The Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC) is an independent agency of the government of Canada

Government of Canada

The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...

 empowered to oversee and review the operations of Canada's security service

Security agency

A security agency is a governmental organization which conducts intelligence activities for the internal security of a nation. They are the domestic cousins of foreign intelligence agencies...

, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...

 and investigate complaints against CSIS. SIRC was established in 1984 as a result of the reorganization of Canadian intelligence that also saw the creation of CSIS. This reorganization was recommended by the McDonald Commission investigating the former security service

RCMP Security Service

The RCMP Security Service is the former branch of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police which had responsibilities of domestic intelligence and security for Canada...

 of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...

 which was found to have engaged in illegal activities.

SIRC's role is to review the activities of CSIS to ensure that the extraordinary powers granted the security service are "used legally and appropriately, in order to protect Canadians’ rights and freedoms." http://www.sirc-csars.gc.ca/index_e.html

In 2005, SIRC came under criticism for allegedly not giving close enough scrutiny to the activities of CSIS regarding the Air India bombing

Air India Flight 182

Air India Flight 182 was an Air India flight operating on the Montreal–London–Delhi route. On 23 June 1985, the airplane operating on the route a Boeing 747-237B named after Emperor Kanishka was blown up by a bomb at an altitude of , and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while in Irish airspace.A...

, where crucial wiretap evidence was destroyed putting the legal case against the alleged Air India bombers into jeopardy.

SIRC is made up of five members appointed by the federal government. The committee meets monthly with its day-to-day operations being handled by an executive director.

The current members of SIRC are:

• Dr. Arthur Porter
  Arthur Porter (Canada)
  Professor Arthur T Porter IV, PC, MD is a Canadian Physician and Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, where he is professor of oncology. He is a Member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee of Canada, a member of the Queen's Privy Council for...
  
   (Chair)
• Philippe Couillard
  Philippe Couillard
  Philippe Couillard, PC was a politician, and former university professor and neurosurgeon in Quebec, Canada. Until June 25, 2008, he served as the Quebec Minister for Health and Social Services in the government of Jean Charest. Couillard holds a medical degree and a certification in neurosurgery...
  
  
• Frances Lankin
  Frances Lankin
  Frances Lankin, PC is a former president and CEO of United Way Toronto, and a former Ontario MPP and cabinet minister. On November 30, 2010, Frances Lankin was appointed by the province to co-chair, along with Dr. Munir Sheikh, a comprehensive review of social assistance in Ontario...
  
  
• Carol Skelton
  Carol Skelton
  Carol Skelton, PC is a Canadian politician. She is a member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee which oversees the operation of Canadian Security Intelligence Service...
  
  
• Denis Losier
  Denis Losier
  Denis Losier, PC is a businessman, economist and former public servant and politician. He was appointed to the Security Intelligence Review Committee on September 3, 2008 and by virtue of that position has been sworn in as a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.Educated at the University...
  
  

Due to the sensitive material SIRC members are required to handle, members of the committee are sworn into the Queen's Privy Council of Canada, if they are not already members, in order to put them under the provisions of the Security of Information Act

Security of Information Act

In Canada, the Security of Information Act is part of the Canadian Anti-Terrorism Act which received Royal Assent on December 18, 2001 and came into effect on December 24, 2001. This Act renamed and replaced Official Secrets Act 1981...

.

Chairs of SIRC

• Ron Atkey (1984–1989)
• John Bassett
  John Bassett
  John White Hughes Bassett, was a Canadian publisher and media baron.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he was the son of John Bassett , publisher of the Montreal Gazette, and Margaret Avery. Bassett attended Ashbury College and graduated from Bishop's University with a BA in 1936...
  
   (1989–1992)
• Jacques Courtois
  Jacques Courtois (Canadian)
  Edmond Jacques Courtois, PC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and public official. Courtois was appointed chair of the Security Intelligence Review Committee on December 23 1992, the third person ever to chair the body responsible for oversight of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.Courtois was...
  
   (1992–1996)
• Paule Gauthier
  Paule Gauthier
  Paule Gauthier, PC, OC, OQ, QC is a Canadian lawyer, arbitrator and public servant.Born in Joliette, Quebec, she received a law degree from Université Laval in 1969. She is a senior partner in the law firm of Desjardins Ducharme Stein Monast and specialises in corporate and commercial law...
  
   (1996–2005)
• Gary Filmon
  Gary Filmon
  Gary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...
  
   (2005–2011)
• Dr. Arthur Porter
  Arthur Porter (Canada)
  Professor Arthur T Porter IV, PC, MD is a Canadian Physician and Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, where he is professor of oncology. He is a Member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee of Canada, a member of the Queen's Privy Council for...
  
   (2010-Present)

Appointed November 30, 1984

Chair:

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

Members:

Hon. Frank Charles McGee

Frank Charles McGee

Frank Charles McGee, PC was a Canadian businessman, member of parliament, and, briefly, a Cabinet minister Prime Minister John Diefenbaker....

, PC
(five years)

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

Hon. Saul M. Cherniack

Saul Cherniack

Saul Mark Cherniack, PC, CM, OM, QC is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1962 to 1981, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Edward Schreyer. He is also a member of the Privy Council, the Order of Canada and the Order...

