Delay in ministerial approval of spy warrant on Liberal insider didn’t seem exceptional, inquiry told

The warrant that targeted influential Liberal powerbroker Michael Chan took up to 54 days to be approved, rather than the usual four to 10 days

OTTAWA — A former deputy minister of public safety says nothing struck him as “particularly exceptional” in early 2021 about a weeks-long delay in ministerial approval of a spy service warrant to monitor an influential Liberal powerbroker.

Rob Stewart told a public inquiry Tuesday that in retrospect, general tracking of Canadian Security Intelligence Service warrant applications could have been better.