Electronic intelligence short on funding

Government agency requests more money to ‘keep pace’ with changing technologies

OTTAWA— The small team tasked with reviewing the operations of Canada’s massive electronic intelligence agency says it needs more funding to keep up with growth at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE).

The Office of the CSE Commissioner is looking for long-term funding to bring on one new analyst and buy new technology for secure communications and analysis of sensitive CSE information. It warned the federal government it is having trouble “keeping pace” with the amount of technological change at the CSE.

“The technologies CSE employs are constantly adapting and adjusting in order to provide the necessary protections to critical information against threats that have increased in both number and sophistication,” said a document published by the office.

“An additional review position will be created and resourced and additional technologies will be acquired, sufficient to allow the office to continue to provide effective review of CSE activities.”

CSE Commissioner Jean-Pierre Plouffe runs an eight-person analyst team with a budget of roughly $2 million. CSE is expected to spend $595.9 million this year conducting electronic surveillance, foreign spying and cyber defence operations.

The agency has for the most part kept a low profile, but shot into headlines after revelations from U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden, who revealed details about the mass surveillance programs of “Five Eyes” countries — Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.