Announcement of 1999-2000 Annual Report

News Release —  Communiqué

NR-00-054
June 2, 2000

Minister of National Defence Tables CSE Commissioner's Annual Report

OTTAWA - The Honourable Art Eggleton, Minister of National Defence, today tabled in the House of Commons the 1999-2000 Annual Report of the Commissioner of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE).

The mandate of the CSE Commissioner, the Honourable Claude Bisson O.C., is to review the activities of CSE, an agency of the Department of National Defence that 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.

Mr. Bisson, retired Chief Justice of the Quebec Court of Appeal, reported he is of the opinion that CSE acted lawfully in the performance of its mandated activities for the period under review. He said he is also satisfied, based on his research and analysis, that CSE has not targeted the communications of Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

"CSE provides important services to the Government of Canada that contribute to the safety, security and wellbeing of Canadians," Mr. Eggleton said. "The Commissioner's thorough review assures the government that CSE is acting appropriately as it performs its responsibilities."

In an examination of CSE's Information Technology Security (ITS) activities, the Annual Report says the trend in government and the private sector towards increased electronic business and service delivery is radically transforming the ITS program. The Report also says if Canadians are to have confidence in electronic commerce and the infrastructure that makes it possible, the government must have "made-in-Canada" solutions to security concerns. Mr. Bisson notes CSE is well equipped to play a key role in this, but it must be given clear direction by government.

This is the fourth report Commissioner Bisson has released since his appointment in 1996. It is available on the CSE Commissioner's website: http://ocsec-bccst.gc.ca/

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For more information please contact:

Joanne Weeks
Commission Secretary
Office of the Communications
Security Establishment Commissioner
(613) 992-3044

Randy Mylyk
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Defence
(613) 996-3100