MacKay issued seven secret directives to eavesdropping agency: documents

OTTAWA – Declassified records show the defence minister quietly issued new instructions to Canada’s electronic eavesdropping agency that detail how and when it can help CSIS and the RCMP investigate Canadians.

Briefing notes disclosed under the Access to Information Act say the directive from Peter MacKay to the Ottawa-based Communications Security Establishment was one of seven such ministerial instructions issued in November 2011.

Details of the directive on assistance to police and other federal security agencies remain secret.

The CSE monitors foreign computer, satellite, radio and telephone traffic to zero in on threats to Canada and gather intelligence.

However, the agency — which employs computer experts and mathematicians — can also provide assistance to the Mounties and Canada’s domestic spy service.

Recent allegations that a key CSE ally, the U.S. National Security Agency, has access to a wide sweep of Internet traffic has sparked questions and concerns about Canadian surveillance operations.