National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians presents its 2020 Annual Report to the Prime Minister

Ottawa, December 18, 2020 — The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) today presented its classified 2020 Annual Report to the Prime Minister. A declassified version of this report must be tabled in Parliament within 30 sitting days.

This third annual report presents an update to the national security threat assessment first included in the Committee’s 2018 Annual Report. The Hon. David McGuinty, Chair of NSICOP, stated that “the Committee believes that this comprehensive overview of the major national security threats will contribute to a more informed debate on security and intelligence issues in Canada.”

The Committee continues to focus on the new reviews announced in September – the national security and intelligence activities of Global Affairs Canada and the Government of Canada’s framework and activities to defend its systems and networks from cyber attack. These reviews are underway and will be concluded in 2021.

Mr. McGuinty extends his sincere appreciation to his NSICOP colleagues and to the Secretariat for their dedication to this work and their flexibility in these challenging times.

Members of the 2020 NSICOP

• The Hon. David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., Chair
• Don Davies, M.P.
• The Hon. Dennis Dawson, Senator
• Ted Falk, M.P.
• The Hon. Frances Lankin, P.C., C.M., Senator
• Glen Motz, M.O.M., M.P.
• Jennifer O’Connell, M.P.
• Brenda Shanahan, M.P.
• The Hon. Vern White, Senator

Background

NSICOP was established under the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act on June 22, 2017. It may review:

• the legislative, regulatory, policy, administrative and financial framework for national security and intelligence;
• any activity carried out by a department that relates to national security or intelligence, unless the activity is an ongoing operation and the appropriate Minister determines that the review would be injurious to national security; and,
• any matter relating to national security or intelligence that a minister of the Crown refers to the Committee.

NSICOP members hold the highest level of security clearance, are bound by the Foreign Interference and Security of Information Act  and meet in private.

Pursuant to the NSICOP Act, the Prime Minister will now consider whether there is any information in the report, the disclosure of which would be injurious to national security, national defence or international relations, or which includes solicitor-client information. A declassified version of the Report must be tabled in Parliament within 30 sitting days.