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{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name = Security Intelligence Review Committee
| native_name = Comité de surveillance des activités de renseignement de sécurité
| type = Committee
| logo =
| logo_width = 140px
| formed = July 16, 1984
| dissolved = July 12, 2019
| superseding = [[National Security and Intelligence Review Agency]]
| jurisdiction = [[Government of Canada]]
| headquarters = [[Ottawa, Ontario]], Canada
| parent_department = [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada]]
| website = {{url|http://www.sirc-csars.gc.ca/}}
}}
The '''Security Intelligence Review Committee''' ('''SIRC'''; {{langx|fr|Comité de surveillance des activités de renseignement de sécurité}}) was a committee of [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada|Privy Councillors]] that was empowered to serve as an independent oversight and review body for the operations of the [[Canadian Security Intelligence Service]] (CSIS). The SIRC was established in 1984 as a result of the reorganization of Canadian [[Intelligence agency|intelligence agencies]] recommended by the [[McDonald Commission]] investigating the illegal activities of the former [[RCMP Security Service]].

SIRC's role was to review the activities of CSIS to ensure that the extraordinary powers granted to the security service are "used legally and appropriately, in order to protect Canadians’ rights and freedoms."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sirc-csars.gc.ca/index_e.html|title=Security Intelligence Review Committee|accessdate=April 9, 2005|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050411032722/http://www.sirc-csars.gc.ca/index_e.html|archivedate=April 11, 2005}}</ref> SIRC did not report to a minister but rather reported directly to the [[Parliament of Canada]].

In 2012, the government of Canada abolished the role of CSIS inspector-general and gave its responsibilities to the SIRC, saying it would save money and prevent duplication, to the dismay of the last inspector-general [[Eva Plunkett]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 10, 2012 |title=Axing CSIS watchdog 'huge loss,' says former inspector general |work=CBC |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/axing-csis-watchdog-huge-loss-says-former-inspector-general-1.1143212 |access-date=April 25, 2023}}</ref>

On July 19, 2019, SIRC was superseded by the [[National Security and Intelligence Review Agency]] (NSIRA), a super-agency mandated to review all Government of Canada national security and intelligence activities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/all-government-of-canada-national-security-and-intelligence-activities-now-subject-to-independent-expert-review-858523391.html|title=All Government of Canada national security and intelligence activities now subject to independent expert review|last=Committee|first=Security Intelligence Review|website=www.newswire.ca|language=en|access-date=2019-07-23}}</ref>

== Chuck Strahl (2012–2014) lobbying activities ==
In January 2014, [[Chuck Strahl]] resigned his position as chair of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, the watchdog of Canada's spy agency, after it was revealed by the press that he is also registered as a lobbyist over the [[Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines]].<ref name="The Globe and Mail">{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canadas-top-spy-watchdog-resigns-over-lobbying-questions/article16498943/| title=Canada's top spy watchdog resigns over lobbying questions by Steven Chase| date=January 24, 2014 |accessdate=2008-03-24 | publisher=[[The Globe and Mail]]}}</ref><ref name="theglobeandmail.com">{{cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/spy-watchdogs-registration-for-northern-gateway-lobbying-under-fire-from-ndp/article16219804/ | title=Spy watchdog's registration for Northern Gateway lobbying under fire from NDP | date=January 6, 2014 | accessdate=2008-03-24 | publisher=[[The Globe and Mail]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/democracy-north/2014/01/democracy-north-jan-18-csis-watchdog%E2%80%99s-enbridge-job-battered-| title=CSIS watchdog's Enbridge job| date=January 23, 2014 |accessdate=2008-03-24 | publisher=[[Democracy North]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/01/06/chuck-strahl-csis-northern-gateway-enbridge_n_4549384.html| title=Chuck Strahl, CSIS Watchdog Chair, Registers As Northern Gateway Lobbyist| date=January 6, 2014 |accessdate=2008-03-24 | publisher=[[The Huffington Post]] Canada}}</ref>

