It passed by both Houses of parliament and given Royal Assent in June 1984. CSIS began its formal existence on July 16, 1984 with Ted Finn as Director. In addition to creating a civilian security intelligence service, the Cat also created SIRC, to review the activities of CSIS. .

             CSIS is a government agency dedicated to protecting the national security interests of Canada and safeguarding its citizens. The main objective of the service is to investigate and report on threats to the security of Canada. CSIS is unique in its role as the Government of Canada"s principle advisor on national security. CSIS reports to and advises the Government of Canada. CSIS intelligence is shared with a number of other federal government departments and agencies, including Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Immigration, the Department of National Defense and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. As well, CSIS has arrangements to exchange security related information with other countries. The vast majority of these arrangements deal with visa vetting. A small number deal with exchanges of information collected by CSIS in its investigation of threats to national security. CSIS does not have the mandate to conduct foreign intelligence operations outside of Canada. CSIS is a defensive, domestic security intelligence service. The security intelligence service is restricted to investigating threats to its country"s national security. On the other hand, a foreign intelligence service conducts offensive operations for its government in foreign countries. CSIS does not investigate company to company industrial espionage. CSIS does, however, investigate the activities of foreign governments that engage in economic espionage as means of gaining and economic advantage for themselves. The fundamental goal of CSIS is to protect the Canadian way of life, but also recognize the rights and freedoms of the individual.