Let me answer it. As a preface to answering, let me say that I did not intend to make a presentation, but I should introduce to you the reason for that. The reason is that I have appeared before committees of this kind on this subject, and my position has been to support the legislation.
I recognize the need for vigilance in protecting Canada against terrorists, but my express concern has been about lack of oversight. All the safeguards in this legislation are at the front end—you get a warrant before you do something—but there is nothing at the back end that ensures that what was done was done within the terms of the warrant.
I don't think Parliament is equipped as a body to act as an oversight body, which is what is being proposed. My view has been the creation of a national security adviser who would monitor the activities of agencies to ensure compliance with their jurisdiction and not exceed warrant authority, to ensure proper sharing of information.
That brings me to the question. There is little doubt, and you can find this in our report on Air India, that the lack of sharing of information between the RCMP and CSIS was a major cause of the terrorists' succeeding in blowing up that airplane. Had there been a free flow of information between CSIS and the RCMP, there is a high probability that the plot would have been uncovered.
It's with that memory that I bring these views before the committee.