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Phil Gurski

Phil Gurski worked for more than 30 years as an intelligence analyst in Canada, including 15 at CSIS. He is the author of The Threat from Within: Recognizing Al Qaeda-inspired Radicalization and Terrorism in the West. He is president and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting.

A rare insight into Canada’s most secretive spy agency

  • OTTAWA—I never thought I’d see this day. My old stomping grounds, the Communications Security Establishment, also known as Canada’s “electronic spy agency,” has just
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 20, 2020
CSE chief Shelly Bruce, pictured April 8, 2019, at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa at a press conference to discuss cyber threats to Canada's democratic process. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A rare insight into Canada’s most secretive spy agency

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—I never thought I’d see this day. My old stomping grounds, the Communications Security Establishment, also known as Canada’s “electronic spy agency,” has just

A rare insight into Canada’s most secretive spy agency

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—I never thought I’d see this day. My old stomping grounds, the Communications Security Establishment, also known as Canada’s “electronic spy agency,” has just
CSE chief Shelly Bruce, pictured April 8, 2019, at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa at a press conference to discuss cyber threats to Canada's democratic process. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A rare insight into Canada’s most secretive spy agency

  • OTTAWA—I never thought I’d see this day. My old stomping grounds, the Communications Security Establishment, also known as Canada’s “electronic spy agency,” has just
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 20, 2020
CSE chief Shelly Bruce, pictured April 8, 2019, at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa at a press conference to discuss cyber threats to Canada's democratic process. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A rare insight into Canada’s most secretive spy agency

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—I never thought I’d see this day. My old stomping grounds, the Communications Security Establishment, also known as Canada’s “electronic spy agency,” has just

A rare insight into Canada’s most secretive spy agency

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—I never thought I’d see this day. My old stomping grounds, the Communications Security Establishment, also known as Canada’s “electronic spy agency,” has just
CSE chief Shelly Bruce, pictured April 8, 2019, at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa at a press conference to discuss cyber threats to Canada's democratic process. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The first rule of spy club: you do not talk about spy club

  • Ottawa—It should come as no surprise to any Canadian that what our intelligence agencies do on a daily basis is rarely, if ever, disclosed
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 13, 2020
Shelly Bruce, a linguist and former intelligence analyst, leads Canada's codebreaking agency, the Communications Security Establishment. CSE, National Defence, and CSIS, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, are responsible for doing Canada's foreign intelligence work. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The first rule of spy club: you do not talk about spy club

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 13, 2020
  • Ottawa—It should come as no surprise to any Canadian that what our intelligence agencies do on a daily basis is rarely, if ever, disclosed

The first rule of spy club: you do not talk about spy club

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 13, 2020
  • Ottawa—It should come as no surprise to any Canadian that what our intelligence agencies do on a daily basis is rarely, if ever, disclosed
Shelly Bruce, a linguist and former intelligence analyst, leads Canada's codebreaking agency, the Communications Security Establishment. CSE, National Defence, and CSIS, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, are responsible for doing Canada's foreign intelligence work. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

More questions than answers on the Rideau Hall ‘incident’

  • In the wake of a strange Canada Day 2020—thanks COVID-19!—we did have some excitement this year, just not what we wanted or expected. On
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 6, 2020
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured during one of the daily press conferences he held in front of Rideau Cottage, where he and his family live on the grounds of Rideau Hall, this spring. Mr. Trudeau was not home on July 2 when Manitoba man Corey Hurren forced his way onto the property with several guns, and made a threat against Mr. Trudeau. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

More questions than answers on the Rideau Hall ‘incident’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 6, 2020
  • In the wake of a strange Canada Day 2020—thanks COVID-19!—we did have some excitement this year, just not what we wanted or expected. On

More questions than answers on the Rideau Hall ‘incident’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 6, 2020
  • In the wake of a strange Canada Day 2020—thanks COVID-19!—we did have some excitement this year, just not what we wanted or expected. On
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured during one of the daily press conferences he held in front of Rideau Cottage, where he and his family live on the grounds of Rideau Hall, this spring. Mr. Trudeau was not home on July 2 when Manitoba man Corey Hurren forced his way onto the property with several guns, and made a threat against Mr. Trudeau. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Our problem with China is much bigger than the fate of the two Michaels

