Canada’s spy agency suspended two employees over security lapses, records show

OTTAWA – Newly released documents show two security breaches at Canada’s spy agency prompted employee suspensions last year.

In the most serious case, a Canadian Security Intelligence Service employee was suspended for five days without pay over a security incident involving information that’s supposed to be kept in the strictest confidence.

The CSIS employee was found to be in breach of several aspects of the spy agency’s conduct policy, including provisions on security, performance of duties, integrity and compliance with direction.

The breach prompted an investigation by the agency’s internal security division, resulting in an injury assessment — an accounting of damage from a security lapse.

In deciding the employee’s fate, a senior CSIS official weighed the assessment and the fact the employee had no prior disciplinary record.

The employee was also warned that any further breaches of the conduct policy could warrant more severe discipline, up to and including dismissal from CSIS.