Latest CSE spying revelations underline need for oversight

Latest CSE spying revelations underline need for independent, democratic oversight, and raise huge questions around Bill C-51

Canadian spy agency CSE is collecting and storing millions of private emails that Canadians send to the government, including emails sent to Members of Parliament. The content of the emails are being stored for months, with deeply revealing metadata about them held for years. That’s according to reports this morning on CBC News and The Intercept, sourced from documents provided by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Responding to the news, OpenMedia’s communications manager David Christopher said: “These fresh revelations are further proof of how CSE recklessly disregards the privacy of Canadians. While government cybersecurity is important, there is clearly no cybersecurity need to retain people’s private information for months or even years.”

Christopher continued: “Communicating with one's local MP or the government is part of everyday life here in Canada, and citizens should be able to do so without fear of being spied on. These revelations underline the need for independent, democratic oversight of CSE. They also raise huge questions around the government’s Secret Police Bill C-51, given the expanded domestic role CSE is likely to play if the legislation passes.”

Canadians are speaking out about CSE and Bill C-51 at https://OpenMedia.org/SpyOnUs

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