OTTAWA - The Conservative government plans to amend the law governing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to give the spy agency more authority to track terrorists overseas.
Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney says the terrorist threat has become more complex since the law was passed 30 years ago, adding it does not stop at Canada's border.
As expected, Blaney says the government will also take steps to ensure CSIS can protect the identity of its sources.
Canada and other western nations fear that citizens who travel overseas to take part in the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's guerrilla-style battles could come home with intent to do harm.
The federal plan to bolster security powers follows a recent statement from the RCMP that the national police force has about 63 active investigations on 90 suspected extremists who intend to join fights abroad or who have returned to Canada.
Blaney was joined at a news conference in Banff, Alta., by Andy Ellis, CSIS assistant director of operations, and RCMP deputy commissioner Janice Armstrong.