== Arthur Porter (2008–2011) criminal charges and arrest ==
[[Arthur Porter (physician)|Arthur Porter]] and his wife, Pamela Mattock Porter were detained by [[Interpol]] agents in Panama on May 27, 2013, after an investigation by the [[Sureté du Québec]], the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). He faced charges in Canada of fraud, conspiracy to commit government fraud, abuse of trust, secret commissions and laundering the proceeds of a crime.<ref>{{cite web|title=Arthur Porter arrested in Panama|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/ex-mcgill-hospital-boss-arthur-porter-arrested-in-panama-1.1302252|publisher=CBC News|date=May 27, 2013|access-date=May 27, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Star20130530">{{cite news |work=Toronto Star |date=2013-05-30 |accessdate=2013-05-31 |author=Allan Woods |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/05/30/arthur_porter_appears_set_to_contest_extradition_to_canada_on_fraud_charges.html |title=Arthur will fight extradition to face fraud charges in Canada}}</ref><ref name="http">{{cite news | title = Quebec anti-corruption squad nabs fifth man in mega-hospital fraud case, Porter remains at large | url = http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/03/12/quebec-anti-corruption-squad-nabs-fifth-man-in-mega-hospital-fraud-case-porter-remains-at-large/| date = 2013-03-12 | accessdate = 2013-05-31 | work = [[National Post]]}}</ref>

The fraud against the Quebec government is related to his alleged role in the handling of a $1.3-billion Montreal hospital construction and maintenance contract.<ref>{{cite news | title = Former CSIS watchdog Arthur Porter arrested in Panama | url = http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/27/arthur-porter-arrested-in-panama/ | date = 2013-05-28 | accessdate = 2013-05-31 | work = [[National Post]]}}</ref><ref name="news.nationalpost.com">{{cite news| title = Ex-spy watchdog reportedly under microscope as anti-corruption squad raids hospital office, probes SNC-Lavalin contract | url = http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/09/20/arthur-porter-reportedly-under-scrutiny-over-snc-lavalin-contract/ | date = 2012-09-20 | accessdate = 2013-05-31 | work = [[National Post]]}}</ref>
At the time of the alleged fraud, from 2008 to 2011, Porter director general of the [[McGill University Health Centre]] in Montreal, [[Quebec]], being in charge of one of Canada's largest health-care providers. He was appointed to the position in 2004.<ref>[http://www.muhc.ca/about/bod/ MUHC Board of Directors]</ref> He was also a member of [[Air Canada]]’s board of directors.<ref name="news.nationalpost.com"/>

Porter claimed [[diplomatic immunity]] on the basis that he was travelling via Panama on a diplomatic mission to [[Antigua and Barbuda]], on behalf of the government of Sierra Leone, according to his lawyer Ricardo Bilonick Paredes (formerly known as Ricardo Bilonick), a convicted cocaine smuggler with ties to Panama's former dictator, [[Manuel Noriega]] and Colombian drug cartels. However, the [[Sierra Leone]] government stated that he was a [[Goodwill Ambassador|goodwill ambassador]] and thus has no diplomatic immunity.<ref>{{cite news|last=Porter|first=Arthur|url=http://lesnews.ca/politique/45066-arthur-porter-nest-pas-un-diplomate-dit-le-sierra-leone/|title=Arthur Porter n'est pas un diplomate, dit le Sierra Leone|accessdate=6 June 2013|newspaper=Journal De Montréal|date=6 June 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925134253/http://lesnews.ca/politique/45066-arthur-porter-nest-pas-un-diplomate-dit-le-sierra-leone/|archivedate=25 September 2013}}</ref>

== Air India bombing ==
In 2005, SIRC came under criticism for allegedly not giving close enough scrutiny to the activities of CSIS regarding the [[Air India Flight 182|Air India bombing]], where crucial wiretap evidence was destroyed putting the legal case against the alleged Air India bombers into jeopardy. 
The Security Intelligence Review Committee cleared CSIS of any wrongdoing. The report remains secret to this day.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.economist.com/node/9340771| title=Canada - No lessons learned Continuing "gaping holes" in Canada's security arrangements are revealed at an inquiry into the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight from Toronto| date=June 14, 2007 |accessdate=2008-03-24 | publisher=[[The Economist]]}}</ref>

