Communications Security Establishment Commissioner's Statement on Bill C-59, Tabled in Parliament

June 20, 2017 — Ottawa, ON — Office of the CSE Commissioner

The Government today introduced Bill C-59, An Act respecting national security matters, which sets out a new national security accountability framework. It proposes, among other elements, an independent National Security and Intelligence Review Agency with responsibility to review government-wide national security activities.  It also proposes an independent oversight body, the Intelligence Commissioner (IC), to oversee and approve the authorization of certain activities of Canada's two primary intelligence agencies, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE).  The approval of the IC would be required before the activities could be undertaken.

The bill sets out a transitional clause, that CSE Commissioner the Hon. Jean-Pierre Plouffe  and his office will fulfill the role of the Intelligence Commissioner. 

The Commissioner stated: “I look forward to the challenge of a new role in the overall national security framework. We will be studying the bill and I will be prepared to appear before parliamentary committees as Bill C-59 makes its way through Parliament.”

Mr. Plouffe is a retired judge of the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada and of the Superior Court of Quebec. Current legislation requires that the CSE Commissioner be a supernumerary or retired judge of a superior court. Bill C-59 proposes that the IC be a retired judge of a superior court, which seems to be consistent with the nature of the responsibilities of the IC.