CSIS using new powers to disrupt terrorists since Bill C-51 became law

Michel Coulombe, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, told a Commons committee today that Canada's spy agency has used new disruption powers it was granted when Bill C-51 became law this past summer.

This marks the first time CSIS has publicly acknowledged theuse ofits new powers under the Anti-terrorism Act to disrupt suspected plots rather than just relay information about those plots to the federal government and the RCMP

• Trudeau's promised overhaul of C-51 tops agenda
• Goodale: Canada must tackle radicalization
• Tories: Security committee a radical departure

As an intelligence agency, CSIS does not have powers to enforce the law. Its role has beento relay intelligence to other branches of government. That changed when BillC-51 became law, giving the spy agency power to actively interfere with suspected terrorists if it has reasonable grounds to think a security threat exists.

The disruption powers allow CSIS to interfere with, telephone calls, travel plans and bankor financial transactions. The agency can also disrupt radical websites and Twitter accounts ofgroups orpeople inside and outside of Canada.

This provision in the acthas garnered criticism from the outset, because there is no clear definition of what "disrupt"means in the legislation, causing some to be concerned the power would be abused by police and intelligence services.

Increased powers

The Anti-Terrorism Actbecame law in June 2015. The new law was opposed by the NDP but supported by the Liberals.

Under the law it is a criminal offenceto encourage someone to carry out a terror attack even if the attack never happens.

Police were also given the power to arrest suspects without a warrant by widening the definition of whom police can arrest on suspicion.

If a person is arrested over fears related tonational security their information can be shared with more arms of government than previously permitted.

Proposed changes

The Liberals have vowed to overhaulthe law's more troubling elements, includingprovisions that allow CSIS to disrupt terror plots, if the tactics used breach the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Public Safety Minister RalphGoodalesaid he could not provide any statistics as to how many times or how the power to disrupt had been used byCSIS,but affirmed the federal government's commitment to provide oversight for the law.

"We are proposing to strengthen the review process very substantially by a parliamentary committee as well as various other techniques," Goodale said.

NDP Leader TomMulcaircriticized the Liberals for promising to make changes to the Anti-Terrorism Act during the election campaign but not following up.

"We know that there are problems with C-51, we voted against it," Mulcair said. "We wanted to withdraw that law. We thought it was a bad law for Canadians' freedoms."

Goodale and Mulcair respond to C-51

9 years ago

Duration 0:45

Ralph Goodale and Tom Mulcair react to CSIS's admission it has used powers to "disrupt" terrorists granted under the Anti-Terrorism Act