==Past chairs of SIRC==

* [[Ron Atkey]] (1984–1989)
*[[John W. H. Bassett]] (1989–1992)
* [[Jacques Courtois (Canadian)|Jacques Courtois]] (1992–1996)
*[[Paule Gauthier]] (1996–2005)
*[[Gary Filmon]] (2005–2010)
*[[Arthur Porter (physician)|Arthur Porter]] (2010–2011)(Resigned on November 10, 2011)<ref name="http" />
*[[Carol Skelton]] (Acting, 2011–2012)
*[[Chuck Strahl]] (2012 - 24 January 2014) (Resigned in January 2014) <ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canadas-top-spy-watchdog-resigns-over-lobbying-questions/article16498943/ Globe and Mail: "Canada’s top spy watchdog resigns over lobbying questions" 24 Jan 2014]</ref>
*[[Deborah Grey]] (Acting)<ref>[http://www.canada.com/Chuck+Strahl+quits+Security+Intelligence+Review+Committee/9427554/story.html canada.com: "Chuck Strahl quits Security Intelligence Review Committee" 24 Jan 2014]</ref>
*[[Pierre Blais]] (May 1, 2015 -)<ref name="Prime Minister's Office">{{cite web|url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2015/05/01/pm-announces-appointments-security-intelligence-review-committee|title=PM announces appointments to the Security Intelligence Review Committee|date=May 1, 2015|publisher=Prime Minister's Office|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503003250/http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2015/05/01/pm-announces-appointments-security-intelligence-review-committee|archivedate=May 3, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Historical membership of SIRC==
Source: [http://www.sirc-csars.gc.ca/members_e.html SIRC]

===Appointed November 30, 1984===
Chair:

Hon. [[Ronald G. Atkey]], PC, QC 
(five years)

Members:

Hon. [[Frank Charles McGee]], PC
(five years)

Hon. [[Jean Jacques Blais]], PC, QC 
(five years)

Hon. [[Saul Cherniack|Saul M. Cherniack]], PC, QC
(five years)

Hon. [[Paule Gauthier]], PC, OC, OQ, QC
(five years)

===Appointed November 30, 1989===
Chair:

Hon. [[John W.H. Bassett]], PC, OC 
(three years)

Members:

Hon. [[Stewart D. McInnes]], PC, QC 
(three years)

Hon. [[Jean Jacques Blais]], PC, QC
(two years)

Hon. [[Saul Cherniack|Saul M. Cherniack]], PC, QC 
(two years)

Hon. [[Paule Gauthier]], PC, OC, OQ, QC 
(two years)

===Appointed November 30, 1991===
Member:

Hon. [[Saul Cherniack|Saul M. Cherniack]], PC, QC 
(one year)

===Appointed December 5, 1991===
Members:

Hon. [[J. J. Michel Robert|Michel Robert]], PC, QC 
(five years)* *Appointed to the Bench, May 1995

Hon. [[Jacques Courtois (Canada)|Jacques Courtois]], PC, QC 
(five years)

===Appointed November 30, 1992===
Member:

Hon. [[Edwin A. Goodman]], PC, OC, QC 
(five years)

===Appointed December 23, 1992===
Chair:

Hon. [[Jacques Courtois (Canada)|Jacques Courtois]], PC, QC 
(five years)

Member:

Hon. [[George Vari]], PC, OC 
(five years)

===Appointed April 20, 1993===
Member:

Hon. [[Rosemary Brown (Canadian politician)|Rosemary Brown]], PC, OC 
(five years)

===Appointed June 8, 1995===
Member:

Hon. [[Paule Gauthier]], PC, OC, OQ, QC 
(five years)

===Appointed September 30, 1996===
Chair:

Hon. [[Paule Gauthier]], PC, OC, OQ, QC 
(to June 7, 2000)

Member:

Hon. [[James Andrews Grant]], PC, QC
(five years)

===Appointed April 30, 1998===
Member:

Hon. [[Bob Rae]], PC, OC, O.Ont, QC
(five years)

===Appointed June 9, 1999===
Members:

Hon. [[Raymond Speaker]], PC, OC 
(five years)

