Borealis Threat & Risk Consulting
Episode 262 – Why is the UK so threatened by jihadis? The UK has always been a close ally of us here in Canada, no more so than on the intelligence front. So much is shared and this enables both countries to ensure their safety. But when it comes to threat levels, the UK is […]
Episode 261 – Is anyone else weirded out by Trump’s embrace of Russia? The Cold War may seem like a historic artifact to many these days but the threat from Russia, much like the threat from the former Soviet Union and its allies, is growing once again (if it ever really diminished). One would think […]
Episode 262 – Terrorist deaths remain high around the world and jihadis are responsible for most of them That terrorism is a daily phenomenon somewhere in the world in any given 24-hour period should come as a surprise to no one who follows the news. Tracking terrorist attacks and groups is a full-time job, however. […]
Episode 260 – In the teeth of a crisis it is time for Canada to step up It is only six weeks since the new administration in the US and already Canada has been threatened with annexation (as the ’51st state’), expulsion from the 5 eyes intelligence alliance, and a ‘redrawing’ of the international border […]
Episode 261 – If you want to understand a violent ideology what better source than those who practice it? Over the past quarter century a lot has been written about terrorism and why people embrace violent ideologies. Much of this literature is academic in nature but some is very practical in nature. Borealis talks to […]
Season 2 Episode 25 The guys are joined by former colleague and ex-senior CSIS official Andy Ellis to talk about why the Canadian government has let intelligence slide and what it needs to do to get back to where it needs to be (and once was). And, importantly, the Hardy Boys give good advice on […]
Episode 260 – Election observers as protectors of democracy Elections are the bedrock of democracy. Having free, fair, unfettered opportunities to choose one’s leaders is a privilege that not enough people on earth enjoy. There are, however, countries which claim to hold elections which are neither free nor fair. To try to monitor these occasions, […]
Spies Like Us Season 2 Episode 24 The guys devote this episode to the case of Chiheb Esseghaier who with a partner planned to derail a train in Canada back in 2013 and is seeking to stay in Canada. Al plays the bagpipes – kinda – and we all have new nicknames! Tunisian terrorist wins […]
Episode 259 – Has terrorism as a concept run its course? Of all the UK counter-terrorism initiatives, the ‘early detection’ efforts (known as PREVENT and Channel) have been quite controversial. One of the problems lies with how we define terrorism and thus what the public should do to help authorities stop terrorist acts from occurring. […]
Spies Like Us – Season 2 Episode 23 The guys talk about what to do with ISIS returnees, the challenges of recruiting human sources with, shall we say, sketchy backgrounds, and show how Nancy Drew steals a page from Monty Python’s “trying hard not to be seen”. Terrorism charges for B.C. woman who left to […]