Security of Information Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. O-5)
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Act current to 2013-05-26 and last amended on 2012-06-29. Previous Versions
OFFENCES
Marginal note:Prejudice to the safety or interest of the State
3. (1) For the purposes of this Act, a purpose is prejudicial to the safety or interests of the State if a person
(a) commits, in Canada, an offence against the laws of Canada or a province that is punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of two years or more in order to advance a political, religious or ideological purpose, objective or cause or to benefit a foreign entity or terrorist group;
(b) commits, inside or outside Canada, a terrorist activity;
(c) causes or aggravates an urgent and critical situation in Canada that
(i) endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians, or
(ii) threatens the ability of the Government of Canada to preserve the sovereignty, security or territorial integrity of Canada;
(d) interferes with a service, facility, system or computer program, whether public or private, or its operation, in a manner that has significant adverse impact on the health, safety, security or economic or financial well-being of the people of Canada or the functioning of any government in Canada;
(e) endangers, outside Canada, any person by reason of that person’s relationship with Canada or a province or the fact that the person is doing business with or on behalf of the Government of Canada or of a province;
(f) damages property outside Canada because a person or entity with an interest in the property or occupying the property has a relationship with Canada or a province or is doing business with or on behalf of the Government of Canada or of a province;
(g) impairs or threatens the military capability of the Canadian Forces, or any part of the Canadian Forces;
(h) interferes with the design, development or production of any weapon or defence equipment of, or intended for, the Canadian Forces, including any hardware, software or system that is part of or associated with any such weapon or defence equipment;
(i) impairs or threatens the capabilities of the Government of Canada in relation to security and intelligence;
(j) adversely affects the stability of the Canadian economy, the financial system or any financial market in Canada without reasonable economic or financial justification;
(k) impairs or threatens the capability of a government in Canada, or of the Bank of Canada, to protect against, or respond to, economic or financial threats or instability;
(l) impairs or threatens the capability of the Government of Canada to conduct diplomatic or consular relations, or conduct and manage international negotiations;
(m) contrary to a treaty to which Canada is a party, develops or uses anything that is intended or has the capability to cause death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people by means of
(i) toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors,
(ii) a microbial or other biological agent, or a toxin, including a disease organism,
(iii) radiation or radioactivity, or
(iv) an explosion; or
(n) does or omits to do anything that is directed towards or in preparation of the undertaking of an activity mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (m).
Marginal note:Harm to Canadian interests
(2) For the purposes of this Act, harm is caused to Canadian interests if a foreign entity or terrorist group does anything referred to in any of paragraphs (1)(a) to (n).
- R.S., 1985, c. O-5, s. 3;
- 2001, c. 41, s. 27.
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