What counts as foreign interference? Not Elon Musk, Canadian officials say – National [Video]

Officials monitoring Canada’s federal election for foreign interference say they are focused on covert and deliberate efforts to interfere in the campaign — and that doesn’t include the public opinions shared by U.S. billionaire Elon Musk on social media.

This year’s general election is the first to be held since revelations of foreign interference efforts in past campaigns led to new safeguards and procedures to monitor for, and warn the public about, attempts to meddle in elections.

While officials say they are monitoring attempts to sow discord through social media, they made clear in a briefing Monday there’s a difference between that and individual free expression — no matter how influential that individual may be.

“Mr. Musk, or anyone else working under him, does not fall into the category of foreign interference,” Laurie-Anne Kempton, assistant secretary to the cabinet for communications at the Privy Council Office, told reporters in French.

Allen Sutherland, …