In this episode of Secure Line, Jessica Davis and Leah West are joined by Thomas Juneau and Stephanie Carvin to discuss their new article examining the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA)—one of Canada’s most important, yet least understood, national security institutions.

The conversation explores a deceptively simple question: who reviews the reviewers? Drawing on extensive interview-based research, Thomas and Stephanie unpack how NSIRA has performed since its creation, where it has succeeded in improving transparency and accountability, and where tensions have emerged between reviewers and the intelligence community.

The discussion examines major themes including methodology disputes, trust and culture within Canada’s intelligence review ecosystem, the challenge of balancing compliance with effectiveness, and whether NSIRA has at times drifted from “guardian” into “lemon sucker” territory. The episode also explores broader questions about democratic accountability, institutional design, and how Canada can strengthen review without undermining the effectiveness of its national security institutions.

A thoughtful and candid conversation on the promises—and growing pains—of modern intelligence review in Canada.

To read the open-access paper: https://doi.org/10.1080/02684527.2026.2637865