The Canadian Security and Intelligence
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I. Security and Intelligence: A Critical Function
Canada is one of the safest countries in the world. It has low levels of
crime and violence, excellent relations with our closest neighbour, the United
States, and a positive reputation in the international community.
Nevertheless, Canadians are aware that individuals and groups whose
activities diminish our safety and security are present in Canada. Organized
crime groups, for example, have a significant impact on our personal and
economic well-being by importing and selling illegal drugs, operating
prostitution rings, stealing credit cards, and smuggling people from other
countries into Canada. Terrorist groups raise funds and plan operations here.
People guilty of war crimes abroad hide out in Canada. Computer hackers threaten
critical information systems.
Canadians can also face threats to their security when they go abroad. Our
military men and women, for example, often enter highly dangerous situations
when they undertake peacekeeping operations in other countries. Many of our
diplomats serve in countries where they cannot take their personal safety for
granted. And Canadian business people and tourists sometimes risk getting caught
up in terrorist or criminal incidents abroad.
The Government of Canada has a responsibility to monitor threats to the
interests of Canada and Canadians so it can take action. It also has an
obligation to contribute to international attempts to counter organized crime,
terrorism, weapons proliferation and similar activities.
The Canadian security and intelligence community is a key asset in the
government’s efforts to protect the interests of Canada and Canadians and to
assure public safety. It also helps Canada contribute to global security. This
brochure describes the community’s roles and responsibilities as well as the
arrangements in place for review and accountability of the community’s
activities.
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II. What Does the Security and Intelligence Community Do?
The core work of the security and intelligence community is to contribute to
the safety and security of Canadians. The community must judge the growth or
decline of particular threats, provide political leaders with well-founded
advice, and take appropriate prevention and enforcement actions. It adds value
to decision-making and policy-making on the full range of matters vital to
Canada’s interests in foreign relations, defence, the economy and domestic
security.
The people who work in Canada’s security and intelligence community support
the Government of Canada in several ways:
- They provide the government with non-partisan advice on specific threats
to Canadian safety and security.
- They produce intelligence that is used by the government for its
day-to-day operations and for longer-range policy development and
decision-making.
- They assess key international issues and events affecting Canada’s
interests.
- They develop policy, legislative, and funding proposals to strengthen the
community’s effectiveness, and contribute to policy development in other
sectors.
- They undertake investigations to detect and assess threats to the security
of Canada and Canadians, and enforcement actions to counter those threats.
- They cooperate with provincial and territorial governments and the private
sector on such issues as how to protect Canada’s critical information
infrastructure.
- They work with other countries and with international organizations such
as the G-8 and the Organization of American States on shared concerns, such
as organized crime and terrorism.
The community is involved in such essential tasks as preventing illegal
people-smuggling attempts, detecting and responding to the presence of
terrorists in Canada, and preparing Canadian Forces personnel to undertake
missions abroad. The tempo of the work varies in response to evolving government
priorities as well as changing national and international developments.
A Significant National Asset
The men and women who work in Canada’s security and intelligence community
are highly skilled in a number of disciplines.
Some work in offices and laboratories, processing collected intelligence,
interpreting information for decision-makers in government, or identifying and
analyzing policy and resource issues.
Some are posted abroad. Most work in Canada, investigating and countering the
activities of those who would threaten Canadian security, planning and carrying
out enforcement actions, liaising with counterparts in other countries, or
supporting international efforts to counter crime and terrorism.
Some are specialists on the subject of other countries or regions of the
world, with an understanding of their cultures and politics and a knowledge of
foreign languages.
Others are technical experts who keep the community technologically on par
with such adversaries as organized criminals and international terrorists.
Together, they constitute a significant asset working together to advance
Canada’s national interests.
In doing their work, some components within the community possess a unique
capability and authority to collect and assess information that is not available
from conventional sources — in other words, secret information. In doing their
work, security and intelligence community staff must blend this information with
all other available information, including openly-available information from
international broadcasts, newspapers, the Internet and academia, other parts of
government, and intelligence generated by foreign countries.
