“Bill C-22 - An Act to establish the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and to make consequential amendments to certain Acts Summary: This enactment establishes the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians and sets out its composition and mandate. In addition, it establishes the Committee’s Secretariat, the role of which is to assist the Committee in fulfilling its mandate. It also makes consequential amendments to certain Acts.”

“Despite a Liberal Party campaign pledge to create a committee to monitor and oversee national security agencies, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale appeared to be backing away from that vow Monday at the Senate national security committee. As committee members know, our government has committed to establish a committee of parliamentarians to review and scrutinize the security and intelligence activities of all departments, said Goodale”

“There’s working with the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on a proposal to create a statutory committee of parliamentarians to review government agencies with national security responsibilities. Again, to be clear, this was envisaged to include not only agencies under the purview of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness but also other national security agencies that would exist in other departments, such as National Defence, and conceivably, Immigration or other departments. It was a horizontal mandate across the government.”

“One of the promises he made was to create an all-party committee to monitor and oversee the operations of every government department and agency with national security responsibilities. A spokesperson for Goodale said that remains a priority for the government, and the minister and McGuinty will meet with their U.K. counterparts to learn more about how they handle parliamentary oversight on national security.”