How SIRC's Report is Organized

The organization of the 2002-2003 Annual Report differs slightly from that of previous years - modified so that readers can more readily identify important Review Committee findings and understand the nature of the information being presented.

Section 1: SIRC Review and Complaints Functions encompasses all findings and recommendations arising out of specific reviews of CSIS activities undertaken by the Committee, and all observations and conclusions arising from SIRC investigations of individual complaints about the Service during the period covered by the report.

Section 2: CSIS Accountability Mechanisms has two purposes: first, to present relevant contextual information about those elements of Canada's security intelligence governance system that inform the legal and policy framework in which CSIS and SIRC carry out their respective mandates, and second, to summarize information provided to the Committee by the Service about changes in its operational plans and priorities.

Section 3: Inside the Security Intelligence Review Committee reviews the information gathering, outreach and administrative activities of the Committee itself - appointments of Committee Members and the Committee's annual budget and expenditures are chief among subjects discussed.

As with all SIRC Annual Reports in recent years, the format of the report throughout draws a clear distinction between Committee findings, observations and recommendations derived from Committee investigations, and more general background material designed to assist readers in understanding the broader context in which security and intelligence work is carried out.

Subjects that the Committee believes will be of background, historical or technical interest to readers are set apart from the main text in shaded insets. They do not reflect Committee opinions or conclusions and are intended to be factual in nature.