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III. The Role of Ministers
The Prime Minister of Canada is ultimately accountable to Parliament and to
the people of Canada for the security and integrity of the nation. The Prime
Minister therefore provides broad guidance to the security and intelligence
community.
No single Cabinet minister is responsible for Canada’s security and
intelligence community. Instead, a number of ministers are accountable for the
activities of the organizations that report to each of them.
Ministers collectively establish intelligence priorities for the security and
intelligence community at the annual Meeting of Ministers on Security and
Intelligence, usually chaired by the Prime Minister. Through discussions at
Cabinet committee meetings, ministers also provide direction on major policy and
resource issues related to security and intelligence, such as airport security
upgrades, policy regarding the sale of Canadian encryption technology abroad, or
funding for the community’s action against organized crime.
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IV. Roles and Responsibilities in the Security and Intelligence Community
In response to the overall priorities established by the government and the
direction set by their individual ministers, the departments and agencies that
constitute the security and intelligence community work both independently and
together to safeguard Canada’s security and to advance the country’s
interests. Some of these organizations are devoted exclusively to security and
intelligence work, while others participate in the community as they fulfil
broader mandates.
Solicitor General Canada
The Solicitor General portfolio is responsible for protecting Canadians and
helping to maintain Canada as a peaceful and safe society. The Minister oversees
the Department of the Solicitor General and four agencies: Correctional Service
Canada, the National Parole Board, the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and
the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
(CSIS). The RCMP and CSIS are key
members of the security and intelligence community.
Department of the Solicitor General
The department of the Solicitor General supports the Solicitor General in giving policy direction to
the portfolio’s four agencies. It works with the agencies and its counterparts
in provincial and territorial governments on shared policy priorities such as
organized crime prevention. It participates in international discussions to
address security policy issues. It is also responsible for the National
Counter-Terrorism Plan, which outlines roles and responsibilities for managing
terrorist incidents. The Senior Assistant Deputy Solicitor General chairs the
Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) Committee on Public Safety. This
interdepartmental committee of ADMs provides a coordination and discussion forum
for policy- and priority-setting in law enforcement and public safety.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
The RCMP is Canada’s national police service, and is one of Canada’s
foremost national symbols. Founded in 1873 as the North-West Mounted Police to
bring law and order to Canada’s western territories, today it enforces federal
laws and provides contract policing to most provinces, the three Northern
territories, many municipalities, and First Nations communities. The RCMP
participates in peacekeeping efforts and supplies world-leading expertise in
such areas as forensics and criminal intelligence to Canadian and international
police.
During World War I and II, the RCMP was responsible for the protection of
national security. RCMP security operations evolved in the years that followed.
This evolution eventually led to the creation of a separate agency, the Canadian
Security Intelligence Service, in 1984.
Today, under the Security Offences
Act, the RCMP has primary investigative
responsibility for offences related to terrorism and espionage as well as for
offences against internationally protected persons, such as foreign ambassadors
accredited to Canada. The RCMP also provides physical protection for the
Governor General, the Prime Minister, and such international visitors as foreign
heads of state. Intelligence is key to the entire range of RCMP investigations,
including those involving organized crime, high-technology crime and illegal
migration. The RCMP’s Criminal Intelligence Directorate collects and analyzes
intelligence to support criminal investigations.
The RCMP has an independent public complaints mechanism, the Commission for
Public Complaints against the RCMP (CPC), whose role is described in Section V
of this document.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence
Service, a domestic civilian agency, was
created by an Act of Parliament (CSIS Act) in 1984. In fulfilling its
mandate, CSIS investigates, analyzes and advises government departments and
agencies on activities which may reasonably be suspected of constituting threats
to Canada’s national security.
Among the activities included in the CSIS mandate are the investigation of:
- Political Violence and Terrorism: Such activities support the
threat or use of serious violence, such as hostage-taking, bombings, and
assassination, in order to advance a political cause. Examples may include
political violence designed to influence Canadian governments, or the use of
Canada as a base from which to plan or facilitate political violence in
other countries.
