{
  "id": 15987047,
  "title": "National security screening system can be strengthened, senior adviser to Carney says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/national-security-screening-system-can-be-strengthened-senior-adviser-15987047",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-21T23:17:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/10/21/national-security-screening-system-can-be-strengthened-senior-adviser-to-carney-says/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "OTTAWA — David Morrison, senior diplomatic and international affairs adviser to the prime minister, has suggested a government-wide registry of security clearance information could bolster Canada’s national security screening process. Speaking to MPs on a House of Commons committee, Morrison argued such a registry would streamline efficiency, minimize duplication, and enable departments to identify existing personnel security data. The committee is conducting hearings on the screening process following the arrest of a Canadian NATO intern on espionage allegations. This intern, identified as Biwei Zhang — also known as Claire Zhang — was previously employed by Canadian government agencies. Morrison noted that individual federal departments are responsible for issuing security clearances, relying on centralized expertise. The Treasury Board Secretariat provides the policy framework, while the Public Safety portfolio contributes criminality checks and national security assessments via the RCMP and Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Morrison suggested increasing the use of open source checks for secret-level security screening, such as internet searches of a person’s history, to enhance consistency across government. He also recommended involving human resources-related information in personnel security assessments while preserving privacy protections and procedural fairness. Morrison further proposed extending personnel security efforts throughout an individual's employment through insider risk programs, recurring screening, reporting obligations, and security awareness. Security expert Wesley Wark, a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, criticized the current system as unsustainable, with CSIS handling hundreds of thousands of screening requests annually. Wark argued that CSIS should not be a security screening shop and suggested Canada adopt a separate, centralized organization for security clearances, similar to the approach taken in the United Kingdom.",
  "summary": "OTTAWA — A senior federal adviser says a government-wide registry of security clearance information would improve efficiency, reduce duplication and help departments identify where relevant personnel security data may already exist.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "National security screening system can be strengthened, senior adviser to Carney says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/national-security-screening-system-can-be-strengthened-senior-adviser",
        "published": "2026-10-21T23:17:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}