  • OTTAWA—Canadian governments are not the greatest in using the information intelligence agencies give them. You have to feel for the families of the so-called
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 6, 2020
We cannot give in to China’s bullying with respect to Michael Spavor, left, and Michael Kovrig, who have been detained by Chinese authorities since December 2018. There must be a better way that uses diplomatic pressure, including that of our allies, and still follows the tenets of international law. We all know what happens when you kowtow to the local hoodlum, writes Phil Gurski. Photographs courtesy of Twitter and the International Crisis Group

Our problem with China is much bigger than the fate of the two Michaels

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 6, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Canadian governments are not the greatest in using the information intelligence agencies give them. You have to feel for the families of the so-called

Our problem with China is much bigger than the fate of the two Michaels

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 6, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Canadian governments are not the greatest in using the information intelligence agencies give them. You have to feel for the families of the so-called
We cannot give in to China’s bullying with respect to Michael Spavor, left, and Michael Kovrig, who have been detained by Chinese authorities since December 2018. There must be a better way that uses diplomatic pressure, including that of our allies, and still follows the tenets of international law. We all know what happens when you kowtow to the local hoodlum, writes Phil Gurski. Photographs courtesy of Twitter and the International Crisis Group

Once you think you have a handle on where terrorism is going it throws you for a loop

  • OTTAWA—We have been living in a post-9/11 world now for almost two decades. The events of that fateful day led to two military invasions
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 29, 2020
Ground Zero in New York City, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre complex in Lower Manhattan, conducted by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaida. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Once you think you have a handle on where terrorism is going it throws you for a loop

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 29, 2020
  • OTTAWA—We have been living in a post-9/11 world now for almost two decades. The events of that fateful day led to two military invasions

Once you think you have a handle on where terrorism is going it throws you for a loop

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 29, 2020
  • OTTAWA—We have been living in a post-9/11 world now for almost two decades. The events of that fateful day led to two military invasions
Ground Zero in New York City, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre complex in Lower Manhattan, conducted by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaida. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

‘Peace in our time,’ Afghan style?

  • OTTAWA—I would imagine that few Canadians are paying attention to what is happening in Afghanistan these days, especially with the continuing lockdowns over the
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 22, 2020
Canada, of course, was among the first to join the U.S. in sending troops to hunt down the actors behind the attacks in New York and Washington. Yes, progress has been made here and there but at what cost, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of Department of National Defence

‘Peace in our time,’ Afghan style?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 22, 2020
  • OTTAWA—I would imagine that few Canadians are paying attention to what is happening in Afghanistan these days, especially with the continuing lockdowns over the

‘Peace in our time,’ Afghan style?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 22, 2020
  • OTTAWA—I would imagine that few Canadians are paying attention to what is happening in Afghanistan these days, especially with the continuing lockdowns over the
Canada, of course, was among the first to join the U.S. in sending troops to hunt down the actors behind the attacks in New York and Washington. Yes, progress has been made here and there but at what cost, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of Department of National Defence

Intelligence and the next pandemic

  • OTTAWA—When you work in intelligence you take your direction on what to collect or investigate from the government of the day. This applies differently
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 11, 2020
The Canadian Security Establishment building in Ottawa. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a new requirement: information on this and other viruses that can wreak havoc on our economy and our lives, as we have all witnessed over the past few months. Solid, accurate intelligence on future outbreaks can help governments prepare in advance and perhaps lead to responses that were not as fly-by-night as those for the novel coronavirus, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy Eshko Timiou/Wikipedia Commons

Intelligence and the next pandemic

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 11, 2020
  • OTTAWA—When you work in intelligence you take your direction on what to collect or investigate from the government of the day. This applies differently

Intelligence and the next pandemic

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 11, 2020
  • OTTAWA—When you work in intelligence you take your direction on what to collect or investigate from the government of the day. This applies differently
The Canadian Security Establishment building in Ottawa. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a new requirement: information on this and other viruses that can wreak havoc on our economy and our lives, as we have all witnessed over the past few months. Solid, accurate intelligence on future outbreaks can help governments prepare in advance and perhaps lead to responses that were not as fly-by-night as those for the novel coronavirus, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy Eshko Timiou/Wikipedia Commons

A rare look at what keeps CSIS up at night

  • OTTAWA—None of us should be surprised that security intelligence services are not open books. What kind of ‘secret’ intelligence agency does not have secrets?
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 4, 2020
CSIS director David Vigneault, pictured on May 13, 2019, at the House Public Safety and National Security Committee meeting on the Hill.

