Last Updated:
Status:
In Progress
Review Number:
25-02
Review of Departmental Implementation of the Avoiding Complicity in Mistreatment by Foreign Entities Act for 2024
- Date Modified:
Tag: RCMP
Canada Border Services Agency Enforcement Flags: Notification Letter
Table of Contents
Date of Publishing:
NSIRA’s Notification Letter
Dear Minister Blair,
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 Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) use of enforcement flags.
This review is being conducted pursuant to paragraph 8(1)(a) and (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.
Enforcement flags are intelligence products designed to identify a person, business, or conveyance that may pose a threat to the safety, security, or economic prosperity of Canadians at the border. This review will assess whether the CBSA’s use of enforcement flags is lawful, reasonable, and necessary – including in situations where flags are issued by, or on behalf of, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. For the purpose of this review, enforcement flags include, but are not limited to, CBSA’s lookouts.
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
- Date Modified:
Review of Departmental Implementation of the Avoiding Complicity in Mistreatment by Foreign Entities Act for 2023: Notification Letter
Table of Contents
Date of Publishing:
NSIRA’s Notification Letter
I am writing on behalf of the Members of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) to inform you that NSIRA has initiated its 2023 review of departmental implementation of the Avoiding Complicity in Mistreatment by Foreign Entities Act (ACA). NSIRA is sending notification of this review to all deputy heads who have been issued directions under the ACA. This annual review is being conducted pursuant to subsection 8(2.2) and paragraph 8(1)(b) of the 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.
The NSIRA review team conducting this review has been identified in the cover email to this letter; they should serve as your officials’ primary point of contact at NSIRA regarding this review. Please ensure that the relevant points of contact within your organization are identified to NSIRA’s review team in the coming days. As the review progresses, NSIRA’s review team will be in regular contact with them regarding 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. NSIRA reviews may also include independent inspections of technical systems. NSIRA’s “Expectations for Responsiveness in Reviews” are available on our website, www.nsira-ossnr.gc.ca.
We would also like to take this opportunity to remind you of the reporting requirements set out in the ACA: subsection 7(1) requires that deputy heads submit a report in respect of the implementation of ACA directions during the previous calendar year to the appropriate Minister before March 1; and subsection 8(1) requires that, as soon as feasible after receiving a report under section 7, the appropriate Minister provide a copy of it to NSIRA, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and if applicable, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Sincerely,
The Honourable Marie Deschamps, C.C.
Chair, National Security and Intelligence Review Agency
- Date Modified:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s National Security Criminal Investigations: Notification Letter
Table of Contents
Date of Publishing:
NSIRA’s Notification Letter
Dear Minister LeBlanc,
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 Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) National Security Criminal Investigations.
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 will review the RCMP’s national security program activities as they relate to national security criminal investigations. NSIRA expects to review the techniques used by the RCMP to investigate national security matters and how the RCMP establishes reasonable grounds to investigate. This will include a review of the RCMP’s decision-making and information sharing practices, as well as the policies and procedures utilized in the deconfliction with partners, particularly with Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). The review will assess the reasonableness, necessity, and efficacy of the RCMP’s exercise of its mandate in this area.
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
- Date Modified:
Review of the Passenger Protect Program and Secure Air Travel Act: Notification Letter
Table of Contents
Date of Publishing:
NSIRA’s Letter to the Ministers
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 Passenger Protect Program, within the context of its legislative framework, the Secure Air Travel Act (SATA).
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 examine processes for listing or de-listing individuals under section 8 of the SATA, and related administrative recourse. The review may also consider how the SATA list is used to screen air passengers. As such, NSIRA will review activities carried out by the following departments and agencies: the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA); the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS); the Department of Justice (DoJ); Global Affairs Canada (GAC); Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); Public Safety Canada; the Royal Canadian Mounted Policy (RCMP); and Transport Canada.
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
- Date Modified:
Review of Departmental Implementation of the Avoiding Complicity in Mistreatment by Foreign Entities Act for 2023
Last Updated:
Status:
Submitted
Review Number:
24-03
- Date Modified:
Review of federal institutions’ disclosures of information under the Security of Canada Information Disclosure Act in 2023
Last Updated:
Status:
Submitted
Review Number:
23-11
- Date Modified:
Communications Security Establishment’s Equities Management Framework
Last Updated:
Status:
Submitted
Review Number:
23-10
- Date Modified:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Human Source Program
Last Updated:
Status:
Submitted
Review Number:
21-20
- Date Modified:
Review of federal institutions’ disclosures of information under the Security of Canada Information Disclosure Act in 2020
Last Updated:
Status:
Submitted
Review Number:
21-13
- Date Modified:
