OTTAWA—A culture within Canada’s cyberspy service of “resisting and impeding” independent review has frustrated efforts to ensure it is obeying the law, say newly released documents from the federal intelligence watchdog.
The unusually candid National Security and Intelligence Review Agency records from 2021 are the latest evidence of the watchdog’s irritation at trying to scrutinize the operations of the Communications Security Establishment.
The CSE and the spy watchdog say strides toward smoother relations have been made in recent months.
The Ottawa−based CSE monitors foreign communications — from email and phone calls to text messages and satellite transmissions — for intelligence of interest to Canada. It also safeguards Canadian computer systems and engages in cyberoperations to counter threats from abroad….