A rare look at what keeps CSIS up at night

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 4, 2020
  • OTTAWA—None of us should be surprised that security intelligence services are not open books. What kind of ‘secret’ intelligence agency does not have secrets?

A rare look at what keeps CSIS up at night

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 4, 2020
  • OTTAWA—None of us should be surprised that security intelligence services are not open books. What kind of ‘secret’ intelligence agency does not have secrets?
CSIS director David Vigneault, pictured on May 13, 2019, at the House Public Safety and National Security Committee meeting on the Hill.

Privacy and our spy agencies

  • OTTAWA—Why do we have intelligence agencies? Have you ever asked yourself that? The agencies, which work in this world, do so secretly for reasons I
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 1, 2020
CSIS director David Vigneault, pictured May 13, 2019, at the House Public Safety and National Security Committee meeting on the Hill. The Hill Times file photograph by Andrew Meade

Privacy and our spy agencies

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 1, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Why do we have intelligence agencies? Have you ever asked yourself that? The agencies, which work in this world, do so secretly for reasons I

Privacy and our spy agencies

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 1, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Why do we have intelligence agencies? Have you ever asked yourself that? The agencies, which work in this world, do so secretly for reasons I
CSIS director David Vigneault, pictured May 13, 2019, at the House Public Safety and National Security Committee meeting on the Hill. The Hill Times file photograph by Andrew Meade

What will terrorism look like post-COVID?

  • OTTAWA—As we continue to live through the novel coronavirus, there is certainly a lot to worry about. Will I get the illness? Will someone
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 20, 2020
A U.S. Special Forces Soldier, pictured Sept. 5, 2016, attached to Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, waits for nightfall prior to starting a nighttime operation. Afghan special forces and Green Berets partnered for a month-long operation. Photograph courtesy of U.S. Army

What will terrorism look like post-COVID?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—As we continue to live through the novel coronavirus, there is certainly a lot to worry about. Will I get the illness? Will someone

What will terrorism look like post-COVID?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—As we continue to live through the novel coronavirus, there is certainly a lot to worry about. Will I get the illness? Will someone
A U.S. Special Forces Soldier, pictured Sept. 5, 2016, attached to Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, waits for nightfall prior to starting a nighttime operation. Afghan special forces and Green Berets partnered for a month-long operation. Photograph courtesy of U.S. Army

Misogyny is horrible, but it is not ‘terrorism’

  • The abuse of women in society is a crime that must be condemned: we can do so without conflating it with terrorism. In this
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 14, 2020
A memorial for the victims of Toronto's deadly van attack in 2018. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Misogyny is horrible, but it is not ‘terrorism’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 14, 2020
  • The abuse of women in society is a crime that must be condemned: we can do so without conflating it with terrorism. In this

Misogyny is horrible, but it is not ‘terrorism’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 14, 2020
  • The abuse of women in society is a crime that must be condemned: we can do so without conflating it with terrorism. In this
A memorial for the victims of Toronto's deadly van attack in 2018. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Halting disinformation in a time of pandemic: the need to tread very carefully

  • OTTAWA—A newish term we have all begun to see much more often these days is that of “disinformation” (a.k.a. “misinformation”). We all read about
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 27, 2020
According to Privy Council President Dominic LeBlanc, the federal government is considering introducing legislation to make it an offence to knowingly spread misinformation that could harm people. And it is eliciting opposing views from MPs, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of Facebook

Halting disinformation in a time of pandemic: the need to tread very carefully

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 27, 2020
  • OTTAWA—A newish term we have all begun to see much more often these days is that of “disinformation” (a.k.a. “misinformation”). We all read about

Halting disinformation in a time of pandemic: the need to tread very carefully

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 27, 2020
  • OTTAWA—A newish term we have all begun to see much more often these days is that of “disinformation” (a.k.a. “misinformation”). We all read about
According to Privy Council President Dominic LeBlanc, the federal government is considering introducing legislation to make it an offence to knowingly spread misinformation that could harm people. And it is eliciting opposing views from MPs, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of Facebook

Surveillance and COVID-19: what if some of the cures raise equally challenging issues?

