National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians launches review of the Lawful Interception of Communications for Security and Intelligence Activities
August 18, 2022

Ottawa, August 18, 2022 — The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) today announces its launch of a framework review of the lawful interception of communications by security and intelligence organizations pursuant to section 8(1)(a) of the NSICOP Act.

The Committee’s review will examine the legislative, regulatory, policy and financial framework for the lawful interception of communications for security and intelligence activities, the challenges resulting from the impact of rapidly changing and emerging technology, including the use of end-to-end encryption, and the limitations of the current framework faced with these challenges. NSICOP will also examine potential risks to the privacy rights of Canadians associated with modernizing authorities in this area.

“Maintaining the ability of our security, policing and intelligence organizations to lawfully obtain and use communications data while ensuring the protection of privacy and digital security is essential to protecting Canadians against increasingly complex threats. The Committee will seek to ensure that the organizations under review can clearly lay out the totality of the problem they face so that our recommendations have the benefit of a full understanding of the issues,” said the Chair, the Hon. David McGuinty.

Background:

NSICOP was established under the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act on June 22, 2017. It may review:

  • the legislative, regulatory, policy, administrative and financial framework for national security and intelligence;
  • any activity carried out by a department that relates to national security or intelligence, unless the activity is an ongoing operation and the appropriate Minister determines that the review would be injurious to national security; and,
  • any matter relating to national security or intelligence that a minister of the Crown refers to the Committee.

NSICOP members hold the highest level of security clearance, are bound by the Security of Information Act and meet in private.

Contact:

National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians
media@nsicop-cpsnr.gc.ca
Website: https://www.nsicop-cpsnr.ca/index-en.html
Twitter: @NSICOPCanada