Secrecy for life to be binding for thousands at DND and in Canadian Forces under new initiative
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The changes affect both individuals as well as entire units under the Persons Permanently Bound to Secrecy (PPBS) provisions. The PPBS designation affects both current and former civilian staff and military personnel as well as designated private contractors, according to the Department of National Defence.
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No information was available from the DND on specifically how many individuals would be affected by the changes. But it is expected to be significant with notices sent out in the coming months.
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'The process will take time as it impacts thousands of individuals across various levels with the military and defence agencies,' the department noted on its website.
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The DND put out an internal message to military personnel on April 25 and an overall message online on July 15 about the changes. DND spokesperson Kened Sadiku noted in an email to the Ottawa Citizen that 'the department takes its obligation to protect information seriously.'
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'DND/CAF units, sections or elements, and individuals (both current and former) are now being designated as PPBS,' according to the military and DND notice.
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Those individuals who work with special operational information (SOI) or whose work is deemed to be integral to national security will be nominated by their leadership for PPBS designations.
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The deputy minister would approve the PPBS designations for public servants and contractors, while the chief of the defence staff would deal with military personnel.
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The PPBS designation provides the government with additional means to punish individuals beyond existing security laws.
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'Individuals that are designated as PPBS are subject to two additional offences that relate to the unauthorized disclosure of SOI,' a July 2024 briefing note for DND and military leadership pointed out. 'As a result, greater enforcement measures can be taken against those designated PPBS if they commit an offence related to the unauthorized disclosure of SOI.'
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The briefing was obtained by the Ottawa Citizen using the Access to Information law.
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