Counter Intelligence Program
Description
Counter Intelligence is an intelligence discipline the purpose of which is to identify, counteract and exploit threats to security posed principally by espionage, sabotage, subversion, terrorism or foreign interference, both within Canada and abroad. Security intelligence collected during the conduct of Counter Intelligence activities may highlight threats and vulnerabilities pertaining to departmental or national security, and will be incorporated into all-source analysis to support commanders’ decision-making process.
Counter Intelligence activities, which may occur in Canada and abroad, are also designed to safeguard the security interests of the DND and the CAF in order to assist the Deputy Minister (DM) and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), respectively, in meeting their security responsibilities under the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) security policy suite. As with any federal institution who must abide by the Policy on Government Security, DND/CAF is responsible for ensuring departmental security and the safeguarding of resources of the department, which includes assets, personnel and interests.
This PIA, which focused on the Counter Intelligence Program as a sub-program of the overarching Defence Intelligence Enterprise, identified multiple risks with corresponding risk mitigation measures. In response, an Action Plan has been created, which identifies a lead for each risk mitigation measure along with a timeline as to when that measure must be completed. In total, all risk mitigation measures will be fully mitigated within an acceptable timeframe.
Why a privacy impact assessment was completed
A Privacy impact Assessment (PIA) on Counter Intelligence has never been authored. While no specific risks or modifications to the program were present to trigger the necessity for a PIA, the department desired a PIA on the program to ensure DND is adhering to the safeguards within the Privacy Act and Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) privacy policies and directive.
Additional information
The PIA identified a number of risks and corresponding mitigation activities which will see timely improvements to collection practices, transparency to candidates, system monitoring, retention, and security. Senior managers within CFINTCOM reviewed the risks and have established a fulsome action plan which will fully mitigate all risks within the current fiscal year.
All mitigation actions aim to address and manage privacy concerns effectively, ensuring that all updates and changes to the Counter Intelligence Program maintain high standards of privacy protection.
Related personal information banks
DND PIB PPU 060 (Counter-Intelligence)
For more information about this privacy impact assessment
- DND/CAF Directorate of Access to Information and Privacy
- Email: ATIP-AIPRP@forces.gc.ca
- Telephone: 613-901-6720
- Online Request: Access to information and Privacy online request