- Espionage and Sabotage: Espionage includes unlawful or unauthorized
attempts to acquire information about sensitive political, economic,
scientific or military matters by a foreign state or its agents. Sabotage
encompasses activities conducted for the purpose of endangering the safety,
security or defence of vital public or private property, such as key
transportation links or power installations.
- Foreign-influenced Activities: These include activities that are
detrimental to Canadian national interests and that are directed, controlled
or financed by a foreign state or its agents, such as interference with
ethnic communities in Canada.
CSIS is also responsible for conducting security assessments for:
- all federal government departments and agencies (upon request), with the
exception of the RCMP, and
- immigration, citizenship and refugee applicants upon referral from
Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
CSIS can assist in the collection of foreign intelligence within Canada at
the request of the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Minister of National
Defence.
The Solicitor General tables a CSIS public report in Parliament, annually.
The CSIS Act
outlines strict procedures governing CSIS methods of
investigation to ensure that both the security of the state and the rights and
freedoms of Canadians are protected. CSIS is subject to two external review
mechanisms, the Inspector General of CSIS and the Security Intelligence Review
Committee (SIRC). Both are described in Section V of this document.
Department of National Defence (DND)
The Canadian Forces need timely intelligence in support of operations abroad,
in the preparation of peacekeeping missions and in war situations. The Cabinet
also needs reliable information when it is making decisions about sending
Canadian military personnel on missions outside the country.
The Director General Intelligence Division in DND provides defence
intelligence on issues involving the use or potential use of the Canadian Forces
abroad.
It assesses foreign political and military information as well as scientific
and technical information. Its intelligence centre provides the government with
an around-the-clock intelligence watch on developments abroad that could affect
Canada or Canadians.
The Canadian Forces also maintain at high readiness a counter-terrorism unit
prepared to rescue hostages or undertake other action in response to a terrorist
incident.
The Minister of National Defence is accountable to Parliament for the
Communications Security Establishment, which is described below.
Communications Security Establishment (CSE)
The Communications Security Establishment has two key activities:
- It provides the government with foreign intelligence by collecting,
analyzing and reporting on foreign radio, radar and other electronic
signals.
- Through its Information Technology Security, It helps ensure that the
Canadian government’s telecommunications are secure from interception,
disruption, manipulation or sabotage by others.
The mandate of CSE is particularly challenging in today’s world.
Information is being moved globally in incredible volumes, at unprecedented
speeds and on complex networks. The technology changes almost on a daily basis.
Cryptology is the science of hidden, disguised, or coded (encrypted)
communications. It embraces both code-making and code-breaking. In Canada, the
expertise in both these fields resides with CSE.
Canada first became involved in signals intelligence during World War II,
when military code-breakers contributed to the Allied war effort. In 1946, the
government established the Communications Branch of the National Research
Council to continue the work with codes and ciphers. The organization was
renamed the Communications Security Establishment and was made an agency of the
Department of National Defence in 1975. It is supported by the Canadian Forces
Information Operations Group.
The Chief of CSE reports to two senior officials: the Deputy Minister of
National Defence for financial and administrative matters; and the Deputy Clerk,
Counsel and Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, Privy Council Office, for
policy and operational matters.
CSE has an independent review mechanism, the CSE Commissioner, whose role is
described in Section V of this document.
Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness
(OCIPEP)
The changing nature of Canada’s critical infrastructure has brought about a
more complex risk environment, with the possibility of failure or disruption due
to accidents, natural disasters or deliberate acts. In recognition of this
increased risk in key sectors such as energy, transportation, financial
services, telecommunications and government services, the Prime Minister created
the Office of Critical Infrastructure Protection and Emergency Preparedness
within the Department of National Defence.
The Office provides national leadership to help ensure the protection of
Canada’s critical infrastructure in both its physical and cyber dimensions,
regardless of the source of threats and vulnerabilities. OCIPEP is also the
Government of Canada’s primary agency for ensuring national civil emergency
preparedness. Close cooperation and information sharing within the security and
intelligence community is essential, particularly in relation to threat
assessments for information operations or "cyber warfare",
cyber-sabotage and cyber-crime.
