Liberals begin consultations on foreign influence registry, but with no timeline

Liberals begin consultations on foreign influence registry, but with no timelineOTTAWA — The Liberal government is beginning consultations to create a foreign influence registry, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino announced Friday, but he refused to say when the measure could be up and running. "There are few greater challenges that we face than foreign interference," Mendicino said at a news conference on Parliament Hill. The registry would require people who act on behalf of a foreign state to advance its goals to disclose their ties to the government employing them. The consultations will begin Friday and run until May 9, including through a virtual portal on the Department of Public Safety's website. Mendicino signalled late last year that the Liberal government wanted to hear from experts and the broader public, including members of affected communities, about creating a registry.