Canada’s electronic spy watchdog eyes Five Eyes intelligence sharing

OTTAWA – The watchdog that keeps an eye on Canada’s electronic eavesdropping agency wants to be sure key foreign intelligence partners are not misusing Canadian information.

In his annual report, Communications Security Establishment Canada watchdog Robert Decary highlights the close relationship the spy agency maintains with counterparts in the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

Decary says the co-operative alliance — known as the Five Eyes community — may be more valuable now than at any other time, given increasingly complex technological challenges.

The Ottawa-based CSE monitors foreign computer, satellite, radio, telephone and fax traffic for information of interest to Canada.

Decary says his inquiries to date show the CSE does take steps to protect the privacy of Canadians in what it shares with international partners.

However, he intends to take a deeper look at how the spy agency assures itself that the partners abide by long-standing agreements and practices.