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT)
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade manages Canada's
day-to-day relations with the governments and people of other nations, both
bilaterally and within the many international organizations in which Canada
participates. The Department leads Canada’s efforts in developing effective
international responses to security issues in such forums as the United Nations
and the G-8. Its security and intelligence-related responsibilities include
protecting Canadians and Canadian government facilities abroad, handling
terrorism incidents abroad involving Canadians, and managing such issues as the
expulsion of foreign diplomats from Canada for security reasons.
DFAIT’s Security and Intelligence Bureau provides the Minister of Foreign
Affairs with foreign intelligence to support policy and operational decisions
and advises the Minister on intelligence activities. The bureau is also
responsible for the security of the department’s personnel, physical assets
and information systems in Canada and around the world.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)
Citizenship and Immigration Canada manages the government’s immigration and
citizenship policies and programs through a network of offices located across
Canada and abroad.
CIC is responsible for ensuring that Canada benefits from the global movement
of people and that immigrants, refugees and visitors who come to Canada do not
represent a risk. This is achieved through a series of policies and procedures
that define potential risks and allow the department to deny access to any
persons who pose a security or health risk to Canadian society.
Both at home and abroad, officers deal with individuals or groups who are
involved with people-smuggling, organized crime, terrorism, war crimes, and
crimes against humanity. CIC has the authority to deny access to Canada to those
coming from abroad, to revoke Canadian citizenship and to deport people from
Canada.
The increasing mobility of people worldwide ensures that CIC will continue to
play an important role in the government’s security and intelligence
community.
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA)
The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency promotes compliance with Canada’s
border, tax, and trade laws and regulations. It has a significant role to play
at border crossings, airports and harbours in protecting Canadian society from
the entry of prohibited goods such as drugs, weapons and pornography. It is also
responsible for helping fulfil Canada’s international obligations regarding
the illegal export of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons or components, as
well as chemicals for the production of illicit drugs.
CCRA officers are the first line of defence in preventing inadmissible people
such as terrorists, undeclared foreign intelligence officers, and criminals from
entering Canada. They provide direct support to CIC, the RCMP and CSIS in
protecting Canada’s security at the border. They also develop and maintain
relationships with other Customs administrations, national and international law
enforcement agencies, and private sector partners to combat smuggling and other
border crimes.
Formerly a federal department known as Revenue Canada, CCRA was created as an
agency in 1999 to give Canadians better service and streamlined tax, customs and
trade administration.
Department of Justice Canada
Department of Justice Canada provides legal advice and services regarding
security and intelligence issues and thereby plays a role in ensuring the
legality of security and intelligence activities. Justice lawyers provide
in-house legal services to institutions within the Government of Canada,
including the RCMP, CSIS and CSE. In addition, senior Justice counsel serve on
various committees that guide and coordinate the security and intelligence
community's activities. Justice counsel also assist the Minister of Justice in
performing functions as Attorney General of Canada.
Transport Canada
Transport Canada sets and enforces security standards for Canada’s air,
land and water transportation systems. It evaluates information from the
security and intelligence community regarding possible threats, and directs the
transportation industry to take appropriate security measures to deal with
threats.
The Privy Council Office (PCO)
The Privy Council Office is part of the Public Service of Canada. It provides
non-partisan advice and support to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and Cabinet
committees. The Prime Minister has particular responsibility for national
security: in the context of setting overall policy directions; in operating the
Cabinet decision-making system; in appointing senior office holders and
organizing the government; in enhancing intergovernmental relations, and in
managing specific issues.
The Clerk of the Privy Council is Canada’s highest-ranking public servant
and serves as the Prime Minister’s deputy minister, the Secretary to the
Cabinet, and the Head of the Public Service. The Clerk chairs a deputy
minister-level group, the Interdepartmental Committee on Security and
Intelligence (ICSI). This committee discusses strategic policy and resourcing
issues, considers sensitive national security matters, reviews proposals
destined for Cabinet, and recommends the annual intelligence priorities for the
Meeting of Ministers on Security and Intelligence. ICSI (formerly the Security
Panel) dates back to 1946, making it one of the oldest senior-level committees
in the government.
