North Island – Powell River MP Rachel Blaney looking for support for local, rural, and community media to combat foreign interference in Canadian elections.

Blaney says  when people cannot get accurate, credible information from a trusted source, misinformation spreads and has a “significant impact on our elections, which undermines our democratic society.”

Blaney introduced a motion, asking the government to provide support to local media that serves vulnerable communities, which may be more exposed to misinformation and foreign interference.

The motion was defeated.

In a release, Blaney says recently, Canadian intelligence officials warned the government that China targeted Canada during the 2019 federal election, attempting to undermine the democratic process.

Blaney says that a key in fighting misinformation and foreign interference in elections is local media, which supports smaller rural communities that could be most impacted by foreign interference.