Chong affair shows CSIS is in need of legal reform, ex-national security adviser says | CBC News

A former national security and intelligence adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that if the Canadian Security Intelligence Service couldn’t tell Conservative MP Michael Chong that he and his family were in China’s crosshairs, it’s time to update what the spy agency does.

“They come and say you should be concerned but they won’t give you more. So you don’t have enough to know what posture you need to take,” Daniel Jean, who served as national security adviser from May 2016 until May 2018, told a parliamentary committee Thursday.

“The reality is the legislation doesn’t allow them to do that.”

Jean was testifying before the procedure and House affairs committee. The committee is probing allegations of Chinese interference in Canadian politics, including reports that Beijing was looking to intimate Chong.

According to a Globe and Mail article published last month, a 2021 top-secret CSIS document said that China’s intelligence agency was seeking information about an unnamed Canadian MP’s relatives “who may be located in the PRC, for further potential sanctions.” A national security source reportedly told the Globe that the MP targeted was Chong.

WATCH | Legislation could have ‘limited’ what CSIS could share with Chong, former national security adviser says

Legislation could have ‘limited’ what CSIS could share with Chong, former national security adviser says

Appearing before a parliamentary committee focusing on the intimidation campaign against MP Michael Chong, former national security and intelligence adviser to the prime minister Daniel Jean discusses updating the CSIS Act. ‘CSIS needs to change their culture on how you outreach when you have information like that,’ he said.

Chong has said that CSIS did give him a “defensive briefing” — a term the agency uses for an educational briefing — but it was general and didn’t include specifics.

Asked by NDP MP Rachel Blaney about legislative changes, Jean suggested reviewing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act.

“To some extent, the shortcomings of the CSIS Act are at the heart of what you’re reviewing right now,” said Jean. 

“CSIS needs to change their culture on how you outreach when you have information like that with people, to make sure that they have enough to be able to defend themselves.”

CSIS director David Vigneault seemed to agree during testimony before the same committee Tuesday night.

“The limits we have to brief classified information have been clearly highlighted in the case of Mr. Chong,” said the senior intelligence official.

CSIS is tasked with investigating activities that could pose a threat to the security of Canada and reporting them to the government of Canada. It is constrained from sharing intelligence any further due to secrecy requirements.

Vigneault has said he believes the agency’s enabling law is undermining his officials’ ability to spread warnings.

“Our act enables advice to government but limits our ability to provide relevant advice to key partners,” he said in a 2021 speech.

The federal government has said it’s open to reviewing the CSIS Act.