Procedure and House Affairs committee  I generally don't send classified emails. I send classified documents, and we have discussions, but that's generally not a means of transmission that I would use.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  As I mentioned, one of the common ways to transmit information to the minister is to have a meeting with him in the same room or via secure videoconference.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That can be done at the request of CSIS, the minister or the Department of Public Safety, depending on the subject matter that has to be addressed.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  If there's any one thing that's very clear, it's that we're all learning about the events that took place. I think there could have been more information or more regularity in discussions between CSIS and the minister. The pandemic was very hard on many people. CSIS was one of the only federal government organizations that worked almost solely from its offices.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  We may send none in any single week, but there are generally two or three a week.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's correct. There aren't as many issues management notes. On the other hand, that's only one of the ways of transmitting information. There are other ways to communicate critical information to the minister. That isn't the only tool that's used.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  The service created that type of note only a few years ago precisely to draw people's attention to issues deemed to be of interest.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I would not be in a position to share the specific number of MPs. However, I think what is clear is that the commitment from CSIS and the specificity of the ministerial directive are to make sure that all MPs will be briefed, and that's a direction that we have and will carry out.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  It is a very relevant point, because we have seen over the years the ability of media in languages other than French and English to be used and abused by different countries to accomplish their goals. This is why our foreign interference material that we produced last year has been published in seven languages—to be able to have information in the language of a number of diaspora communities that are directly targeted.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  As I mentioned a little earlier, CSIS and I conveyed the information to the Department of Public Safety along with the very specific directive to forward it to the minister. I don't doubt that the minister didn't receive it. His comment was very clear. However, it's important for the committee to understand that we shared the intelligence and the briefing note.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's correct.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's quite a serious question. I think it could be a topic for further study. Intelligence priorities are very clearly established by cabinet. Cabinet makes a decision and sends its intelligence directives to us. In the case of CSIS, the Minister of Public Safety receives those directives and, considering CSIS's mandate, sends us ministerial directives.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. I can say from the outset, going back to my opening remarks, that I believe that members of Parliament should be receiving more information. I think the world that we're in now requires that we adapt our approaches, and that includes CSIS. I think the ministerial directive is going to be helpful there, but that will still have to be done within the context of the limits of the CSIS Act.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you for your question. You raise several points. I'll address them in order. As regards intelligence culture, Canada is a fortunate country because it belongs to a number of collective defence organizations, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, because it has a unique partnership with the Americans and it's protected by three oceans.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Madam Chair, with your indulgence, I will take this question under advisement and bring back to the committee the specific number. I believe it is listed in our annual report, but I will provide the committee with the specific answer. Perhaps I can add that I think what's important here is that since about 2018, we started speaking publicly and very clearly to Canadians about foreign interference by providing some of our analysis and some of our advice on how people and organizations could protect themselves.