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The watchdog that oversees Canada’s intelligence agencies is investigating whether polygraph tests – popularly known as lie detector tests – should be used to recruit spies.
His investigation has some Canadian cyber intelligence officials and agents worried that their most private information could be seen by strangers.
The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency [NSIRA] is during a review of homeland security programs at the Communications Security Office [CSE], the foreign signals intelligence agency. Among other things, NSIRA is investigating whether the use of polygraph tests in CSE recruitment “is lawful, reasonable and necessary.”
NSIRA researchers say that as part of that review, they must review a sample of tape-recorded polygraph interviews taken by current CSE employees and applicants.
This is causing some concern at CSE headquarters in Ottawa.
“Employees disclose a lot of personal information during the polygraph examination, which is designed to assess factors such as loyalty and trustworthiness,” said CSE spokesman Evan Koronewski.
“Study of the audio-visual recordings of the polygraph interviews raised concerns with both CSE management and CSE staff.”
Polygraph tests are supposed to track physiological factors like blood pressure and heart rate to determine if a person is lying. But the accuracy of polygraph tests has been questioned over the years.
Decades ago, NSIRA’s predecessor, the Security Intelligence Review Committee, said it had “serious doubts” about the test’s accuracy. The Supreme Court of Canada has rejected the use of polygraph results as evidence in court.
All government employees applying for top secret must pass the test. Most employees in the CSE and in the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the domestic spy agency, must have this clearance as a condition of their employment.
In a letter to CSE staff released this week, NSIRA promised that the review would be limited and personal information would be protected.
NSIRA said in the letter that interview records would be selected based on “common file identifiers” rather than names or other personal information.
The CSE says it is concerned about the “dignity” of the employees
In a statement released to CBC News, NSIRA said experts and operators, including CSE’s polygraph unit, “have confirmed that a comprehensive review of security screening practices at CSE, including the use of polygraphs, is not possible without access to the files for a security check. “
The CSE said NSIRA has adopted some, but not all, recommendations to preserve the privacy of interview subjects.
“We welcome this review and our only concern is the privacy of our employees. We will continue to work with NSIRA to ensure that the confidentiality, personal information and dignity of CSE employees are protected during the review process,” Koronewski said.
A spokesman for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada said it had received “several complaints” about NSIRA staff viewing polygraph recordings and investigating.
When asked what steps were taken to de-identify employees, NSIRA said their methodology would be published once the report was ready.
The tension between CSE and its watchdog over polygraph records comes as government agencies tighten their homeland security vetting programs in response to the Cameron Ortiz case.
RCMP intelligence officer accused of sharing classified information and preparing to leak more.
Shortly after his arrest in the fall of 2019, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Luckey said Ortiz had a valid top secret clearance — which must be renewed every five years — but had not taken a polygraph test.
Ortiz’s trial is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2023.
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