Review of the Use and Governance of Artificial Intelligence in National Security and Intelligence Activities

Notification Letter

October 27, 2025

Subject: Notification of NSIRA’s Review of the Use and Governance of Artificial Intelligence in National Security and Intelligence Activities.

Dear Ministers,

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 the use and governance of artificial intelligence in national security and intelligence activities.

This review is being conducted pursuant to paragraph 8(1)(a) and 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 will review how departments are defining, using, and governing aspects of artificial intelligence technologies, specifically in their activities related to national security and intelligence. This will provide an understanding of how these new and emerging tools are being leveraged and will inform a baseline that will help guide future, related review activities and highlight potential gaps or risks that may require further attention.

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

Dist.

  • The Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada;
  • The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs;
  • The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade;
  • The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety;
  • The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship;
  • The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence;
  • The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue;
  • The Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health;
  • The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry;
  • The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice;
  • The Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport;
  • The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation;
  • The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

cc

  • Michael Sabia, Clerk of the Privy Council Office and Secretary to the Cabinet
  • Erin O’Gorman, President, Canada Border Services Agency;
  • Caroline Xavier, Chief, Communications Security Establishment;
  • Daniel Rogers, Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service;
  • Bob Hamilton, Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency;
  • General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces;
  • Stefanie Beck, Deputy Minister, National Defence;
  • Sarah Paquet, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre;
  • David Morrison, Deputy Minister, Foreign Affairs;
  • Rob Stewart, Deputy Minister, International Trade;
  • Dr. Harpreet S. Kochhar, Deputy Minister, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada;
  • Tricia Geddes, Deputy Minister, Public Safety Canada;
  • Mike Duheme, Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police;
  • Paul MacKinnon, President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency;
  • Arun Thangaraj, Deputy Minister, Transport Canada;
  • Shalene Curtis-Micallef, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada;
  • Pierre Tremblay, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission;
  • Nancy Hamzawi, President of the Public Health Agency of Canada;
  • Philip Jennings, Deputy Minister, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada;
  • Chris Forbes, Deputy Minister, Finance;
  • Mario Pelletier, Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard;
  • Greg Orencsak, Deputy Minister, Health Canada

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