Canada’s progress on Summit for Democracy commitments

• Canada secured funding for a new protecting democracy team, expansion of the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism, and activities of the Digital Citizen Initiative.
• In 2022-23, the Digital Citizen Contribution Program (DCCP) was renewed for an additional two years. This included $10.7 million in 2023-24 and $8.2 million in 2024-25 to continue efforts to strengthen understanding and build resilience to online disinformation and to support a more diverse, healthy, and inclusive media environment.
• Starting in 2022-23, $5.5 million will be disbursed over 3 years for the Canadian Digital Media Research Network, which focuses on protecting and building resilience within the Canadian information ecosystem by leveraging best practices in quantitative and qualitative data analysis.
• On October 27, 2023, the DCCP launched its fifth regular call for proposals which will make available more than $9 million to applicants. This call for proposals seeks to fund projects that increase digital media and civic literacy, help Canadians identify content created by artificial intelligence, develop and publish resources to prevent and address online violence and cyberbullying, and build capacity in Canada to fight disinformation and other online harms.
• In addition to engagement with academics and civil society to better understand threats to democracy, raise awareness and enhance collaboration, interdepartmental coordination groups have been established to serve as primary mechanisms to work on potential amendments to the plan to protect Canada’s democracy.
• In January 2024, new tools were published to help community leaders, elected officials, public office holders, and public servants to identify and combat disinformation. This includes the Countering Disinformation: A Guidebook for Public Servants, which offers guidance on how to navigate the threat of mis- and disinformation.
• The 2021 Guiding principles on diversity of online content were developed and published.
• The second independent Report on the assessment of the 2021 Critical Election Incident Public Protocol was published.

• Broad-reaching stakeholder consultations took place in May 2022 to seek feedback on mandate and activities of proposed Centre.
• Three ministerial-level roundtables in 2022 allowed elected officials to hear directly from thought leaders and experts.
• In light of current fiscal realities, the government continues to consider different options regarding the implementation of this commitment and the best mechanisms through which to bolster democracy around the world.

• Canada announced CAN$10 million for fast and flexible support for Democracy in La Francophonie countries in November 2022, which will assist the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, civil society organizations, human rights advocates and political activists to address new and emerging challenges that are threatening democracy and human rights.

• The sixth cohort of the PMYC was welcomed in February 2023 and has a two-year mandate.
• Cohort 6 has participated in numerous consultations to share youth perspectives on a broad range of government priorities. 
• Cohort 6 has met 10 times from February 2023 to February 2024, including two full days of in-person meetings in Ottawa, Ontario, in August 2023.
• The in-person meeting in August 2023 focused on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, the environment, and climate change.
• A youth impact policy analysis tool was made available to federal government policy makers in February 2023.

• Under Canada’s coordination in its capacity as a Secretariat, the G7 RRM released its Annual Report 2022 in October 2023. While the first report in 2021 focused on disinformation, this report focuses on hybrid threats more broadly. The objective of these public reports is to shine a light on foreign interference and to enhance G7 RRM transparency. Both reports have called out China, Russia and Iran for malign activities.
• RRM Canada established a multi-stakeholder crisis network comprised of G7 governments, social media platforms and civil society organizations to tackle Russian disinformation and support the integrity of Ukraine’s information environment.
• RRM Canada has also established a dedicated team to counter Russian state-sponsored disinformation in Eastern Europe and monitor for signs of information manipulation from other sources based on evolving global threats.

• International support on the issue of arbitrary detention for diplomatic leverage has increased. The Declaration has grown to 75 endorsers, covering almost every region of the globe.
• In September 2023, on the margins of the UN General Assembly, Canada, together with the United States, Costa Rica, and Malawi, co-hosted a successful High-Level Dialogue addressing the use of arbitrary detention for diplomatic leverage.
• In January 2024, Canada established the Independent International Panel. Composed of 7 eminent jurists, the Panel will deliver an authoritative opinion and provide recommendations aimed at advancing a multilateral approach and strengthening norms related to arbitrary detention in state-to-state relations.
• In February 2024, Canada and the United States co-hosted two expert panel discussions in Washington D.C. This event examined the international security dimensions of arbitrary detention for diplomatic leverage in order to strengthen the substantive aspects of the Declaration.

• As chair of International IDEA for 2022, Canada continued its multi-stakeholder engagement to address disinformation, including its impact on democratic processes, in particular related to the Global South.
• In September 2022, on the margins of UN General Assembly High-Level Week, Canada co-hosted an event with the Freedom Online Coalition, Media Freedom Coalition and IDEA Secretariat on “Upholding democracy and human rights in the face of rising disinformation”.

• In 2022, Canada successfully chaired the FOC and enabled a smooth transition to the new U.S. Chair in January 2023.
• Canada published a Chair’s statement on Russian state-sponsored disinformation in Ukraine, which was endorsed by 20 FOC member states. The FOC also published its first consensus-based, country-specific statement to address Internet shutdowns in Iran.
• Canada’s chairship accomplishments are reflected in the end of year report, including the “Ottawa Agenda,” which is a set of recommendations for freedom online supported by all members.

• From December 2021 to March 2024, Canada has supported 16 election observation missions of the Organization of American States.
• From December 2021 to March 2024, Canada has supported 16 election observation missions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
• From December 2021 to March 2024, Canada has supported 8 election observation missions of the European Union.
• Global Affairs Canada is implementing a CAN $2M project titled “Democracy and Human Rights Promotion through Election Observation“ (2022-2025).

• Canada is in the process of renewing the National Cyber Security Strategy and is moving forward with its international cyber security strategy.
• Canada has regularly attended the UN cyber Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) and other multilateral forums to advocate for the implementation of the framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.
• Canada has worked with other states to develop the UN Cyber Programme of Action, adopted via a UN General Assembly First Committee resolution.

• Canada continues to work with partners and allies to address the gender dimensions of cyber security at the UN cyber OEWG and elsewhere.
• Canada is a sponsor of the Women in International Security and Cyberspace Fellowship program.

• Canada has adhered to the OECD DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance.
• In June 2022, Canada launched the High Level Narrative Update on progress in implementing Canada’s Policy for Civil Society Partnerships.
• Canada participated in the Summit for Democracy civil society cohort led by Norway, the Czech Republic and the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law.
• Canada resumed its chairship of the Community of Democracies Working Group on Enabling and Protecting Civil Society in 2024.

• Canada funded the WFD program with a focus on the ASEAN region.
• Canada has been supporting projects that address systemic barriers to women’s participation in leadership and decision-making roles, including historic investments through the 2021 Feminist Response and Recovery Fund.
• Since December 2021, Canada has also dedicated investments toward projects led by the Assembly of First Nations, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada and Women of the Métis Nation to empower and increase Indigenous women’s leadership and democratic participation in their communities.

• On June 21, 2021, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act became law.
• In June 2023, Canada released an Action Plan to achieve the objectives of the UN Declaration and to identify measures needed to ensure federal laws are consistent with the UN Declaration.
• The Action Plan is the result of two years of working in consultation and cooperation with First Nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada.
• The first two annual progress reports were tabled in Parliament in 2022 and 2023.

• Canada published its 2022-24 National Action Plan on Open Government in September 2022. Public tracking of progress is ongoing.
• At the international level, Canada played a critical role in the development of the OGP’s new 2023-2028 strategy.
• As a member of the OGP Steering Committee, Canada continues its engagement in the Standards and Criteria Subcommittee.  
• Canada met its obligations to support the OGP Multi-Donor Trust Fund for 2022. 

• In June 2022, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly met with counterparts from the Alliance for Development in Democracy (Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic) and signed the Joint Declaration: Fostering a strategic dialogue between Canada and the Members of the Alliance for Development in Democracy.

• Preparations have been completed and the call is expected to be launched in 2024.

• Through the Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program, Canada supports states in strengthening their anti-corruption policies and regulatory frameworks and their capacity to investigate corruption-related crimes and money laundering.
• For example, Canada currently supports 3 projects (CAN$8.3 million) to enhance the capacity of beneficiary states to combat corruption and money laundering.
• Canada has also contributed CAN$2.2 million (2017-2022) to support the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in implementing the UN Convention Against Corruption.

• In June 2022, a preparatory meeting with 15 state and 15 stakeholder participants introduced the initiative and its objectives.
• In November 2022, the High-Level Roundtable on Anti-Corruption was successfully convened in partnership with Ecuador and the Netherlands in The Hague, where Ministers recognized a common basis to advance the fight against corruption.

• Since December 2021, Canada has completed the principal design elements of the registry regime and has passed an initial set of legislative amendments necessary to enact the regime.
• Budget 2022 committed to accelerate by 2 years the implementation of a public and searchable national beneficial ownership registry.

• Canada has taken steps to strengthen its procurement policy by integrating human rights, ESG principles and supply chain transparency principles into government procurements.

• Canada has made substantive and positive contributions to developing countries to manage natural resources in an inclusive, transparent and sustainable way, such as through funding for the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
• Through ongoing funding to the Open Government Partnership Multi-Donor Trust Fund, Canada is supporting governments in Burkina Faso, Panama, Nigeria and Ghana to make important progress on their open government reforms.

• Since May 30, 2022, the Government of Canada has been proactively publishing additional information for contracts over CAN$10,000, including buyer name, vendor postal code and application of comprehensive land claims agreements.
• Since July 30, 2022, the data has also included whether contracts were awarded to Indigenous businesses and whether they were set aside under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business.
• Inclusion of other types of information is being piloted, such as: sole source rationale, competitive contract criteria, and applicability of the Federal Contractors Program.

