Several agencies use new information-sharing provisions in anti-terrorism law

OTTAWA— At least four federal agencies have used controversial information-sharing powers in Canada’s new anti-terrorism law, internal government documents show.

Briefing notes prepared for Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale say Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and a fourth agency whose name is blacked out of the records have used the provisions.

The Security of Canada Sharing Information Act, part of the omnibus security bill known as C-51, expanded the exchange of federally held information about activity that “undermines the security of Canada.”

The former Conservative government, which brought in the bill, argued the measures were needed because some federal agencies lacked or had unclear legal authority to share information related to national security. However, the sharing law drew criticism last year from privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien, who said it could make available all federally held information about someone of interest to as many as 17 government departments and agen- cies with responsibilities for national security. The legislation set the threshold for sharing Canadians’ personal data far too low, he said. In addition, Therrien was concerned the bill contained no clear limits on how long the information would be kept.

Even so, the briefing notes say the privacy commissioner “has been engaged throughout the implementation phase” of the new sharing law, which received royal assent in June.

The notes, obtained this week by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act, were presented to Goodale last fall as he took over the security portfolio.