  • OTTAWA—Governments around the world are struggling to deal with the novel coronavirus: what if some of the cures raise equally challenging issues? I confess
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 27, 2020
As an aside, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) have teamed up on the CIRA-Canadian Shield, a protected domain name system (DNS) service, that prevents Canadians from connecting to malicious websites that might infect their devices and steal their personal information. This is seen as even more necessary than normal, insofar as COVID-19 is opening the door to all kinds of malicious online actors, writes Phil Gurski. Image courtesy of Pixabay

Surveillance and COVID-19: what if some of the cures raise equally challenging issues?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 27, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Governments around the world are struggling to deal with the novel coronavirus: what if some of the cures raise equally challenging issues? I confess

Surveillance and COVID-19: what if some of the cures raise equally challenging issues?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 27, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Governments around the world are struggling to deal with the novel coronavirus: what if some of the cures raise equally challenging issues? I confess
As an aside, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) have teamed up on the CIRA-Canadian Shield, a protected domain name system (DNS) service, that prevents Canadians from connecting to malicious websites that might infect their devices and steal their personal information. This is seen as even more necessary than normal, insofar as COVID-19 is opening the door to all kinds of malicious online actors, writes Phil Gurski. Image courtesy of Pixabay

No, Canada should not be selling arms to Saudi Arabia

  • OTTAWA—Why would any country sell weapons to a regime that saws its critics into pieces and spreads terrorist ideology around the world? The arms
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 15, 2020
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. President Donald Trump, pictured in the Oval Office on March 14, 2017. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

No, Canada should not be selling arms to Saudi Arabia

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 15, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Why would any country sell weapons to a regime that saws its critics into pieces and spreads terrorist ideology around the world? The arms

No, Canada should not be selling arms to Saudi Arabia

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 15, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Why would any country sell weapons to a regime that saws its critics into pieces and spreads terrorist ideology around the world? The arms
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. President Donald Trump, pictured in the Oval Office on March 14, 2017. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

What now for the environmental movement in Canada?

  • OTTAWA—Until recently, the environmental protest movement was definitely on the rise. Protests in British Columbia, Ontario, and elsewhere against the construction of the Trans
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 13, 2020
Demonstrators, pictured on Feb. 24, 2020, supporting the Wetʼsuwetʼen nation against the building of the Coastal Gasoline pipeline through their traditional territory march through downtown Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What now for the environmental movement in Canada?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 13, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Until recently, the environmental protest movement was definitely on the rise. Protests in British Columbia, Ontario, and elsewhere against the construction of the Trans

What now for the environmental movement in Canada?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 13, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Until recently, the environmental protest movement was definitely on the rise. Protests in British Columbia, Ontario, and elsewhere against the construction of the Trans
Demonstrators, pictured on Feb. 24, 2020, supporting the Wetʼsuwetʼen nation against the building of the Coastal Gasoline pipeline through their traditional territory march through downtown Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Peace in Afghanistan? Not likely in our time

  • OTTAWA—I am sure that you have all heard the Pottery Barn rule, right? It says, “if you break it you buy it.” In other
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 6, 2020
U.S. marines, pictured on Dec. 25, 2001, in Kandahar, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikipedia

Peace in Afghanistan? Not likely in our time

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 6, 2020
  • OTTAWA—I am sure that you have all heard the Pottery Barn rule, right? It says, “if you break it you buy it.” In other

Peace in Afghanistan? Not likely in our time

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 6, 2020
  • OTTAWA—I am sure that you have all heard the Pottery Barn rule, right? It says, “if you break it you buy it.” In other
U.S. marines, pictured on Dec. 25, 2001, in Kandahar, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikipedia

What role for Canadian intelligence during the COVID-19 crisis?

  • OTTAWA—We see our intelligence sector as there to protect us from threats like terrorism and foreign espionage—what about pandemics? I don’t know where most
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 30, 2020
CSIS director David Vigneault, pictured at the House Public Safety and National Security Committee on May 13, 2019. CSIS is mandated to advise the government on the following threats, as outlined in the CSIS Act: espionage or sabotage; foreign-influenced activities that are clandestine or deceptive or involve a threat to any person; acts of serious violence against persons or property for the purpose of achieving a political, religious, or ideological objective; and acts that could lead to the destruction or overthrow by violence of, the constitutionally established system of Government in Canada. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What role for Canadian intelligence during the COVID-19 crisis?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 30, 2020
  • OTTAWA—We see our intelligence sector as there to protect us from threats like terrorism and foreign espionage—what about pandemics? I don’t know where most