, PC , QC
(five years)

Hon. Paule Gauthier

Paule Gauthier

Paule Gauthier, PC, OC, OQ, QC is a Canadian lawyer, arbitrator and public servant.Born in Joliette, Quebec, she received a law degree from Université Laval in 1969. She is a senior partner in the law firm of Desjardins Ducharme Stein Monast and specialises in corporate and commercial law...

, 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 M. Cherniack

Saul Cherniack

Saul Mark Cherniack, PC, CM, OM, QC is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1962 to 1981, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Edward Schreyer. He is also a member of the Privy Council, the Order of Canada and the Order...

, PC , QC
(two years)

Hon. Paule Gauthier

Paule Gauthier

Paule Gauthier, PC, OC, OQ, QC is a Canadian lawyer, arbitrator and public servant.Born in Joliette, Quebec, she received a law degree from Université Laval in 1969. She is a senior partner in the law firm of Desjardins Ducharme Stein Monast and specialises in corporate and commercial law...

, PC , OC , OQ , QC
(two years)

Appointed November 30, 1991

Member:

Hon. Saul M. Cherniack

Saul Cherniack

Saul Mark Cherniack, PC, CM, OM, QC is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1962 to 1981, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Edward Schreyer. He is also a member of the Privy Council, the Order of Canada and the Order...

, PC , QC
(one year)

Appointed December 5, 1991

Members:

Hon. Michel Robert

J. J. Michel Robert

J.J. Michel Robert, PC, QC is a Quebec jurist and former Canadian politician.Robert served as president of the Young Liberals of Canada from 1963 to 1965, and was a member of the 1982 to 1985 Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada headed by Donald Stovel...

, PC , QC
(five years)* *Appointed to the Bench, May 1995

Hon. Jacques Courtois, PC , QC
(five years)

Appointed December 23, 1992

Chair:

Hon. Jacques Courtois, PC , QC
(five years)

Member:

Hon. George Vari

George Vari

George William Vari, PC, CM was a Canadian based developer and philanthropist. A civil engineer and economist, Vari emigrated to Canada following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution....

, PC , OC , C.L.H.
(five years)

Appointed April 20, 1993

Member:

Hon. Rosemary Brown

Rosemary Brown (politician)

Rosemary Brown, PC, OC, OBC, née Wedderburn , was a Canadian politician.- Early years :Rosemary Brown was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1930, and moved to Canada in 1950 to study at McGill University in Montreal...

, PC , OC
(five years)

Appointed September 30, 1996

Chair:

Hon. Paule Gauthier

Paule Gauthier

Paule Gauthier, PC, OC, OQ, QC is a Canadian lawyer, arbitrator and public servant.Born in Joliette, Quebec, she received a law degree from Université Laval in 1969. She is a senior partner in the law firm of Desjardins Ducharme Stein Monast and specialises in corporate and commercial law...

, PC , OC , OQ , QC
(to June 7, 2000)

Member:

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

Appointed June 9, 1999

Members:

Hon. Raymond Speaker

Raymond Speaker

Raymond Albert "Ray" Speaker, PC, OC is a farmer and Canadian politician.Speaker was born and raised in Enchant, Alberta where he farms to this day...

, PC , OC
(five years)

Hon. Frank McKenna

Frank McKenna

Francis Joseph "Frank" McKenna, PC, OC, ONB, QC is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2006...

, PC , OC , QC , ONB
(five years)

Appointed June 24, 2005

Chair:

Gary Filmon

Gary Filmon

Gary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...

, PC , OM
(five years)

Member:

Aldea Landry

Aldéa Landry

Marie-Marthe Aldéa Landry, PC, CM, QC is a Canadian politician, lawyer and public servant....

, PC , CM , QC
(five years)

Appointed September 3, 2008

Hon. Denis Losier

Denis Losier

Denis Losier, PC is a businessman, economist and former public servant and politician. He was appointed to the Security Intelligence Review Committee on September 3, 2008 and by virtue of that position has been sworn in as a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.Educated at the University...

, P.C.

Hon. Dr. Arthur Porter

Arthur Porter (Canada)

Professor Arthur T Porter IV, PC, MD is a Canadian Physician and Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, where he is professor of oncology. He is a Member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee of Canada, a member of the Queen's Privy Council for...

, PC , MD
(five years). Area of specialisation: Cancer.

Note: It is noteworthy to remark to the reader that 8 months after the appointment of Hon. Arthur Porter (Oncologist); the CSIS Director Jim Judd announced his early resignation from his post and he stepped down.

Appointed June 24, 2010

Chair:
Hon. Dr. Arthur Porter

Arthur Porter (Canada)

Professor Arthur T Porter IV, PC, MD is a Canadian Physician and Director General and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, where he is professor of oncology. He is a Member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee of Canada, a member of the Queen's Privy Council for...

, PC , MD

Members:
Hon. Philippe Couillard

Philippe Couillard

Philippe Couillard, PC was a politician, and former university professor and neurosurgeon in Quebec, Canada. Until June 25, 2008, he served as the Quebec Minister for Health and Social Services in the government of Jean Charest. Couillard holds a medical degree and a certification in neurosurgery...

, PC, MD & Hon. Carol Skelton

Carol Skelton

Carol Skelton, PC is a Canadian politician. She is a member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee which oversees the operation of Canadian Security Intelligence Service...

, PC