Announcement of 2004-2005 Annual Report

News Release —  Communiqué

Minister of National Defence Announces Tabling of CSE Commissioner's Annual Report

NR-05.036
May 19, 2005

OTTAWA –Minister of National Defence Bill Graham today announced the tabling in the House of Commons of the 2004-2005 Annual Report of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) Commissioner.

The Right Honourable Antonio Lamer, P.C., C.C., C.D., L.L.D., D.U. who was appointed the CSE Commissioner on June 19, 2003, is mandated to review and to report to the Minister of National Defence on the lawfulness of CSE's activities.

"On behalf of the people of Canada, I wish to express my appreciation to Mr. Lamer for the assurance he has provided in his report regarding the lawfulness of CSE's activities," said Minister Graham. "It is important to note that CSE meets the foreign intelligence priorities of the Government in a lawful manner."

In the Commissioner's report, he notes that while the past year posed many challenges, he takes satisfaction in the accomplishments, particularly in addressing CSE's activities with respect to Ministerial authorizations, an area that he had raised the previous year. Mr. Lamer also said "I am heartened by the number of recommendations made since the creation of my office that CSE has accepted and implemented". This demonstrates that review is working.

CSE, an agency of the Department of National Defence, provides foreign intelligence to its Canadian Government clients. CSE also provides technical advice and service to the Government of Canada to preserve the security of its telecommunications and automated systems.

The report is available on the Commissioner's website at www.ocsec-bccst.gc.ca

For more information, please contact:

Joanne Weeks
Executive Director
Office of the Communications
Security Establishment Commissioner
(613) 992-3044

Renée Filiatrault
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Defence
(613) 996-3100