Backgrounder
The Security of Canada Information Disclosure Act (SCIDA) is intended to facilitate information sharing across government for national security purposes. Disclosures under SCIDA tend to include considerable personal information, such as passport information, citizenship status, and information gathered by diplomatic missions.
NSIRA is responsible for annually reviewing disclosures made during the previous calendar year and submits a report with its findings and recommendations to the Minister of Public Safety.
Annual reviews of disclosures by NSIRA are key to ensuring that Government of Canada (GC) institutions use SCIDA in a manner that respects the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the privacy rights of the individuals whose information is being disclosed.
This report describes the results of a review by NSIRA of SCIDA disclosures made in 2023. It was tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Public Safety, as required under subsection 39(2) of the NSIRA Act, on June 13 2025.
Since NSIRA began reviewing GC institutions’ compliance with the Act five years ago, it has made recommendations to promote higher levels of compliance among GC institutions. This has resulted in those institutions adjusting their practices and increasingly demonstrating an improved understanding of their obligations.
This year, for the first time in SCIDA’s history, NSIRA has found full compliance with the Act. As such, the report contains seven recommendations aimed at improving the practices of GC institutions to ensure that this high level of compliance is maintained.