Categories
Perspectives

Is CSIS a den of racism and Islamophobia? No, but…

Ever since Michelle Shephard of the Toronto Star broke the news of a $35 million lawsuit by 5 CSIS employees I have agonised over what to write and even whether to write about this issue.  I turned down several requests for interviews from major Canadian TV networks and a few radio stations since I did […]

Categories
Perspectives

CSIS and the courts at loggerheads?

These past couple of months have not been good for Canada’s spy service.  First, the Federal Court ruled that CSIS has been negligent in informing it of a programme whereby it ‘illegally kept’ data (which it had collected legally under warrant) on Canadians.  Then there is the criticism that the Service shared questions with the […]

Categories
Perspectives

Why the US needs a CSIS for counter terrorism

I know for sure that this blog is going to raise some hackles, especially among my US friends and colleagues.  Why?  Because I am going to argue that the current US counter terrorism architecture is inadequate to deal with the threat and needs a serious overhaul.  The solution I am proposing, however, will go against […]

Categories
Perspectives

CSIS and disruption

CSIS Director Michel Coulombe appeared before the Senate National Security and Defence Committee today and stated that his organisation has used its new disruption powers over twenty times since 2015.   This measure was controversial when introduced by the former Conservative government and is still seen by some as too strong for a service that […]

Categories
Canadian Intelligence Eh!

When Canada helped save London from the Nazis

Episode 242 – The Battle of Britain and Canadian airmen’s role in it If there is a battle which is iconic in world history it is the Battle of Britain. In the summer of 1940 the German Luftwaffe tried to destroy Britain’s air force in the lead-up to an invasion of England. The dogfights and […]

Categories
Spies Like Us

Spies Like Us is intelligent, evidently

Season 2 Episode 9 This week the guys welcome a guest, Tim O’Neil, former RCMP and CSIS, to talk about the evidence/intelligence conundrum, the need to share info, and how to bring the private sector into the conversation. Oh, and a lot of chat about exposing ourselves…

Categories
Canadian Intelligence Eh!

Is this the end of Hizballah?

Israel’s elimination of Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Lebanese Shia terrorist group Hizballah, is a huge blow to the organisation but is it fatal?

Categories
Canadian Intelligence Eh!

The next generation of the intelligence community

All professions need to regenerate themselves over time. So how do we in the intelligence community ensure that we have a steady stream of outstanding candidates?

Categories
Perspectives

Wiretaps Are Serious Law-Enforcement Tools and Are Not Handed Out Easily

When it comes to the tools law enforcement use to help keep us safe a little education is needed to keep the public informed.

Categories
Perspectives

Yes, there are Uyghur terrorists

While it is important to reject China’s claims that Islamist terrorism is rampant in Xinjiang province that does not imply that there are no Uyghur terrorists