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Perspectives

When haters’ hate targets the vulnerable

Ya gotta feel for Maxime Bernier. The leader of the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) is pretty pissed I imagine. He cannot get a seat at the upcoming debate that will feature the leaders of the other parties (even Green Party chief Elizabeth May – and she only has two seats in Parliament! – will […]

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Canadian Intelligence Eh! Podcast

Podcast 17 – Should we make any effort to repatriate Foreign Fighters?

Canada has been abuzz on what to do with ‘Jihadi Jack’. What should we do with him and other ‘foreign fighters’? Listen latest episode!

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Perspectives

When ethno-nationalism turns to terrorism

The George Gently series is not for the faint of heart. This British detective series is set in northeastern England in the mid to late 1960s and deals with weighty topics like rape, child abuse, wife beating and others. What is interesting is to see what I assume is an accurate portrayal of society’s attitudes […]

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Perspectives

State terrorism is making a comeback – of sorts

This piece appeared in The Hill Times on August 26, 2019. These days when we read or think about terrorism we tend to go in two directions. Either we think about terrorist groups: Al Qaeda, Islamic State, the Taliban, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab, etc. Or we talk about ‘lone wolves’ even if that term is […]

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Perspectives

9/11 ‘plotters’ may finally get their day in court – or not

As hard as it is to believe we are approaching the 18th anniversary of 9/11. That event was for me, and many others I know, the ‘where were you when..’ time in our lives (interestingly, for my older brothers, born in 1949 and 1952, theirs was the JFK assassination: I was not quite 3 at […]

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Perspectives

Once a terrorist group always a terrorist group?

From time to time you will read articles or longer treatises about how this group or that one has in effect abandoned terrorism as its ethos. The reasons for this organisational decision range from outright military defeat by the state, loss of key leadership, declining support from the rank and file, etc. If all this […]

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Perspectives

Is Antifa a terrorist movement?

I cannot imagine that the Canadian government, or any other Western government for that matter, will try to list Antifa as a terrorist entity any time soon.

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Perspectives

Does Canada have a problem prosecuting terrorism?

When you work in national security you do the best job you can to stop bad things from happening. If those bad things involve terrorism what you are trying to do is to prevent attacks from taking place. You identify potential terrorists, follow them, determine which ones are serious about actually doing something, run sources […]

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Perspectives

A call for the end of blasphemy laws

When I was quite young, growing up in London (Ontario), an elderly man would make and take care of an outdoor ice rink for the neighbourhood kids. He would not charge anything for this and – yes I know this is nostalgic! – there is nothing better than playing hockey outside during a Canadian winter. […]

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Perspectives

Making CSIS ‘smarter’ at counter-terrorism, easier said than done!

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the very good when it comes to Canadian counter terrorism.