Cyber-Threats to Canadian Democracy

An interdisciplinary exploration of election cybersecurity and its impact on Canadian democracy

Scrutinizing the events of the 2019 federal election and looking to the future, Cyber-Threats to Canadian Democracy examines how new technologies have affected the practice of electoral politics and what we can do to strengthen Canadian democracy, shedding light on some of the most contentious issues around technology and electoral integrity.

From the Cambridge Analytica scandal to overloaded internet voting servers to faulty voting machines, the growing relationship between democracy and technology has brought to light the challenges associated with integrating new digital tools into the electoral system. Canadian politics has also felt the impact of this migration online.

This timely book presents the first comprehensive study of the various cyber-threats to election integrity across Canadian jurisdictions. Scrutinizing the events of the 2019 federal election, Cyber-Threats to Canadian Democracy examines how new technologies have affected the practice of electoral politics and what we can do to strengthen future Canadian elections. Through the disciplines of political science, law, computer science, engineering, communications, and others, chapters shed light on some of the most contentious issues around technology and electoral integrity. The contributors address current domestic and foreign threats to Canadian elections, evaluate the behaviour of actors ranging from political parties and interest groups to policymakers and election administrators, and assess emerging legal and regulatory responses while anticipating future challenges to the quality of elections in Canada and around the globe.

Cyber-Threats to Canadian Democracy helps seed the study of digital technology’s security risks, providing insight into what reforms are needed and evaluating existing legal and policy frameworks in light of these threats.