Announcement of 2000-2001 Annual Report

News Release —  Communiqué

Minister of National Defence Tables CSE Commissioner's Annual Report

NR-01.036
May 28, 2001

OTTAWA - The Honourable Art Eggleton, Minister of National Defence, today tabled in the House of Commons the 2000-2001 Annual Report of the Commissioner of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE).

The CSE Commissioner, the Honourable Claude Bisson O.C., is mandated to review and report to the Minister of National Defence on the lawfulness of CSE activities. In this report, Mr. Bisson notes that the development and application of new technologies in recent years has transformed the focus and complexity of the activities undertaken by CSE to protect government communications and communications systems. As the communications environment introduces new vulnerabilities to government information systems, CSE aims to become a centre of excellence that develops and applies its technical expertise and understanding of global communications networks to help Canada meet its critical information needs.

"CSE provides important services to the Government that support the safety and security of Canada," Mr. Eggleton said. "I thank the Commissioner for his thorough review which clearly shows that CSE continues to maintain its ability to meet the evolving foreign intelligence priorities of the Government of Canada, while protecting the integrity of its communications and information systems."

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.

This is the fifth 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