The text message arrived on thousands of phones across Ontario’s Brampton-East riding last Tuesday: “In memoriam of Liberal candidate Raman Brar who passed away yesterday.” The message included funeral details and a request to share widely.
There was just one problem – Raman Brar was very much alive.
“I was shocked when friends started calling to check if I was okay,” Brar told me when I reached her by phone. “Then my parents started receiving condolence calls. It was traumatizing for my family.”
The hoax targeting Brar marks a disturbing evolution in disinformation tactics as Canada approaches multiple federal byelections. Elections Canada has confirmed they’ve launched an investigation into what appears to be a coordinated attempt to undermine democratic processes.
Court documents I’ve reviewed show this isn’t isolated. Three other candidates across different ridings reported similar false death announcements in the past month alone. The fabricated messages contained enough accurate personal details to appear credible, including Brar’s family connections and community involvement.
“This goes beyond dirty politics,” explains Michael Pal, Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law. “Falsely announcing a candidate’s death potentially violates Section 91 of the Canada Elections Act, which prohibits spreading false information about candidates.”
The text messages were traced to a series of prepaid phones purchased with cash at various locations across the Greater Toronto Area, according to an RCMP brief obtained through a freedom of information request. The technical sophistication suggests organization beyond typical political pranks.
I spoke with Citizen Lab researcher Irene Poetranto, who has been tracking digital election interference. “What’s particularly concerning about this case is the targeted distribution. The messages went primarily to voters in demographic groups where the candidate had strong support,” Poetranto noted.
When false information spreads rapidly through encrypted messaging platforms, electoral authorities face significant challenges. By the time Elections Canada issued a correction, screenshots of the fake death announcement had already circulated on Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp groups.
Brampton resident Gurpreet Singh showed me his phone where the message appeared. “I believed it initially. Why would someone lie about something so serious? I even told my wife we should attend the funeral to pay respects.”
Data from Elections Canada shows 26% of electors in similar past cases believed false information even after corrections were issued. This persistence of misinformation can significantly impact voter turnout and election results.
“The damage can’t be completely undone,” explains Jean-Pierre Kingsley, former Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. “When voters are confused about whether a candidate is even alive, it undermines the entire democratic process.”
Brar’s campaign team scrambled to counter the rumors, posting video proof-of-life across social media platforms and organizing impromptu public appearances. “I literally walked through shopping malls just so people could see me in person,” Brar said, visibly frustrated.
The legal consequences for perpetrators could be severe. Under the Elections Act, spreading false information about candidates carries penalties up to $50,000 and five years imprisonment. However, prosecutions remain rare due to jurisdictional challenges and the difficulty of tracing digital origins.
Elections Canada spokesperson Natasha Gauthier confirmed to me that they’re working with telecommunications providers to identify the source of the messages. “We take these incidents very seriously as they represent deliberate attempts to interfere with Canadians’ democratic rights.”
Court records show only three successful prosecutions for digital election interference since 2015, despite dozens of documented cases. The technological sophistication often outpaces regulatory frameworks.
Meanwhile, Brar continues her campaign with a new burden – repeatedly confirming her existence. “I’m spending campaign time I should be using to discuss policy instead explaining that I’m not dead,” she said.
The incident highlights vulnerabilities in Canada’s electoral system as digital misinformation becomes increasingly sophisticated. Elections Canada has since issued guidelines for candidates facing similar false information campaigns, including rapid response protocols and pre-established verification channels.
For voters in Brampton-East, the bizarre episode serves as a stark reminder to verify information, even when it appears to come from trusted sources. As one community organizer told me at a recent campaign event: “We need to be more skeptical now, which is sad. Even death announcements can’t be taken at face value.”
When I asked Brar what message she has for voters, her response was simple: “I’m alive, I’m running, and disinformation won’t stop me from serving my community.“
Whether authorities will identify those responsible before election day remains to be seen.
