National Security Criminal Investigations

National Security Criminal Investigations provides a national program to detect, prevent and disrupt terrorist criminal activities and other threats to Canada's national security. These threats are continually evolving and — aided by advancements in technology — are becoming more sophisticated and global.

In such an environment, working in partnership with domestic and foreign agencies is essential to reducing the threat of terrorist criminal activity in Canada and abroad.

Strengthening national security criminal investigations
In the process of implementing RCMP-specific recommendations in part one of Justice Dennis O’Connor’s Report of the Events Relating to Maher Arar, the RCMP has strengthened its policies and governance framework regarding national security criminal investigations.

These enhancements have focused on relations with partner agencies, information sharing, central control of the RCMP national security program and training on cultural sensitivity and human rights.

Justice O'Connor's part one recommendations are at the core of how the RCMP conducts national security criminal investigations.

Key areas of progress:

• Developing the Governance Framework for Increased Effectiveness and revising the national security policy have strengthened the RCMP's capacity to centrally control national security criminal investigations, and provided employees with a clear and concise framework within which to operate.
• Employees have access to enhanced training that addresses human rights and cultural sensitivities, and the RCMP conducts extensive community outreach activities intended to build mutual trust and understanding between RCMP personnel and the community members most affected by national security operations.
• Regarding information sharing, the RCMP will continue its policy of releasing information to relevant partner agencies, as supported by Justice O'Connor in his report. The RCMP will ensure that information is shared in accordance with clearly established policies respecting relevance, reliability and accuracy.
• National Security Criminal Investigations consults with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade when assessing the implications of sharing information with a country that has a questionable human rights record. Every attempt is made to ensure there is no support or condonation of torture or other abuse of human rights. The RCMP will not use information of suspect reliability, accuracy or relevance. Information knowingly extracted under torture would by definition be unreliable.

For more information on the actions the RCMP has taken in response to the O'Connor report, click the link below:

• RCMP Actions in Response to Recommendations Stemming from the Report of the Events Relating to Maher Arar (O’Connor Inquiry)

We are committed to making further changes to our national security criminal operations as we continuously adapt to the ever-changing environment.

I encourage you to navigate through our site and contact us should you have any questions.

Assistant Commissioner Bob Paulson
National Security Criminal Investigations