Do you have a complaint against the Canadian Security Intelligence Service?
Here’s what you do…
Before a complaint against the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) can be made to NSIRA, you must:
1. Have made a formal complaint (in the form of a letter) to the Director of CSIS at the following address:
Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
P.O. Box 9732, Postal Station “T”
Ottawa, Ontario
K1G 4G4
2. Have not received a response from the Director of CSIS within 60 days or are not satisfied with the response you have received.
What you need to know:
- You don’t need to pay a fee to submit a complaint
- You don’t need to hire a lawyer or get legal assistance
- If you decide to seek legal advice, you are responsible for paying your legal fees and associated costs
- NSIRA is an independent and external review agency
- CSIS is the respondent
When NSIRA receives your complaint form and documentation, NSIRA will:
- Notify you that we have received your complaint
- Ask you and CSIS to provide an explanation (in the form of a letter or e-mail) about why you believe NSIRA has the mandate to investigate your complaint. This is what NSIRA is looking for:
- The complaint concerns an activity carried out by CSIS;
- That it be satisfied that the complaint is not trivial, frivolous or vexatious or made in bad faith.
- Conduct a preliminary review of the information received from both parties and determine if the complaint falls within NSIRA’s mandate to investigate the complaint
What do you do next?
Complete the CSIS Complaints form.
Please include as much detail as possible, including names, dates and any other relevant information to assist NSIRA in its investigation of your complaint.
Don’t forget to include a copy of your letter to the Director of CSIS and any response you have received.
For the security of your information, please send your complaint, including a copy of the letter to the Director of CSIS, to NSIRA by courier/mail to:
National Security and Intelligence Review Agency
P.O. Box 2430
Station “D”
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5W5
What happens next?
What happens if your complaint does not fall within NSIRA’s mandate to investigate?
Should NSIRA determine it is not within its mandate to investigate your complaint, your complaint file will be closed. NSIRA will inform you, by letter, of its decision.
Your complaint may not have been accepted by NSIRA as your complaint does not concern an activity carried out by CSIS and/or NSIRA is satisfied that your complaint is trivial, frivolous or vexatious or made in bad faith.
What happens if your complaint falls within NSIRA’s mandate to investigate?
NSIRA will inform you and the respondent (s) of the next steps in the complaint process.
NSIRA may contact you and seek your availability for an investigative interview to clarify the nature and scope of your allegations. It may hold a case management conference to determine procedural matters.
NSIRA may also determine that an oral or written hearing is necessary in order to fully investigate and consider some or all of the issues of your complaint.
Here’s what happens next following NSIRA’s consideration of the evidence:
Once NSIRA has examined the documentary evidence, conducted investigative interviews and/or held a hearing, the NSIRA Member assigned to investigate your complaint will prepare a final report which will include its findings and/or recommendations based on the evidence and written submissions received from the parties. An unclassified copy of the final report will be sent to you.
Contact us
National Security and Intelligence Review Agency
Investigations
P.O. Box 2430, Station “D”
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5W5
Telephone: 1-833-890-0293
Fax: (613) 907-4445
Email: Registrar-Greffier@nsira-ossnr.gc.ca
