Former DND executive on foreign influence registry over U.S. State Department arrangement
Raquel Garbers, who held director-general rank at National Defence, is one of the first publicly listed on Canada's new foreign influence registry.
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Raquel Garbers, whose last position at National Defence was director general of strategic defence policy, has registered with the Office of Canada's Foreign Influence Transparency Commissioner in connection with an arrangement with the U.S. Department of State.
According to the registry entry, Garbers is attending events hosted by the U.S. State Department in Thailand and Taiwan for U.S. officials, where she will lead lectures and a tabletop exercise on geopolitics and economic statecraft and make references to Canada's foreign policy. The U.S. Department of State is paying for her airfare, hotels, and per diems, and she is staying at the same hotels as U.S. officials. Garbers is among the first individuals publicly listed on the registry, which was established in August 2026.
The registry requirement came into effect this year: individuals must register within 14 days of entering an arrangement with a foreign principal involving activities intended to influence Canadian political or governmental processes.
Garbers filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the federal government on June 11, seeking almost $2 million in damages. Her dismissal followed an October 15, 2025 op-ed she published in the Hill Times defending the U.S. as an ally. In it, she wrote: "To suggest that the U.S. can't be trusted as an ally because it is 'mistreating its friends' is to indulge in the fantastical view that states privilege sentimentality over national interest." She also accused western leaders of enabling Russian and Chinese anti-U.S. narratives but declined to name them.
An October 20, 2025 Ottawa Citizen article about the op-ed prompted public criticism, according to the lawsuit. Garbers alleges the article falsely portrayed her as advancing pro-U.S. and pro-Trump positions and that National Defence failed to provide support following the backlash. A DND spokesperson said the department had no comment as the matter is subject to litigation. Garbers and her lawyer declined to comment.
What specific activities or interactions with U.S. officials does the registry entry describe beyond the lectures and tabletop exercise?
Has National Defence or the government provided a statement on the allegations in Garbers's lawsuit regarding lack of support after the October 2025 article?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
By the numbers
When was Canada's foreign influence registry established?
Canada's foreign influence registry was established in August 2026.
What is Raquel Garbers scheduled to do at U.S. State Department events?
Raquel Garbers will lead lectures and a tabletop exercise on geopolitics and economic statecraft and make references to Canada's foreign policy at U.S. State Department events in Thailand and Taiwan.
When did Garbers file her wrongful dismissal lawsuit?
Raquel Garbers filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the federal government on June 11, seeking almost $2 million in damages.
