Office of the National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator
Associate Assistant Deputy Minister Sébastien Aubertin-Giguère is Canada's National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator (NCFIC). The NCFIC is mandated to provide policy and operational coordination on efforts to counter foreign interference. Mr. Aubertin-Giguère works with all levels of government and civil society groups to increase Canada's resilience against foreign interference threats.
Mr. Aubertin-Giguère leads the Government of Canada's engagement efforts and works directly with communities most at risk of foreign interference and transnational repression.
Role
The Office of the National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator leads Canada's plan to fight foreign interference by:
- supporting a coordinated government response
- sharing information as legally permitted at home and around the world
- watching for new threats and helping partners respond
- teaching people in Canada about foreign interference to build trust and awareness
Creation of the Office of the National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator
The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) previously noted Canada's government departments often work on foreign interference in a scattered, case-by-case manner. The NSICOP recommended the Government of Canada develop practical, whole-of-government plans to identify and respond to foreign interference, and that this be supported though central leadership and coordination. They also recommended that engagement with groups outside of the federal government be more consistent.
There is no single department or entity within the Government of Canada responsible for countering foreign interference. Federal departments and agencies each have their own specific roles, mandates and legislative responsibilities that guide their response to foreign interference. In recognition and response to these challenges, the Government of Canada announced the creation of a NCFIC position within Public Safety Canada.
Mandate
The NCFIC was established to coordinate Government of Canada efforts to combat foreign interference by providing leadership to advance a unified federal response to foreign interference, and increasing situational awareness and transparency through community engagement with domestic and international stakeholders and partners.
The NCFIC has the mandate to:
- lead on and help centralize the Government of Canada's work on foreign interference
- coordinate responses to emerging and new foreign interference issues with government partners, while respecting existing security bodies and agency roles
- increase awareness within the Government of Canada and be transparency around what the government is doing to address it
- work with international partners to share information and best practices
- engage with non-federal stakeholders, including cultural and language communities, to help build resilience in Canadian society
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