and generally meddling in a malicious fashion. According to the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has expanded its reach into virtually every corner of Canadian society.” And it’s not just the Chinese: Russia poses an equal threat and “the tentacles of [Russian] oligarchs and agents have also penetrated deep into Canadian business, politics, and society.” At least, that is the story.

Backing up these allegations are outlandish claims that there are traitors in Parliament, that one of Canada’s most respected journalists is a Russian agent, and the like. But is there anything to it? Judging by the report issued this week by the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, led by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, the answer is yes and no. Yes—there’s something to it, but no—it’s not nearly as significant as people make out.

On the one hand, the report reveals that there are some things happening on the fringes of our political system that could be classified as foreign interference. But on the other hand, it also demonstrates that their impact is decidedly limited and that the system itself remains “robust.” There are also some issues with how the government and its agencies deal with foreign interference allegations, including slow and partial dissemination of information to relevant parties. But these hardly amount to a threat to the foundations of our society.

The report doesn’t justify the image of Canada as riddled with foreign agents, proxies, and useful idiots. Rather, it paints a decidedly modest picture of the problem. And though it makes........

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