What role for Canadian intelligence during the COVID-19 crisis?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 30, 2020
  • OTTAWA—We see our intelligence sector as there to protect us from threats like terrorism and foreign espionage—what about pandemics? I don’t know where most
CSIS director David Vigneault, pictured at the House Public Safety and National Security Committee on May 13, 2019. CSIS is mandated to advise the government on the following threats, as outlined in the CSIS Act: espionage or sabotage; foreign-influenced activities that are clandestine or deceptive or involve a threat to any person; acts of serious violence against persons or property for the purpose of achieving a political, religious, or ideological objective; and acts that could lead to the destruction or overthrow by violence of, the constitutionally established system of Government in Canada. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

No, COVID-19 is not an ‘intelligence failure’

  • Intelligence organizations do a lousy job of explaining what they do to the public. They also do a lousy job of sharing how they
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 26, 2020
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair is a member of the government's cabinet committee on coronavirus. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

No, COVID-19 is not an ‘intelligence failure’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 26, 2020
  • Intelligence organizations do a lousy job of explaining what they do to the public. They also do a lousy job of sharing how they

No, COVID-19 is not an ‘intelligence failure’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 26, 2020
  • Intelligence organizations do a lousy job of explaining what they do to the public. They also do a lousy job of sharing how they
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair is a member of the government's cabinet committee on coronavirus. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A call for humility in national security ‘expertise’

  • OTTAWA—‘Experts’ can help Canadians understand national security and public safety threats, but only if they are truly knowledgeable. One thing I have tried to
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 23, 2020
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, pictured Sept. 17, 2019, at RCMP Headquarters in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A call for humility in national security ‘expertise’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 23, 2020
  • OTTAWA—‘Experts’ can help Canadians understand national security and public safety threats, but only if they are truly knowledgeable. One thing I have tried to

A call for humility in national security ‘expertise’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 23, 2020
  • OTTAWA—‘Experts’ can help Canadians understand national security and public safety threats, but only if they are truly knowledgeable. One thing I have tried to
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, pictured Sept. 17, 2019, at RCMP Headquarters in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

When will the government wake up about China?

  • OTTAWA—When I was a kid growing up in southwestern Ontario, there was one thing that was indisputable: if something bore the label ‘Made in
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 16, 2020
CSIS Director David Vigneault, pictured at the House Public Safety Committee on the Hill on May 13, 2019. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

When will the government wake up about China?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 16, 2020
  • OTTAWA—When I was a kid growing up in southwestern Ontario, there was one thing that was indisputable: if something bore the label ‘Made in

When will the government wake up about China?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 16, 2020
  • OTTAWA—When I was a kid growing up in southwestern Ontario, there was one thing that was indisputable: if something bore the label ‘Made in
CSIS Director David Vigneault, pictured at the House Public Safety Committee on the Hill on May 13, 2019. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

When other people’s disputes come to our shores

  • OTTAWA—There are very few countries like Canada. Warts and all—and there are a lot of warts, as we are currently witnessing, with respect to
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 9, 2020
How can we allow this to take place? In my view, this activity constitutes a threat to the security and safety of this country, as stated in the CSIS Act, and I have no idea whether my former CSIS colleagues are on this, but to its credit, the RCMP is looking into the matter, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

When other people’s disputes come to our shores

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 9, 2020
  • OTTAWA—There are very few countries like Canada. Warts and all—and there are a lot of warts, as we are currently witnessing, with respect to

When other people’s disputes come to our shores

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 9, 2020
  • OTTAWA—There are very few countries like Canada. Warts and all—and there are a lot of warts, as we are currently witnessing, with respect to
How can we allow this to take place? In my view, this activity constitutes a threat to the security and safety of this country, as stated in the CSIS Act, and I have no idea whether my former CSIS colleagues are on this, but to its credit, the RCMP is looking into the matter, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Increasingly diverse makeup of Canadian resource protests: is violence around the corner?

  • OTTAWA—We all recognize the right to express dissent: so what do we do when groups espousing violence jump on the bandwagon? Looking briefly at
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 2, 2020
Ottawa Police officers, pictured in Ottawa on Feb. 24, 2020, watching demonstrators who took to the streets to support the Wetʼsuwetʼen hereditary chiefs who are opposed to the $6.6-billion Coastal Gasoline pipeline through their traditional territory. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Increasingly diverse makeup of Canadian resource protests: is violence around the corner?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 2, 2020
  • OTTAWA—We all recognize the right to express dissent: so what do we do when groups espousing violence jump on the bandwagon? Looking briefly at

Increasingly diverse makeup of Canadian resource protests: is violence around the corner?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 2, 2020
  • OTTAWA—We all recognize the right to express dissent: so what do we do when groups espousing violence jump on the bandwagon? Looking briefly at
Ottawa Police officers, pictured in Ottawa on Feb. 24, 2020, watching demonstrators who took to the streets to support the Wetʼsuwetʼen hereditary chiefs who are opposed to the $6.6-billion Coastal Gasoline pipeline through their traditional territory. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

When will Canada stand up to states that engage in terrorism against their own citizens?

