July 30, 2025
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Finance and National Revenue
Department of Finance Canada
Subject: Notification of NSIRA’s Review of the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada’s Information Sharing
Dear Minister Champagne,
I am writing on behalf of the Members of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) to inform you that NSIRA has initiated a review of information sharing by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).
This review is being conducted pursuant to paragraph 8(1)(b) of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency Act (NSIRA Act). The NSIRA Act grants NSIRA full and timely access to all information held by reviewed departments and agencies, including classified and privileged information, with the exception of Cabinet confidences.
NSIRA’s review will focus on FINTRAC’s sharing of financial intelligence related to national security. It will examine whether FINTRAC’s information sharing, and related activities comply with applicable legal and policy requirements, as well as the reasonableness and necessity of these activities.
NSIRA will engage with your officials regarding this review. As the review progresses, NSIRA’s review team will be in regular contact with them with requests for information. Such requests may involve documents, system access, written explanations, briefings, interviews, surveys, and any other information that NSIRA determines to be of relevance to this review. This review may also include independent inspections of some technical systems. NSIRA’s expectations for responsiveness are available online at https://nsira-ossnr.gc.ca/
I thank you in advance for your cooperation and support to the independent review process, which is key to transparency and democratic accountability.
Sincerely,
The Honourable Marie Deschamps, C.C.
Chair, National Security and Intelligence Review Agency
cc
- Sarah Paquet, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada