OTTAWA—A newly released memo shows the prime minister’s national security adviser warned him to expect some pushback from planned public consultations about a foreign agent registry, given that countries have used such registries as tools of control.
In her memo last August, Jody Thomas told Justin Trudeau the discussions “may elicit a range of reactions” — from applause to reservations.
“Concerns may be further amplified since some foreign governments, like Russia, have used ’foreign agent registries’ to silence activists and shut down organizations critical of government,” Thomas said.
However, she said, national security experts, Canada’s allies and diaspora groups targeted by hostile states “will likely welcome these measures.”…