Evidence of meeting #55 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.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
That information comes from the security-cleared member of each party, and how they will interact with the panel has been discussed. That information would go to the panel of five and the SITE team.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
Thank you very much.
I want to talk a bit about comments you made at the defence committee in December 2022. You said that no money was exchanged during the 2019 election. I believe your quote was, “The news stories that you have read about interference are just that, news stories.” You also said, “We have not seen money going to 11 candidates, period.” Can you confirm that those were your words before the defence committee?
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
I cannot confirm that was my exact quote, but the connection that was being made between 11 candidates and $250,000 was inaccurate.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
In light of the stories that have come out this week, including those by Robert Fife and Steven Chase about an illegal donation to the Trudeau Foundation in 2015, do you still feel as though your statements from last December are accurate?
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
I still feel that my statements about that particular situation were accurate.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
You referred to the NSICOP committee as a mechanism whereby we can be assured that information is being shared. Can you confirm that a member of NSICOP is not allowed to share information with his or her colleagues or his or her leader?
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
That is the premise of that committee.
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
It would be your expectation that information is shared.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
It would be my expectation—
Conservative
Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB
Would an NSICOP report ever be released to the public without going through your office or the Prime Minister's Office?
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
The committee's unredacted reports are shared with the Prime Minister, and redacted reports are released to the public.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair. My question is for Ms. Thomas.
I understand that CSIS has authorities to disrupt attempts at foreign interference. While you probably can't get into operational matters, can you explain the types of tools that CSIS has available to disrupt foreign interference?
If there are any specifics, I would like to have you mention specifically what those tools are.
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
I don't think those are comments I can make in an open forum.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
Okay.
How about...? For example, if CSIS was aware that a foreign official—more specifically, someone who works at a consulate—was trying to interfere in a Canadian election, would CSIS have the mandate to respond?
Could it, for instance, endeavour to use a tool to go and speak to that official at that consulate?
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
Certainly, it can use threat reduction measures, which is what they are formally called, to go and speak to an individual. It can also speak to the person being targeted.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
Can you assure this committee that CSIS endeavours to use the tools, at least? Even if you can't get into specifics of what those tools are, does it at least endeavour to use those tools if and when it feels that there is a need, because of foreign interference?
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
Yes, I can assure this committee that CSIS leans forward and uses the tools at its disposal to the fullest extent possible and mandated by law and its act.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
The instances we've been hearing about in the global news reports.... Do you feel, to your knowledge, that CSIS used the tools it has at its disposal to intervene in these matters?
National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Privy Council Office
Again, I'm not going to speak about specific cases and jeopardize the work CSIS does. The director of CSIS has more leeway to answer that question about his specific work than I do.
Liberal
Ruby Sahota Liberal Brampton North, ON
I intend to explore those questions with him as well.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bardish Chagger
That's excellent.
With that, I would like to thank our guests for joining us today. Thank you for your time and attention.
If there is additional information that has been requested, we look forward to your submitting it to the clerk, and we'll share it with all members of the committee.
With that, I wish you a really good day. Thank you for the good work that you do.
We will suspend briefly and have the next panel join us.