Departmental Results Framework

The Security Intelligence Review Committee is an external independent review body responsible for: reviewing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to determine whether its operational activities complied with the law and ministerial direction and were reasonable and necessary; investigating complaints by any person about any action of the Service, including denials of security clearances; and, certifying the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Director’s annual report to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to determine whether any activities were not authorized, contravened ministerial direction, or involved any unreasonable exercise of powers. The Committee makes findings and, where appropriate, recommendations designed to improve performance and prevent non-compliance. The results of this work, edited to protect national security and personal privacy, are summarized in an annual report, which is tabled in Parliament by the Minister.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service complies with the law and its actions are reasonable and necessary

1. % of high- and medium-risk operational activities reviewed annually
2. Degree to which the parties to complaints are satisfied with the complaints process
3. % of recommendations accepted by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
4. % of recommendations advanced by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service

1. Review of Canadian Security Intelligence Service operations
2. Investigation of complaints against the Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Rationale: This indicator measures the degree to which Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) activities that may pose risks to Canadians come under scrutiny. The knowledge that these activities are being reviewed in turn promotes a culture of compliance with the law in key operational areas at CSIS.
Calculation / formula:  The indicator is the percentage of activities identified as high or medium risk reviewed in a given year.
Baseline: This is a new indicator; the current baseline (based only on a single year) is around 75%. Target: 80%
Definition(s): The Security Intelligence Review Committee’s risk framework categorizes the risk associated with different activities into high, medium, and low.
Note(s): The Committee approves an annual research plan that guides the allocation of resources to areas of CSIS activity assessed as being of highest risk, as well as those that may be of lower risk, but require regular review to provide comprehensive coverage. A number of factors inform the identification and ranking of risk, for example: whether an activity may affect the well-being of a Canadian or impact on her or his privacy or other rights; changes in law, ministerial direction and CSIS operational policies and procedures; issues identified in the course of SIRC reviews and complaint investigations; the government’s intelligence priorities and CSIS’s own plans and priorities; and SIRC conducts an environmental scan of events or developments that could impact on CSIS or on risk. SIRC reviews cover all CSIS activities — targeting, warrants, human sources and threat reduction measures — and program areas: counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence, counter-proliferation and security screening. SIRC examines CSIS arrangements to cooperate and information exchanges with both domestic and foreign agencies. And it examines the advice CSIS provides to government.

Rationale: This indicator measures the parties’ level of satisfaction of the SIRC complaints process, which is an important mechanism for identifying any unreasonable or unnecessary exercise of powers by CSIS.
Calculation / formula: Parties to complaints will be surveyed on their experiences with the complaints process.
Baseline: This is a new indicator; a baseline will be established over the next two to three years. The target is to be determined. In the meantime, qualitative comments will be taken into account with respect to both recommendations to CSIS and any changes to the SIRC process that may be appropriate.
Definition(s): Nil
Note(s): SIRC has comprehensive rules of procedures on the handling of complaints. A survey is under development, which will be used to measure parties’ satisfaction with the process.

Rationale: This indicator measures CSIS uptake of recommendations from SIRC reviews of operational activities and complaint investigations, which represents CSIS’ focus on minimizing risks of non-compliance.
Calculation / formula: The % of recommendations from SIRC’s annual report accepted by CSIS each year. 
Baseline: This is a new indicator; based on the first year, the baseline is 88%. Target: 90%.
Definition(s): “Accepted” means that CSIS has agreed to implement the recommendation. Implementation time can vary widely.
Notes: When appropriate, the Committee make recommendations to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and CSIS aimed at promoting CSIS compliance and enhancing its performance. While SIRC’s recommendations are non-binding, they are important in supporting accountability and ensuring the integrity of the review process. SIRC’s public annual report provides CSIS responses to recommendations and describes CSIS efforts to address outstanding recommendations not yet implemented. SIRC monitors how CSIS addresses recommendations and responds to any negative findings (as well as areas for follow-up identified in past reviews).

Rationale: This indicator measures concrete CSIS actions to implement recommendations from SIRC reviews of operational activities and complaint investigations, which represents CSIS’ focus on minimizing risks of non-compliance.
Calculation / formula: The indicator will be calculated in each annual report as % of recommendations from the previous annual report that have been advanced in the intervening time.
Baseline: This is a new indicator; a baseline will be established over the next years. Target: 80%.
Definition(s): “Advanced” means that CSIS has begun the process of implementing the recommendation. Implementation time can vary widely.
Notes: When appropriate, the Committee make recommendations to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and CSIS aimed at promoting CSIS compliance and enhancing its performance. While SIRC’s recommendations are non-binding, they are important in supporting accountability and ensuring the integrity of the review process. SIRC’s public annual report provides CSIS responses to recommendations and describes CSIS efforts to address outstanding recommendations not yet implemented. SIRC monitors how CSIS addresses recommendations and responds to any negative findings (as well as areas for follow-up identified in past reviews).