Security Intelligence Review Committee

Security Intelligence Review Committee
Comité de surveillance des activités de renseignement de sécurité
Committee overview
Formed	July 16, 1984
Dissolved	July 12, 2019
Superseding agency	National Security and Intelligence Review Agency;
Jurisdiction	Government of Canada
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Parent department	Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Website	www.sirc-csars.gc.ca

The Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC; French: Comité de surveillance des activités de renseignement de sécurité) was a committee of Privy Councillors that was empowered to serve as an independent oversight and review body for the operations of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). The SIRC was established in 1984 as a result of the reorganization of Canadian intelligence agencies recommended by the McDonald Commission investigating the illegal activities of the former RCMP Security Service.

SIRC's role was to review the activities of CSIS to ensure that the extraordinary powers granted to the security service are "used legally and appropriately, in order to protect Canadians’ rights and freedoms."^[1] SIRC did not report to a minister but rather reported directly to the Parliament of Canada.

In 2012, the government of Canada abolished the role of CSIS inspector-general and gave its responsibilities to the SIRC, saying it would save money and prevent duplication, to the dismay of the last inspector-general Eva Plunkett.^[2]

On July 19, 2019, SIRC was superseded by the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA), a super-agency mandated to review all Government of Canada national security and intelligence activities.^[3]

^ "Security Intelligence Review Committee". Archived from the original on April 11, 2005. Retrieved April 9, 2005.
^ "Axing CSIS watchdog 'huge loss,' says former inspector general". CBC. August 10, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
^ Committee, Security Intelligence Review. "All Government of Canada national security and intelligence activities now subject to independent expert review". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved 2019-07-23.

[1] "Security Intelligence Review Committee". Archived from the original on April 11, 2005. Retrieved April 9, 2005.

[2] "Axing CSIS watchdog 'huge loss,' says former inspector general". CBC. August 10, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2023.

[3] Committee, Security Intelligence Review. "All Government of Canada national security and intelligence activities now subject to independent expert review". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved 2019-07-23.

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