  • OTTAWA—Indian Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar paid an official visit to Canada the week before Christmas. As he outlined in a piece for
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 24, 2020
India's Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who paid an official two-day visit to Canada on Dec. 20, 2019. As he outlined in a piece for the National Post, he argued for a 'wider and deeper Indo-Canadian enterprise,' citing shared democratic values, pluralism, civil society and a market economy. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

When will Canada stand up to states that engage in terrorism against their own citizens?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 24, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Indian Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar paid an official visit to Canada the week before Christmas. As he outlined in a piece for

When will Canada stand up to states that engage in terrorism against their own citizens?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 24, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Indian Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar paid an official visit to Canada the week before Christmas. As he outlined in a piece for
India's Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who paid an official two-day visit to Canada on Dec. 20, 2019. As he outlined in a piece for the National Post, he argued for a 'wider and deeper Indo-Canadian enterprise,' citing shared democratic values, pluralism, civil society and a market economy. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

The gnawing question of when to release terrorists from custody

  • OTTAWA—There is no such thing as zero-risk: we need to have systems in place to measure danger as best we can If you have
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 17, 2020
The U.K. public is in an uproar and the Boris Johnson government is rushing through legislation to amend early release for terrorists Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikipedia

The gnawing question of when to release terrorists from custody

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 17, 2020
  • OTTAWA—There is no such thing as zero-risk: we need to have systems in place to measure danger as best we can If you have

The gnawing question of when to release terrorists from custody

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 17, 2020
  • OTTAWA—There is no such thing as zero-risk: we need to have systems in place to measure danger as best we can If you have
The U.K. public is in an uproar and the Boris Johnson government is rushing through legislation to amend early release for terrorists Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikipedia

Let’s see if a new GOC ‘terrorism prosecution unit’ gets it right

  • OTTAWA—Terrorism is a hard crime to prosecute. The things that terrorists do are not so difficult: murder or attempted murder is relatively straightforward one
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 10, 2020
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on Jan. 27, 2020, on the Hill, has directed the ministers of justice and public safety in their mandate letters to 'coordinate efforts to prosecute terror suspects to the fullest extent of the law' and create a new Office of Director of Terrorism Prosecutions. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Let’s see if a new GOC ‘terrorism prosecution unit’ gets it right

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 10, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Terrorism is a hard crime to prosecute. The things that terrorists do are not so difficult: murder or attempted murder is relatively straightforward one

Let’s see if a new GOC ‘terrorism prosecution unit’ gets it right

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 10, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Terrorism is a hard crime to prosecute. The things that terrorists do are not so difficult: murder or attempted murder is relatively straightforward one
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured on Jan. 27, 2020, on the Hill, has directed the ministers of justice and public safety in their mandate letters to 'coordinate efforts to prosecute terror suspects to the fullest extent of the law' and create a new Office of Director of Terrorism Prosecutions. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

So now our protectors cannot access open information?

  • We live in a world where everyone seems to want to share a lot, sometimes too much, about their lives. Whether its FaceBook or
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 3, 2020

So now our protectors cannot access open information?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 3, 2020
  • We live in a world where everyone seems to want to share a lot, sometimes too much, about their lives. Whether its FaceBook or

So now our protectors cannot access open information?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 3, 2020
  • We live in a world where everyone seems to want to share a lot, sometimes too much, about their lives. Whether its FaceBook or

No such thing as privacy intrusions in the age of oversharing

  • Law-enforcement and security agencies use a wealth of sources in their investigations, including openly available data. We live in a world where everyone seems
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 20, 2020
Those who work in national security and public safety do not profile, writes columnist Phil Gurski. Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

No such thing as privacy intrusions in the age of oversharing

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 20, 2020
  • Law-enforcement and security agencies use a wealth of sources in their investigations, including openly available data. We live in a world where everyone seems

