Clearly on the issue of what Canadians feel about the threat of terror, our polling numbers are consistent. It's a top priority issue for them. However, there is also some deep concern about this legislation. I don't think anybody should kid themselves. I'm clearly an advocate, as a former practitioner, of very important enhancements in the legislation that will make us far safer. As I said in my opening comments, we cannot identify this with any particular group, and of course there should be no stigma attached to any of this. It's about political and religious ideology.
Being a practitioner who appreciates a fuller and more complementary tool box is one thing, but like you, I also recognize and am in favour of commensurate levels of increased review. After working 30 years in that business, I don't think any of the seniors that I left CSIS with in the last few years would disagree with me that we were a better organization because of review, not in spite of it, as I said in my comments, and we were very exceptional. I think we were very well respected by our peer group because of that. The reason we were better is that we knew that everything we did would eventually, at some point, face some form of review by somebody, whether the Inspector General or SIRC. Knowing that keeps the mind very sharp.
At one point, 86% of our young officers in the counterterrorism branch had less than two years of service. It was a very young cohort. They were extremely talented, bright, and engaged, but they needed very clear rules regarding how to work on things. Our continuing issue of rigour, rigour, rigour drove them crazy. Why do we have rigour? It is because of review.
As for oversight, that's a slightly different issue. I'm not against parliamentary oversight. I think in this age of accountability, the leadership of organizations, whether the RCMP, CSE, or CSIS, should appear in front of parliamentarians and explain to Canadians what they're doing and why they're doing it. I think doing that will grow the consistency of support, and I think that is a favourable outcome for everybody.