Reporting to the Clerk of the Privy Council is the Deputy Clerk, Counsel and
Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, who has a mandate from the Prime
Minister to coordinate the security and intelligence activities of all Canadian
government departments and agencies and to promote effective international
intelligence relationships. In addition, the Deputy Clerk, Counsel and Security
and Intelligence Co-ordinator is accountable to the Minister of National Defence
for the policy and operations of the Communications Security Establishment.
Two PCO secretariats — a policy unit, the Security and Intelligence
Secretariat, and an assessment unit, the Intelligence Assessment Secretariat —
report to the Deputy Clerk, Counsel and Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator.
Security and Intelligence Secretariat
This secretariat provides advice to the Prime Minister on national security
and foreign intelligence matters, including major policy developments, public
issues, crises and community priorities. It supports ministerial decision-making
on security and intelligence matters, helping departments and agencies bring
forward security and intelligence issues for ministerial discussion or approval.
It also ensures the security of Cabinet meetings and the facilities of the Prime
Minister’s Office and the Privy Council Office.
The Assistant Secretary, Security and Intelligence, chairs the
interdepartmental Intelligence Policy Group of ADM-level officials from the
security and intelligence community. This group, which is the principal forum
for policy and operational coordination within the community, examines such
issues as challenges posed by changing technologies.
Intelligence Assessment Secretariat (IAS)
Under a PCO–DFAIT memorandum of understanding, both departments contribute
to the staffing and management of the IAS, which produces assessments of
conditions and trends in foreign countries including the implications for
Canadian policy- makers. The IAS focuses principally on countries that are
authoritarian, unstable, involved in conflict or, for other reasons, are of
concern to Canada and the international community.
In preparing assessments, the IAS capitalizes on its analytical capability
and its access to a wide variety of open, diplomatic and intelligence sources.
IAS assessments are written to be useful to policy-makers, but are neutral in
their descriptions of the facts and in the assessment of possible future
developments.
The Executive Director of the IAS chairs the Intelligence Assessment
Committee (IAC), which brings together representatives of domestic departments
and agencies that are involved in gathering or assessing intelligence and are
major users of assessed intelligence. Chaired by the Executive Director of the
IAS, the IAC produces papers that take a longer-range view of foreign
developments, but are still of immediate interest to decision-makers.
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V. Review and Accountability Arrangements
Like other parts of government, the members of the security and intelligence
community are accountable through their Ministers to Parliament, and their
representatives occasionally appear before parliamentary committees. The
security and intelligence community is also subject to audits by the Auditor
General, reviews of information holdings by the Privacy
Commissioner, requests
for access to documents through the Access to Information Act and the
Privacy Act, and examination by the
Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and
the Human Rights Commission.
Some agencies of the security and intelligence community have legal authority
to collect information using special covert or technical means in support of
Canada’s interests. The courts have a significant control function by
authorizing and imposing conditions on any use of special investigative
techniques. As part of the appeals process, the Federal Court can play a role in
reviewing immigration cases where security or criminal information may come to
bear.
To further ensure full respect for the law and provide an avenue for public
complaints, the government has put in place additional accountability
arrangements for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police, and the Communications Security Establishment.
Inspector General of CSIS
Created by the CSIS
Act, the Inspector General monitors CSIS compliance with
its operational policies, reviews CSIS operational activities, and certifies
his/her degree of satisfaction with the CSIS Director’s classified annual
report to the Solicitor General. In brief, the Inspector General carries out
internal, independent reviews of CSIS matters for the Solicitor General. The
Inspector General reports directly to the Solicitor General, but is responsible
administratively to the Deputy Solicitor General.
Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC)
The CSIS Act
established SIRC as an independent body responsible for ensuring
CSIS uses its powers legally and appropriately. The committee has access to all
documents under the control of CSIS, except Cabinet confidences.
SIRC can audit any CSIS activity, and investigates complaints from the public
about any CSIS action. In addition, people denied a security clearance for
federal employment, or denied federal contracts on security grounds, can
complain to SIRC. SIRC can also investigate when a person seeking admission to
Canada or applying for Canadian citizenship is affected by detrimental security
findings. Additionally, SIRC periodically provides reports to the Solicitor
General on matters of special importance that are distinct from, but related to,
its normal audit or investigative functions.
