CSIS director David Vigneault stepping down after seven years on the job

OTTAWA — David Vigneault says he is stepping down from his job as the head of Canada’s spy agency.

The director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, who spent seven years at the helm, is leaving the public service altogether.

Vigneault says in a statement that he’s proud of the work he’s done to bring CSIS “out of the shadows” and make its role on national security and in combating foreign interference more visible.

Foreign interference has been a prominent issue in Canadian politics in recent years, at times putting Vigneault in the spotlight.

In April, he testified before a federal inquiry into foreign election interference. He said he agreed with a panel of top bureaucrats who concluded there was no significant threat to Canada’s elections in 2021 and 2019, despite Chinese interference.

He is calling his time in the job one of the most challenging and rewarding periods of his career, but says it’s time to pass the baton as the organization celebrates its 40th anniversary this month.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says in a social media post that Vigneault spent his entire career serving Canadians and keeping them safe from harm.

CSIS declined to say when Vigneault’s last day will be, and LeBlanc is not offering any hints about his successor.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2024.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press