Canadian Foreign Intelligence Agency

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Following World War II, a number of Western nations created foreign secret intelligence agencies, but Canada was not among them. Though occasional debates have arisen in the past, a Canadian Foreign Intelligence Agency has never been formed. Prior to the election of the current government, thinking has been that, due to the lack of clear and present danger to Canada, the cost of operating such an agency, and the political risk involved, such an agency is not a necessity. Canadian intelligence services, such as they exist, are presently maintained by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), the Department of National Defence, and other federal government agencies.

The current Conservative government has raised the issue again, and states that it will "expand the Canadian Foreign Intelligence Agency to effectively gather intelligence overseas, independently counter threats before they reach Canada, and increase allied intelligence operations."