Okay, great.
To Mr. Duncan's point that interns and Ontario desk staff at ministers' offices have secret clearance, isn't that by virtue of the positions they hold?
Evidence of meeting #126 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
Okay, great.
To Mr. Duncan's point that interns and Ontario desk staff at ministers' offices have secret clearance, isn't that by virtue of the positions they hold?
Director General and Chief Security Officer, Privy Council Office
Every time you get a secret or a top secret clearance, it's because of the position you hold and the responsibilities you have.
Director General and Chief Security Officer, Privy Council Office
They did not.
Liberal
Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON
Do they get access necessarily to any information? Are they deemed to need to know on any information by virtue of having that secret clearance?
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ben Carr
Colleagues, I want to thank our witnesses.
This was a very good example of why the committee stage of the legislative process is so important. It allows us to delve into a variety of questions that members from all political parties have and to rely on the expertise of witnesses with knowledge and guidance that they can lend to the discussion. For anybody who is watching, this is why we have the committee stage.
Our adversaries need to know we've got a strong parliamentary system; that's for sure.
Liberal