NDP demands committee meeting on CSEC

New Democrats have introduced a motion to call the Minister of National of Defence and the chief of Communications Security Establishment Canada John Forster to appear before the defence committee.

“Recent reports about CSEC’s activities are extremely concerning, as is the government’s inability to answer basic questions about whether or not Canadians were spied on,” said NDP national defence critic Jack Harris (St. John’s East). “It’s time for transparency and accountability – starting with a committee testimony from the minister and the CSEC chief.”

The text of the NDP motion follows:

“That the Standing Committee on National Defence invite the Minister of National Defence and the Chief of Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) as witnesses to appear before the Committee to answer questions about CSEC’s intelligence-gathering policies and practices, for two hours, as soon as possible.”