Directorate of Law/Intelligence and Information Operations :::  

The Directorate of Intelligence and Information Operations Law (D Law /I&IO) is responsible for the provision of legal advice to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces (DND/CF) in the areas of Defence Intelligence and CF Information Operations.

The primary recipients of DLaw /I & IO legal advice are the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) and the Canadian Forces Information Operations Group (CFIOG).

The CDI is the CF and DND functional authority for Defence Intelligence. The CDI mission is to provide credible, reliable and sustained Defence Intelligence services to DND/CF, to support decision-making and military operations, to support other government departments in the defence and security of Canada and to build working relationships with allies in support of mutual defence and security issues.

The CDI is accountable to the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Deputy Minister of National Defence for the collection, production and dissemination of Defence Intelligence.

The CFIOG is a formation assigned to the Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management) (ADM(IM)) which falls under the operational command of the CDI regarding certain aspects of Defence Intelligence support.

In concert with military and intelligence partners, CFIOG is responsible to coordinate, develop and employ assigned CF Information Operations capabilities for the DND and the CF.

These capabilities include the collection of Signals Intelligence, the operation and maintenance of radio frequency direction finding facilities in support of search and rescue and other programs, the maintenance of a Cryptologic Direct Support Element as well as the provision of technical electronic warfare and computer network defence support.

DLaw/I&IO provides legal advice on a broad range of topics including human intelligence, counter-intelligence, information operations, computer network operations, signals intelligence, geospatial intelligence, imagery intelligence, open source intelligence, electronic warfare, and surveillance.

D Law/ I & IO also provides legal advice in relation to policy development, information sharing, access to information, and privacy law in relation to Intelligence and Information Operations, and assists with the negotiation and elaboration of arrangements with various national and international intelligence partners.

DLaw / I & IO reviews, analyzes and interprets Canadian, foreign domestic and international law and Government of Canada strategic policies in relation to Intelligence and Information Operations, and assists in developing legal advice at the tactical, operational and strategic levels.

DLaw /I & IO also provides legal advice to the Release and Disclosure Coordination Office (RDCO) of the CDI. RDCO, formerly the International Domestic and Criminal Tribunal section (IDCT) is responsible for providing support to serving and retired CF members who may be required to appear as witnesses at international tribunals such as the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia and International Criminal Tribunal Rwanda.

RDCO has also provided assistance to persons appearing before foreign courts, including Croatian courts, and domestic courts.

D/Law I & IO legal advice in this area primarily concerns release and disclosure of documents and procedural issues related to specific tribunals.