NSIRA’s Review Plan is approved by NSIRA Members. Although NSIRA must undertake certain reviews each year as set out in the NSIRA Act, most of NSIRA’s reviews are chosen by the NSIRA Members.
Members choose reviews of new, important, or of particularly high legal risk activities. The plan is regularly revised to ensure that it continues to reflect the rapidly changing national security and intelligence environment.
NSIRA reviews can focus on a program or activity within a single organization, or they can span multiple departments or agencies. Sometimes a review will begin in one department, but NSIRA then finds it necessary to “follow the thread” into another department in order to ensure a complete understanding of events. NSIRA can also undertake broad thematic reviews.
Mandatory Yearly Reviews
As set out in the NSIRA Act, NSIRA is required to conduct certain reviews each year related to:
- At least one aspect of CSIS’s threat reduction mandate;
- Every new or modified relevant Ministerial Direction related to National Security or Intelligence;
- NSIRA must review the implementation of all directions issued under the Avoiding Complicity in Mistreatment by Foreign Entities Act;
- Disclosures under the Security of Canada Information Disclosure Act.
Useful Resources
