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Canada takes global role in countering electoral interference in cyberspace

May 26, 2020 | 8:07 AM

OTTAWA — Canada is taking on a leadership role against electoral interference as part of an international cybersecurity effort.

Privy Council President Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government will be one of the three players on countering election meddling as part of the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace.

As a co-lead, Canada will work with Microsoft and the Alliance for Securing Democracy in this area over the coming months.

The government says the surge of disinformation and cyberthreats emerging in the context of COVID-19 highlights the need to act.

The Paris Call emerged from the Internet Governance Forum held at UNESCO and the Paris Peace Forum in November 2018.

Its goal is to use international collaboration to address new cyberspace threats to citizens and infrastructure.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2020.

The Canadian Press