This doesn't accurately portray what Canadiens want the government to do. Under Harper-era legislation, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service was empowered to operate outside the Charter of Rights, which gave it authority to violate citizens’ constitutional rights. And Canada’s cyber intelligence agency, the Communications Security Establishment was allowed to conduct mass collection of information on Canadians without a specific target. These two breaches of the constitution do not speak well of the government wanting to protects its people when it has been illegally collecting information on its citizens for presumably 9 years. A Forum Research poll also found that just 8% of Canadians trusted the CSE with their personal information, with only 23% trusting CSIS, and 37% trusting the RCMP.(Bozinoff). Ralph Goodale(MP) and David McGuinty(MP) went to France and the UK to observe their operations and policies that they use for mass surveillance. The Cameron government passed a bill that was a reaction to the Apple vs. FBI case. It is described as Draconian and Orwellian and destroys the known concept of privacy.(Harris). This doesn't seem like the path that the Canadian Government wants to take in its ambitions for mass surveillance since Canadians don't even like the idea of mass surveillance. Mass surveillance is a controversial subject because it …show more content…
in their mission statement, it says “CSIS may also take measures to reduce threats to the security of Canada in accordance with well-defined legal requirements and Ministerial Direction” (Canadian Security). If by “well-defined legal requirements and Ministerial Direction” they mean to retrieve information without a warrant then by all means the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency has been doing a splendid job in violating Canadians lives. CSIS has repeatedly got taxpayer info from the Canada Revenue agency without a warrant. This both breaks the law and infringes on the rights of Canadians This along with several other concerns raised in the latest annual report of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, which monitors CSIS compliance with law and policy. The same instances of warrantless requests for taxpayers info were brought up in the CSIS 2014-15 report. The Canada Revenue Agency had no immediate explanation as to why it gave CSIS the data, meaning they are also at fault. These reports along with the latest bills regarding CSIS has made them look like they are incredibly powerful since they can freely violate the