Fantino now minister for CSE?

On January 5th Julian Fantino was appointed Associate Minister of National Defence. The announcement of his appointment lists three specific areas that he is supposed to focus on, two of which (foreign intelligence and information technology security) constitute the two main mandates of the Communications Security Establishment.

It's potentially a very positive development that CSE may now have a minister who has enough time to actually pay serious attention to the agency.

But I remain to be convinced that Minister Fantino is the best choice for the job.

Update 6 January 2015:

Justin Ling, "2015 Is Canada’s Year of the Spy," Vice, 6 January 2015

Update 28 January 2015:

Alex Boutilier and Patrick Baud question whether Fantino has formal authority over CSE and discuss what the necessary paperwork might be to put that in place:

@NewmanRobinson I haven't seen any regulation changes that put him in charge of the agency, fwiw.

— Alex Boutilier (@alexboutilier) January 28, 2015

@NewmanRobinson After an order in council. There was a regulation change clarifying he remains vice chair of Treasury Board. Nil on CSE.

— Alex Boutilier (@alexboutilier) January 28, 2015

@alexboutilier @NewmanRobinson They'd likely have to do an OiC, either under the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act 1/n

— Patrick Baud (@patrickbaud) January 28, 2015

@alexboutilier @NewmanRobinson or National Defence Act itself, which contemplates CSE being assigned to another minister at s 273.61 2/n

— Patrick Baud (@patrickbaud) January 28, 2015

@alexboutilier @NewmanRobinson But s 6 of National Defence Act lets GiC assign any of Minister's duties to Associate Minister 3/n

— Patrick Baud (@patrickbaud) January 28, 2015

@alexboutilier @NewmanRobinson No OiCs to that effect since PM took office, so likely they do it by some other instrument, if at all 4/n

— Patrick Baud (@patrickbaud) January 28, 2015

@patrickbaud @NewmanRobinson I just don't see a demotion from Veterans' landing you control of the country's most sensitive spy shop.

— Alex Boutilier (@alexboutilier) January 28, 2015