Hon. [[Frank McKenna]], PC, OC, QC, ONB
(five years)

===Appointed June 8, 2000===
Chair:

Hon. [[Paule Gauthier]], PC, OC, OQ, QC 
(five years)

===Appointed October 4, 2001===
Member:

Hon. [[Gary Filmon]], PC, OM 
(five years)

===Appointed February 20, 2003===
Member:

Hon. [[Baljit S. Chadha]], PC 
(five years)

===November 13, 2003===
Member:

Hon. [[Roy Romanow]], PC, OC, SOM, QC
(five years)

===Appointed September 16, 2004===
Member:

Hon. [[Raymond Speaker]], PC, OC 
(five years)

===Appointed June 24, 2005===
Chair:

[[Gary Filmon]], PC, OM 
(five years)

Member:

[[Aldea Landry]], PC, CM, QC 
(five years)

===Appointed September 3, 2008===
Members:

Hon. [[Denis Losier]], PC

Hon. [[Arthur Porter (physician)|Arthur Porter]], PC (five years), (resigned November 10, 2011)<ref name="huffingtonpost.ca">[http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/11/10/arthur-porter-resignation_n_1087057.html/ "Arthur Porter Resignation: Spy Watchdog Quits Amid Concerns About Business Dealings"], March 16, 2012</ref>

It is noteworthy{{why|date=June 2019}} to remark{{explain|date=June 2019}} that 8 months after the appointment of Arthur Porter, the CSIS Director [[Jim Judd]] announced his early resignation from his post.

===Appointed January 23, 2009===
Member:

Hon. [[Frances Lankin]], PC

===Appointed June 24, 2010===
Chair:

Hon. [[Arthur Porter (physician)|Arthur Porter]], PC (resigned November 10, 2011)<ref name="huffingtonpost.ca"/>

Members:

Hon. [[Philippe Couillard]], PC

Hon. [[Carol Skelton]], PC

===Appointed June 14, 2012===
Chair:

Hon. [[Chuck Strahl]], PC (resigned January 2014)<ref name="theglobeandmail.com"/><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canadas-top-spy-watchdog-resigns-over-lobbying-questions/article16498943/| title=Canada's top spy watchdog resigns over lobbying questions by Steven Chase
| date=January 24, 2014 |accessdate=2008-03-24 | publisher=[[The Globe and Mail]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/democracy-north/2014/01/democracy-north-jan-18-csis-watchdog%E2%80%99s-enbridge-job-battered-| title=CSIS watchdog's Enbridge job| date=January 23, 2014 |accessdate=2008-03-24 | publisher=[[Democracy North]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/01/06/chuck-strahl-csis-northern-gateway-enbridge_n_4549384.html| title=Chuck Strahl, CSIS Watchdog Chair, Registers As Northern Gateway Lobbyist| date=January 6, 2014 |accessdate=2008-03-24 | publisher=[[HuffPost Canada]]}}</ref>

===Appointed April 22, 2013===
Member:

Hon. [[Deborah Grey]], PC, OC  (resigned May 2, 2015)

===Appointed August 8, 2013===
Member:

Hon. [[Yves Fortier (lawyer)|Yves Fortier]], PC, CC, OQ, QC

===Appointed March 7, 2014===
Member:

Hon. Gene McLean, PC

===Appointed January 30, 2015===
Member:

Hon. Ian Carl Holloway, PC, CD, QC

===Appointed May 1, 2015 ===
Chair:

Hon. [[Pierre Blais]], PC

Member:

Hon. Marie-Lucie Morin, PC

== See also ==
*[[National Security and Intelligence Review Agency]]
*[[National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians]]
*[[Royal Commission of Inquiry into Certain Activities of the RCMP]]
* [[Communications Security Establishment Canada]]
* [[Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.sirc-csars.gc.ca Official site]

{{Can Intel}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1984 establishments in Canada]]
[[Category:2019 disestablishments in Canada]]
[[Category:Canadian Security Intelligence Service]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1984]]
[[Category:Government agencies disestablished in 2019]]
[[Category:Independent government agencies of Canada]]