• Canada’s Access to Justice Secretariat serves as a policy lead and a coordinating hub for the justice-themed commitment in Canada’s 2022-2024 National Action Plan on Open Government.
• Progress to advance legal literacy and empowerment; collect and share data, including disaggregated data; identify and share promising practices; and foster partnerships and collaboration is tracked quarterly on the Open Government Tracker.
• Substantial progress has been reported for the vast majority of the 22 indicators, with 6 completed.

• Recognizing that Canada’s fight against racism is far from over, Budget 2022 provided CAN$85 million over 4 years to renew Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy and to launch a new Action Plan on Combatting Hate.
• Budget 2023 also provided an additional $25.4 million over 5 years and $0.6 million ongoing, starting in 2023-24, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to continue to support Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy and fight all forms of racism, including but not limited to anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, anti-Asian racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia. 
• On November 27, 2022, Canada launched the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which includes fighting against anti-Asian racism in Canada, in all its forms, through the full implementation of the federal Anti-Racism Strategy.
• In January 2023, Canada signed the Declaration on the North American Partnership for Equity and Racial Justice, as well as the Canada-Mexico Action Plan, which includes an anti-racism pillar focused on combating inequality, racial discrimination and hate.
• On December 11, 2023, Canada and Brazil issued a joint statement on a forthcoming Partnership on Racial Equity and Inclusion.
• On January 26, 2023, Canada appointed its first ever Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia. On October 16, 2023, Canada appointed a new Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism.

• Budget 2021 invested CAN$126.7 million over 3 years to improve access to high quality and culturally safe health services to address anti-Indigenous racism within health systems in Canada.
• Budget 2022 provides CAN$227.6 million over 2 years to maintain trauma-informed, culturally appropriate, Indigenous-led services to improve mental wellness.
• On February 7, 2023, Canada announced CAN$2 billion over 10 years to address the unique challenges Indigenous peoples face when it comes to fair and equitable access to culturally safe health services. 

• Canada provided CAN$5 million to the OHCHR in December 2021.

• On August 28, 2022, Canada launched the first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, which seeks to advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ communities in Canada, and to address and prevent stigma and discrimination from emerging or worsening for future generations.
• The Action Plan’s implementation is supported by CAN$100 million announced in Budget 2022.

• By February 2022, Canada had provided CAN$3 million to the Global Media Defence Fund, administered by UNESCO, supporting not-for-profit organizations to enhance journalists’ legal protection and promote media freedom.
• In July 2022, the UN Human Rights Council biannual resolution on freedom of expression, co-led by Canada and the Netherlands, was adopted.
• Canada is monitoring specific cases of journalists at risk in several countries through the diplomatic networks of the Media Freedom Coalition.

• Canada committed CAN$2 million in new funding to support these rapid response emergency and capacity building assistance programs in September 2022.

• Throughout 2022 and 2023, Canada continued its collaboration with international and Canadian partners, including the UN Refugee Agency, Front Line Defenders, and ProtectDefenders.eu to implement the new refugee stream for human rights defenders (HRD).
• In the context of the special humanitarian program for Afghan nationals, Canada has expanded the number of spaces available to human rights defenders and is working with Front Line Defenders and ProtectDefenders.eu to resettle Afghan HRD at risk.
• In March 2023, Front Line Defenders and ProtectDefenders.eu became direct referral partners for Canada under the government assisted refugees program, providing referrals for HRD in need of resettlement globally.

• The RBC Strategy was launched on April 28, 2022.The Strategy outlines Canada’s approach to responsible business conduct for Canadian companies active abroad, provides guidance to increase due diligence and accountability and advances Canadian leadership on responsible business conduct on the global stage.

• Canada announced its 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan on February 14, 2022. The Plan includes the resettlement of 138,100 refugees by the end of 2024, and an ambitious commitment to resettle at least 40,000 Afghans by the end of 2023.
• In 2022 and 2023, Canada welcomed over 97,000 resettled refugees.
• With respect to Afghanistan specifically, in October 2023, Canada achieved its commitment to resettle 40,000 Afghans and has continued to welcome even more. From August 2021 to January 25, 2024, Canada welcomed 47,010 Afghans through several programs.

• The GTF was launched in April 2022, with Canada successfully completing its tenure as inaugural Chair for the first 2 years and passing it to the Australian Government as of April 2024.
• Under Canada’s leadership, the GTF has grown its membership by adding two new members and a Refugee Advisory Committee, contributing to the shared goal of enhancing meaningful refugee participation, as well as supported various international events to build capacity for refugee labour mobility globally.
• Canada has continued to engage in the GRSI, including as the co-chair of the Community Sponsorship States Network, and on the development and promotion of the Global Sponsorship Fund.

On December 10, 2021, the White House announced the launch of an export controls and human rights initiative. Canada has since worked with the United States and other like-minded countries to finalize the text of a non-legally-binding “Code of Conduct for Enhancing Export Controls of Goods and Technology That Could Be Misused and Lead to Serious Violations or Abuses of Human Rights.” This Code of Conduct was released at the Second Summit for Democracy.