Write My MP

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Dear Member of Parliament, I am concerned that the activities of the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) are far too intrusive. All of the news regarding the revelations exposed by Edward Snowden point to this fact. I would like to make you aware of my concerns and ask, as my Member of Parliament, that you work hard to push for positive changes. It is completely unacceptable, in a free and democratic society such as ours, that technology should be employed to engage in a program of widespread, warrantless and unjustified surveillance. In defending their program, CSEC has said that they are only collecting ‘metadata’ – not the content of our private communications. But their language perpetuates the myth that the collection of metadata is, somehow, not privacy-invasive – it is! My understanding is that the collection of metadata can actually be more revealing than the content of our e-mails, texts and other forms of communication. Metadata exposes the time and duration of our messages, the devices that we used to send them, the parties that we have contacted and their locations, to name some of the pieces of information gleaned. Since all of this information may be linked to my device’s unique identification number, my communications, internet activities and, I understand from a recent story regarding information gathered at a major airport, my movements can be tracked with relative ease. Is this activity not a violation of our National Defence Act? Are Canadians not protected from this sort of unwarranted surveillance? One’s mind reels at the questions this activity prompts. What is the nature and scale of CSEC’s metadata programs? How long is the data kept? With what foreign governments and intelligence agencies is it shared? As an intelligence organization, I can understand – though not agree with – CSEC’s silence regarding all of this. What I find particularly disappointing is the government’s silence – your silence – in this matter! Canadians deserve to know, not only whether CSEC’s activities are in compliance with the law, but that they are also respecting our right of privacy. I am aware that a CSEC Commissioner exists to provide at least nominal oversight of CSEC, but that his office is not truly independent of the government, which is very troubling. Who can we trust? As my Member of Parliament, I ask that you support Bill C-551, An Act to establish the National Security Committee of Parliamentarians, to create a parliamentary committee to provide independent oversight for all agencies responsible for national security and the requirement for the Prime Minister to table the committee’s report to Parliament. Further, I call on you to move amendments to the National Defence Act to require that any surveillance of Canadians be subject to prior judicial authorization, rather than simply by the Minister of National Defence. As my elected representative, please work to ensure that CSEC’s surveillance powers are transparent and accountable, so that my right to privacy remains protected. Please work to ensure that, as Canadians, we can enjoy both security and privacy! I look forward to hearing from you with answers to my questions. Sincerely,

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