Communications Security Establishment Act

This legislation outlines the role and responsibilities of the Chief of the Establishment, which is Canada's national signals intelligence agency for foreign intelligence and technical authority for cybersecurity and information assurance.

Human Resources

• The Chief has exclusive authority to appoint or lay off employees, revoke their appointment, or terminate their employment.
• The Chief can determine staffing standards, procedures, and processes, including those related to appointments, layoffs, revocations, and terminations.
• The Chief can provide for the classification of positions and employees, as well as determine and regulate pay, hours of work, leave, and other related matters.

Mandate

• The Establishment's mandate has five aspects: foreign intelligence, cybersecurity and information assurance, defensive cyber operations, active cyber operations, and technical and operational assistance.
• Foreign intelligence involves acquiring information from or through the global information infrastructure for providing foreign intelligence in accordance with Government of Canada priorities.
• Cybersecurity and information assurance involve providing advice, guidance, and services to protect federal institutions' electronic information and infrastructures, as well as acquiring, using, and analyzing information from the global information infrastructure.

Activities

• Activities carried out by the Establishment must not be directed at Canadians or persons in Canada and must not infringe the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
• Defensive cyber operations and active cyber operations activities must not be directed at any portion of the global information infrastructure in Canada, unless authorized under certain provisions.
• Contravention of other Acts is prohibited for foreign intelligence, cybersecurity and information assurance aspects of the mandate.

Other Provisions

• The Establishment may carry out various activities, such as acquiring, using, analyzing, retaining, or disclosing publicly available information; conducting research and development; testing systems or conducting cybersecurity and information assurance activities.
• The Establishment may analyze information to provide advice on matters related to foreign investment review.