Lesson 8 – National Security Intelligence Programs
Lesson Aim
The aim of Lesson 8 is to examine selected aspects of national security intelligence within the public safety framework.
Lesson Tasks
1. Read online lesson notes, and complete non-graded activities and graded assignments.
2. Read and reflect on the required readings for this lesson.
3. Consider completing the recommended readings.
Required Readings/Viewings
This list may be intimidating at first sight, but you have seen some of it before. As you negotiate the required readings below, you need not tackle all information at first reading. Focus on expressions of operational intent and think about the information and sources to be tapped by intelligence agencies. Reflect on the nature of predictive assessments of probability that may be required in order to enable advantageous operational success. Choose what you need to read in order to answer the questions you select at the end of the lesson.
1. Carvin, et al. Eds. (2020). “Part Two-Core Collection and Advisory Agencies” Top Secret Canada. 43-123.
2. Wilner, A. (2020). “Public Safety Canada (PSC).” In Top Secret Canada. Chapter 9. Edited by Carvin et al. 166-179.
3. Public Safety Canada. National Security.
4. Canada’s Counter-terrorism Strategy, Building Resilience Against Terrorism: Canada’s Counter-terrorism Strategy.
5. National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure.
6. National Cyber Security Strategy.
7. CBSA Act, Canada Border Services Agency Act.
8. CBSA, Securing the border.
9. National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (2020). “The Canada Border Services Agency’s National Security and Intelligence Activities.” In Annual Report 2019, Chapter 3. Ottawa.
10. CSE Act, Communications Security Establishment Act.
11. CSE website, Communications Security Establishment.
12. Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
13. Cyber Centre Threat report, National Cyber Threat Assessment 2020
14. CSIS Act, Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act.
15. RCMP Act, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act.
a. INSETs and NSESs, National Security Criminal Investigations Program.
b. IBETs,”Fact Sheet (IBET).”
c. SHIPRIDER, Canada-U.S. Shiprider.
d. CISC – Automated Criminal Intelligence Information System, Criminal Intelligence Service Canada.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Describe the intelligence roles and legislated mandates of CSIS, CBSA, CSE, and the RCMP.
2. Describe intelligence aspects of Canada’s Counter-terrorism strategy; the National Cyber Security Strategy; and the National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure.
3. Describe the legislative framework for sharing information among government organizations.
