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Huffington Post: CSIS Suspends Two Over Security Lapses

Last month we brought you news on how it had been revealed that CSIS wanted to help 'advise' Vic Toews on rewriting Canada's Online Spying Bill C-30, all in the hopes that with their input the legislation would be passed through government. Although they want to bypass our Internet security and privacy as citizens, this past week their own internal security protocols have been called into question. In newly released documents it was shown that two employees were suspended following breaches late last year. Let's not allow CSIS to mishandle our own Internet security. Sign our petition to Stop Online Spying at http://openmedia.ca/StopSpying and tell your MP to stand against Bill C-30 at http://openmedia.ca/stand. Article by Jim Bronskill of The Canadian Press Two security breaches at Canada's spy agency prompted employee suspensions last year, newly released documents show. In the most serious case, a Canadian Security Intelligence Service employee was suspended for five days without pay following an incident involving information that "must be kept in the strictest of confidence and in full compliance with the need to know principle." The CSIS employee was found to be in violation of several aspects of the spy agency's conduct policy, including provisions on security, performance of duties, integrity and compliance with direction.

The breach prompted an investigation by the agency's internal security division, resulting in an "injury assessment" — an accounting of damage from a security lapse.

In deciding the employee's fate, a senior CSIS official weighed the assessment and the fact the person had no prior disciplinary record.

"Notwithstanding the fact that your actions could have resulted in a more serious disciplinary measure, I have decided that a five-day suspension without pay is most appropriate," wrote the supervisor.

The employee was also warned that any further breaches of the conduct policy could warrant more severe discipline, up to and including dismissal from CSIS.

In the second case, an employee was suspended for one day without pay over an unspecified security violation.

A letter to the employee says that before meting out a punishment, a CSIS supervisor had "taken into consideration the comments that you provided in your email" and that the senior official appreciated "the clarifications you provided."

The memos outlining the security incidents were among 11 heavily censored discipline reports from 2010 and 2011 released under the Access to Information Act. Read more »

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Read more at HuffingtonPost.ca

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