The Committee is composed of three to five privy councillors appointed by
Cabinet after consultations between the Prime Minister and the leaders of
parties having at least 12 members in the House of Commons. It publishes its
findings in an annual report to Parliament, which is tabled by the Solicitor
General.
Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (CPC)
The CPC, established in 1988, is a federal agency that receives public
complaints about the conduct of RCMP members in the performance of their duties.
The Commission holds the RCMP accountable to the public by providing an
independent review of complaints and by making findings and recommendations to
the Commissioner of the RCMP.
When reviewing a complaint, the Commission does not act as an advocate for
either the complainant or for RCMP members. Its role is to conduct an
independent inquiry and reach objective conclusions based on the available
information. The chair of the Commission has the authority to conduct an
independent investigation or to hold a public hearing.
The Commission reports to Parliament. The Solicitor General of Canada tables
the Commission’s reports, but has no involvement in the operations of the
Commission.
Communications Security Establishment Commissioner
In 1996, under Part II of the Inquiries
Act, the Minister of National Defence
appointed a Commissioner to review the activities of CSE to determine whether
they are in compliance with the law. The Commissioner is independent of CSE and
has access to all CSE personnel and records (except Cabinet confidences). The
CSE Commissioner must inform the Minister of National Defence and the Attorney
General of Canada of any activity that may not comply with the law. The
Commissioner can also respond to complaints from the public about CSE. The
Commissioner provides a public annual report to the Minister of National
Defence, who tables it in Parliament.
The Canadian Security and Intelligence
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VI. International Relationships
Hackers, organized criminals and terrorists make extensive use of today’s
advanced technology to conduct their illegal activities across international
borders. Electronic banking fraud, migrant-smuggling, the drug trade, and
financial and materiel support for international terrorism are examples of
issues that confront both Canada and other nations.
During World War II and the Cold War period, Canada developed particularly
close intelligence relationships with the United States, the United Kingdom,
Australia and New Zealand. These linkages remain strong today, particularly with
the United States, with whom Canada shares almost 9,000 kilometres of border.
Canada’s security and intelligence agencies have also established working
relationships with most countries in the world, allowing them to better protect
Canadians and Canadian interests and to contribute to international security
efforts. Several, including the RCMP, CSIS, DND, and CSE, have full-time liaison
officers posted abroad. DFAIT and PCO are represented by dedicated intelligence
liaison officers in both Washington and London.
In addition to these bilateral arrangements, Canada works closely with such
organizations as Interpol, the United Nations, the Organization of American
States, and the G-8, and fulfils its obligations under such international
agreements as United Nations conventions that address the protection of
peacekeepers, terrorism, war crimes, transnational organized crime, the
smuggling of migrants, and the trafficking of persons, especially women and
children.
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VII. Helping Keep Canada and Canadians Safe and Secure
Canadians continue to consider public safety a high priority at the beginning
of the 21st century.
The security and intelligence community is a major contributor to the effort
of keeping Canada and Canadians safe and secure. It has prevented illegal
people-smuggling attempts by organized criminals. It has prepared Canadian
Forces personnel for military action and peacekeeping overseas. It has
identified foreign spies operating in Canada. It has tipped off law enforcement
authorities about major drug deals.
The issues facing the people who work in the security and intelligence
community today are challenging ones. How can they maintain pace with
adversaries who are making use of advanced technologies to plan and commit
crimes and to elude detection? How can they best work with officials in other
countries as globalization makes international cooperation increasingly
important? How can they help protect Canada’s critical infrastructure from
risks that are being introduced through increased technological dependency and
inter-connection?
With a track record of having delivered in peace and in war for more than
half a century, Canada’s security and intelligence community seeks answers to
these questions, and more in the years to come, contributing to Canada’s
reputation as one of the safest countries in the world.
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VIII. Reference Section
Organization Chart
Addresses - Where to Reach Us
Selected Bibliography
Table of Contents
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