Annual Report 2021
The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians
Annual Report 2021 (Revised version pursuant to subsection 21(5) of the NSICOP Act)
CP100E-PDF (Online)
ISSN 2562-511X (Online)
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Rapport annuel 2021 (Version révisée selon le paragraphe 21(5) de la Loi sur le CPSNR)
P.O. Box 8015, Station T, Ottawa ON K1G 5A6
www.nsicop-cpsnr.ca
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, 2022. All rights reserved
May 2022
Submitted to the Prime Minister on May 18, 2022
pursuant to subsection 21(1) of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act
Revised version tabled in Parliament on September 28, 2022 pursuant to subsection 21(5) of the Act
Revisions
Consistent with subsection 21(1) of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act (NSICOP Act), the Committee must submit an annual report to the Prime Minister. Consistent with subsection 21(5) of the NSICOP Act, the Prime Minister may, after consulting the Chair of the Committee, direct the Committee to submit to him or her a revised version of the annual report that does not contain information the Prime Minister believes the disclosure of which would be injurious to national security, national defence or international relations or is information that is protected by solicitor-client privilege.
This report was provided to the Prime Minister on 18 May 2022. No revisions were made to remove information the disclosure of which the Prime Minister believes would be injurious to national defence, national security or international relations, or which constitutes solicitor- client privilege.
Chair's Message
Ottawa, ON — May 18, 2022
The past year continued to present significant challenges to the Committee and to all Canadians. For its part, the Committee continued to use the secure facilities of the security and intelligence community to fulfill its review mandate while respecting public health measures in place across Canada. This permitted us to finish one report, which we provided to the Prime Minister in August 2021, and lay the groundwork for two others, which are ongoing. The Committee was dissolved in August when the writs of election were issued, but the Committee’s Secretariat continued the importantwork initiated by the Committee during its mandate.
Consistent with the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act, in this report the Committee provides a summary of the special report provided to the Prime Minister and fulfills its other reporting obligations.
The Committee believes that responses to its recommendations are essential to strengthening the operations and accountability of security and intelligence organizations.
Work of 2021
The Committee had a busy and productive year despite the public health challenges. Our Annual Report 2020 was tabled in Parliament in March 2021. That report contained a declassified summary of the major national security threats facing Canada. We also completed an in-depth review of Canada’s cyber defences, which was provided to the Prime Minister in August 2021. A revised version was tabled in Parliament in February 2022. I encourage Canadians to read both reports.
The Committee also continued its work on two other reviews. The first is a review of the security and intelligence activities of Global Affairs Canada, for which the Committee has considered extensive documentation and held numerous appearances. It also launched a review of the federal policing activities of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and intends to hold relevant briefings and appearances for this review in the spring of 2022.
Opportunities and challenges
The coming year offers unique opportunities for the Committee and Parliament. In particular, Parliament is expected to begin a five year review of the NSICOP Act. This will mark an important milestone in the evolution of the Committee and an opportunity for Parliament to consider whether any changes to the Committee’s enabling statute are necessary. We look forward to contributing to this discussion.
This year, the Committee was pleased to note the partial resolution of a long-standing challenge. For the first time, the government provided the Committee with a formal response to the recommendations included in one of its reports, the special report on government cyber defences. The Committee believes that responses to its recommendations are essential to strengthening the operations and accountability of security and intelligence organizations. It welcomes the government’s commitment, which it has cited as an area for improvement in past annual reports. It equally encourages the government to respond to the recommendations of the Committee’s seven previous reviews of critical issues in the security and intelligence community, including the legal authority for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces to conduct its defence intelligence activities, and the absence of a whole of government strategy to address foreign interference in Canada. In the coming year, the Committee will engage with organizations implicated in the Committee’s earlier reviews to determine whether they accept the Committee’s recommendations and what actions have been taken to respond to them.
Conclusion
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to my fellow committee members. The work we do supports the effectiveness of the Canadian security and intelligence community; your contributions are invaluable. I would also like to thank officials of the security and intelligence agencies for their cooperation during the review process. Finally, on behalf of my NSICOP colleagues, our thanks to the Secretariat for its unfailing support.
The Honourable David McGuinty, P.C., M.P.,
Chair
National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians
The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians
(Membership from the 43rd Parliament)
- The Hon. David McGuinty, P.C., M.P. Chair
- Ms. Leona Alleslev, M.P.
- Mr. Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.
- Mr. Don Davies, M.P.
- The Hon. Dennis Dawson, Senator
- Mr. Ted Falk, P.C., M.P. (resigned June 15, 2021)
- Mr. Peter Fragiskatos, M.P.
- Ms. Iqra Khalid, M.P.
- The Hon. Frances Lankin, P.C., C.M., Senator
- Mr. Rob Morrison, M.P.
- Mr. Glen Motz, M.O.M., M.P. (resigned June 15, 2021)
- Ms. Jennifer O’Connell, M.P. (resigned March 19, 2021)
- Ms. Brenda Shanahan, M.P.
- The Hon. Vernon White, Senator