Canada

Abstract

Canada contrasts distinctly with the prominence of intelligence oversight in the United States, insofar as Canada stands out for a predominately ex post facto approach to reviewing intelligence. Recent changes, however, bolstered the role of oversight in Canada’s accountability system. Previously, only three of 16 agencies that make up Canada’s intelligence and security community were reviewed by independent expert review bodies. Critics, however, argued that review should be more encompassing, lamented constraints by the Canadian intelligence accountability system that made it difficult for review bodies to cooperate and the negligible role of Parliament in holding ISAs accountable. Recent legislation created a security-cleared committee of parliamentarians to review Canada’s security and intelligence community, an agency to review activity related to national security and intelligence as well as an independent commissioner to oversee certain ministerial intelligence authorizations. The chapter reviews member organizations of the Canada’s intelligence community, the strategic environment that has informed intelligence and accountability in Canada; national security threats to Canada; as well as internal and external dynamics that culminated in changes to Canada’s intelligence accountability architecture: the Civilian Review and Complains Commission of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, and the Intelligence Commissioner. The prospect of the NSICOP, NSIRA, and the IC strengthening compliance and general operations of Canada’s intelligence and security community will be realized by how each fulfils its broad mandate in practice and the degree of cooperation among NSIRA, NSICOP, and CRCC.