He is the man most responsible for taking the surveillance state into a new and even more sinister Orwellian age. The General who while working in Iraq decided that instead of just monitoring terrorists and suspects he should monitor EVERYONE. And as the head of the National Security Agency is now
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The Disaffected Lib: Why PRISM Matters
The Guardian has done an excellent and vital job digesting the U.S. National Security Agency PRISM data leaked by Edward Snowden. A good deal of it had come out, in part, in dribs and drabs but it was the British newspaper that put it all together in chilling context. It’s
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: Why should CSIS have all the fun?
We learned recently that the policy framework which allows CSIS to trade in information that might be the result of torture, or might lead to torture, or both, was actually a collaborative effort involving several federal agencies and departments. Now we have confirmation that CSEC is playing by the same
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: A bunker-style session
Colin Freeze has a piece in the Globe and Mail reporting on an unprecedented session of the Supreme Court of Canada scheduled to take place on Oct. 11th of this year. The hearing will take place in a secure, undisclosed location and will involve lawyers who have been sworn to
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: A group effort
A year ago last March, I took Vic Toews to task for granting CSIS the authority to trade in information derived from torture. In that post, I described a scenario in which the torture of one, possibily innocent, person of interest could easily lead to the torture of additional, possibly
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Attempted Terrorist Attack at BC’s Victoria Legislative Buildings Foiled.
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger RCMP foiled an attempt to detonate pressure cooker bombs that were about to be set off at the BC Legislature. The attempt could well have resulted in fatal results as it was set to explode while large crowds were attending Canada Day celebrations.. Two Surrey residents, John Stewart
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Is Our Freedom More Illusion Than Reality?
That is a question you may be prompted to ask yourself after reading this piece by Kevin Logan and watching the video below. Described therein are the measures and efforts designed to realize what I suspect is Mr. Harper’s fondest dream: a compliant, unquestioning, ‘disciplined’ and very passive populace, not
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Yes Mildred, The Government Is Spying On You!
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes- Political Blogger Many of you have heard of how the Americans spy on their own citizens. Certainly you have heard about the 29 year old CIA computer guy Edward Snowden who saw the grave threat to democracy in America as so significant that he blew the whistle.
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: But MacKay Is A Man of His Word, Isn’t He?*
So I am sure there is nothing to get alarmed about with this revelation. * Well, I suppose some would disagree. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: Holding CSEC to account isn’t enough to protect our rights
Open Media, with support from Leadnow, has begun a campaign to demand answers from the Harper government about exactly what kind of information our national signals intelligence agency is gathering about us. While it’s certainly worth trying to get answers to Open Media’s questions, let’s not lull ourselves into thinking
Continue readingAlberta Diary: The Doctor of Panama: a strange tale of Harperite politics and national security
Positive vetting? Where’s George Smiley when you really need him? Not in Canada, by the sound of it. Below: Dr. Arthur Porter with his former pal Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Globe and Mail photo). It’s almost bizarre, and almost certainly driven by political expediency, that no one seems to have
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: Abdelrazik’s still looking for answers
Abousfian Abdelrazik has decided that if the Canadian government refuses to disclose information about its actions, he’ll have to ask someone else. Like Sudan. A Montreal man who believes Canada’s spy agency had a hand in keeping him behind bars in Khartoum is pressing the Sudanese government for documentation about
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: All stocked up on popcorn and no reason to pop it
Back in November I noted my surprise at how low Chuck Strahl’s profile had been since he’d been named to chair the Security Intelligence Review Committee the previous June. I would have thought the person appointed to direct oversight of our national intelligence agency might get a little more press,
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Canadian activist says Harper is wrong about Iran, gets CSIS visit
By Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Feb. 22, 2013: In January, 2012, outspoken labour and anti-racism activist, Ken Stone argued that “Harper is Wrong in Demonizing Iran” in an editorial piece published by the Hamilton Spectator. On January 15, 2013, two Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) agents showed up on his door and
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Canada’s Environmental Activists “Threat To National Security”: Harper Government
RCMP and CSIS treat peaceful protest actions and questioning the Harper Government as ‘forms of attack’, label activists involved “national security threats”, documents reveal. By Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Feb. 22, 2013: The Harper Government is intensifying its attacks on environmental and other activist movements in Canada, according to documents released under freedom
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Liberals and NDP Must Declare a ‘MORATORIUM’ On Fracking In BC!
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger Much money has been made and a great deal of environmental damage has been done through the practice of ‘Fracking’ or Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing. Canadians have had a heads up following horror stories in the US but never mind there is money to be made. The politicians
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Friday Morning Links
Assorted content to end your week.- Rick Salutin offers an important take on the U.S. election by pointing out that the Occupy movement and its focus on inequality laid the groundwork for Barack Obama’s re-election:The aftermath to the bailouts was the…
Continue readingPeace, order and good government, eh?: Is Chair of SIRC an honorary position too?
Chuck Strahl’s name finally popped up! Five months ago he was named as the new head of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, the agency that’s supposed to hold CSIS to account. At the time I set up a Google news alert on his name and waited for the hits to roll in. Yesterday I was finally rewarded: courtesy of Peter MacKay, Strahl has been named as the new honorary lieutenant-colonel of The Royal Westminster Regiment. That’s all very nice but perhaps someone could ask him how that other gig is going. Things seem to be a little quiet at SIRC. The most recent item in their newsroom is over a year old. I’d be particularly interested to know how that inquiry into CSIS involvement in the case of Abousfian Abdelrazik is going. That would be the one that was announced three and a half years ago. Or was Paul Champ, Abdelrazik’s lawyer, correct when he said a year ago that the review had been abandoned?…
Continue readingCanadian ProgressiveCanadian Progressive: Elizabeth May wants CSIS to weigh in on Canada-China treaty
Green Party leader Elizabeth May is spot on again! She’s demanding that CSIS should weigh in on the Canada-China treaty, due to be ratified by cabinet this week. The Harper Government wants Canadians to believe that the treaty will “address Canada’s trade imbalance with the Asian economic powerhouse.” The truth, as May
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