Critical Election Incident Public Protocol

The Critical Election Incident Public Protocol (the Protocol) lays out a simple, clear and impartial process by which Canadians would be notified of a threat to the integrity of a General Election.

The Protocol includes provisions for: informing candidates, organizations or election officials if they have been the known target of an attack; briefing the group of senior public servants at the heart of the Protocol; informing the Prime Minister and other party leaders (or their designates) that a public announcement is planned; and notifying the public.  

At the heart of the Protocol is a group of experienced senior Canadian public servants (the Panel) who will be responsible for jointly determining whether the threshold for informing Canadians has been met, whether through a single incident or an accumulation of incidents.

The Panel brings together unique national security, foreign affairs, democratic governance and legal perspectives, including a clear view of the democratic rights enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Cabinet Directive on the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol.