A Parliamentary committee began exploring the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's (RCMP) use of spyware on Monday.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told the committee that the controversial program 'Pegasus' isn't being used by any federal policing agencies and that any techniques they are using have to go through a rigorous judicial process.

"There are rigorous protections in place prior to the authorization of this particular technique including application that must go to a superior court judge on the strength of a designated agent who puts forward a thorough resuscitation of the facts on which the authorization is being sought," Mendicino told the committee.

Canada's House of Commons ethics and privacy committee called for the summer study after the RCMP revealed its use of tools that covertly obtain data from devices like phones and computers.

The RCMP says it has obtained warrants to use tools that collect text messages and emails and can remotely turn on cameras and microphones in 10 investigations.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has called for a discussion of the legal safeguards needed around the use of this technology.

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