Mr. Speaker, Canadian Press has reported that an interdepartmental working group co-ordinated by the PCO is studying the issue of electronic surveillance by federal authorities.
The group is concerned with the development of a clipper chip that would ensure that government agencies like CSIS, the RCMP and the CSE are able to intercept telephone, fax and computer transmissions despite attempts to encrypt them.
My question is for the Prime Minister. Will he confirm the existence of this working group and explain why, if CSE does not have a mandate to spy on Canadians, it is concerned about ensuring the ability of government agencies to spy on Canadians when the CSE is supposedly prohibited from doing so?