National Security Agencies Often Choose Secrecy Over Transparency, Professor Tells Inquiry

A law professor told the public inquiry into foreign interference on Jan. 30 that Canada’s national security world often chooses to prioritize secrecy over transparency. University of Calgary professor Michael Nesbitt said that security agency employees are typically warned about penalties for improperly disclosing secrets, but rarely is there punishment for failing to be fully transparent. The public inquiry looking into foreign interference by states like China launched its first public hearings phase on Jan. 29. The Foreign Interference Commission has dedicated the week to gathering expert input on how to fulfill its mandate of making as much information available to the public as possible while still protecting state secrets....