Canada is condemning alleged Russian attempts to interfere in the U.S. presidential election using disinformation campaigns, a day after the Biden administration took a series of actions against the Kremlin.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced multiple actions meant to call out Russia for alleged interference in the November election, including unsealing criminal charges against two employees of state-run media company RT, as well as seizing internet domains officials say are used by the Kremlin to spread disinformation.
In a statement on Thursday, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the Canadian government had been working with the United States and other allies “on this serious matter,” though he could not comment on the ongoing investigation.
“I also condemn in the strongest terms the attempts by Russian state-owned media entity RT to spread disinformation, influence election outcomes, undermine democracy and rules-based international order, and engage in information operations and cyber incidents against Western targets,” he said.
The measures by the U.S., which also include sanctions and visa restrictions, are the latest efforts to disrupt what has been considered a persistent threat from Russia that officials have warned has the potential to sow discord and create confusion among voters.
Washington has said Moscow remains the primary threat to elections.
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One of the criminal cases accuses two RT employees of covertly funding a Tennessee-based content creation company with nearly US$10 million to publish English-language videos on platforms including TikTok and YouTube with messages favouring the Russian government’s interests and agenda.
The company, which the U.S. did not identify, disclosed neither that it was allegedly funded by RT nor that had it registered, as required by law, as an agent of a foreign entity.
The U.S. also seized 32 internet domains that officials say were used by the Kremlin to spread propaganda and weaken global support for Ukraine.
LeBlanc said Canada and its allies were united in confronting Russian aggression and subversion against democratic societies and would not hesitate to take actions necessary.
Any Canadians who illegally assist Russia in its attempts to use disinformation, criminal and covert activities, and corruption to undermine the country’s sovereignty and democratic processes “will face the full force of Canadian law,” he said.
He also noted actions taken by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in 2022 which saw the removal of RT and RT France from the list of non-Canadian channels and stations that could be distributed in Canada.
— with files from The Associated Press
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