No such thing as privacy intrusions in the age of oversharing

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 20, 2020
  • Law-enforcement and security agencies use a wealth of sources in their investigations, including openly available data. We live in a world where everyone seems
Those who work in national security and public safety do not profile, writes columnist Phil Gurski. Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
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Afghanistan, terrorism, and Canada: the nexus that never goes away

  • OTTAWA—As all Canadians know, our country has a longstanding relationship with Afghanistan. In the aftermath of 9/11, the government decided to send our military,
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 15, 2019
The second has to do with someone who has dominated headlines in this land for decades: Omar Khadr, pictured as a young boy. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Afghanistan, terrorism, and Canada: the nexus that never goes away

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 15, 2019
  • OTTAWA—As all Canadians know, our country has a longstanding relationship with Afghanistan. In the aftermath of 9/11, the government decided to send our military,

Afghanistan, terrorism, and Canada: the nexus that never goes away

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 15, 2019
  • OTTAWA—As all Canadians know, our country has a longstanding relationship with Afghanistan. In the aftermath of 9/11, the government decided to send our military,
The second has to do with someone who has dominated headlines in this land for decades: Omar Khadr, pictured as a young boy. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

We need to push back against elected officials’ racist ignorance, and intolerance before it becomes hate and violence

  • OTTAWA—When a massacre on the scale of the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, hits the news, we all engage in examinations of what
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 8, 2019
People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier and Senator Lynn Beyak, pictured. The Hill Times file photograph and courtesy of the Senate

We need to push back against elected officials’ racist ignorance, and intolerance before it becomes hate and violence

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 8, 2019
  • OTTAWA—When a massacre on the scale of the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, hits the news, we all engage in examinations of what

We need to push back against elected officials’ racist ignorance, and intolerance before it becomes hate and violence

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 8, 2019
  • OTTAWA—When a massacre on the scale of the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, hits the news, we all engage in examinations of what
People's Party Leader Maxime Bernier and Senator Lynn Beyak, pictured. The Hill Times file photograph and courtesy of the Senate

The terrorist attack that wasn’t, and one that may have been

  • OTTAWA—If you’re like me—and I really hope you’re not for many, many reasons—you probably read the news with a certain slant and through a
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 1, 2019
A man who hijacked a University of Ottawa van drove recklessly around and through campus, hitting cars and bollards before crashing. Thankfully no one was hurt. The incident had nothing to do with terrorism. The alleged culprit may have been drunk and screamed at arresting officers to kill him, suggesting some personal crisis or mental health issue, writes Phil Gurski. Screen capture photograph courtesy CTV Ottawa

The terrorist attack that wasn’t, and one that may have been

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 1, 2019
  • OTTAWA—If you’re like me—and I really hope you’re not for many, many reasons—you probably read the news with a certain slant and through a

The terrorist attack that wasn’t, and one that may have been

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 1, 2019
  • OTTAWA—If you’re like me—and I really hope you’re not for many, many reasons—you probably read the news with a certain slant and through a
A man who hijacked a University of Ottawa van drove recklessly around and through campus, hitting cars and bollards before crashing. Thankfully no one was hurt. The incident had nothing to do with terrorism. The alleged culprit may have been drunk and screamed at arresting officers to kill him, suggesting some personal crisis or mental health issue, writes Phil Gurski. Screen capture photograph courtesy CTV Ottawa

We can talk about terrorists without glorifying them or their acts

  • OTTAWA—When important events occur, this is news. People want to know what’s happening as it’s happening: that is how reporting the news works. We
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 25, 2019
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, pictured, said the killing of 50 Muslims last week was 'one of New Zealand’s darkest days,' adding that the victims had chosen to make New Zealand their home. 'They are us,' she said. 'The person who has perpetuated this violence against us is not.' Screen capture courtesy YouTube

We can talk about terrorists without glorifying them or their acts

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 25, 2019
  • OTTAWA—When important events occur, this is news. People want to know what’s happening as it’s happening: that is how reporting the news works. We

We can talk about terrorists without glorifying them or their acts

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 25, 2019
  • OTTAWA—When important events occur, this is news. People want to know what’s happening as it’s happening: that is how reporting the news works. We
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, pictured, said the killing of 50 Muslims last week was 'one of New Zealand’s darkest days,' adding that the victims had chosen to make New Zealand their home. 'They are us,' she said. 'The person who has perpetuated this violence against us is not.' Screen capture courtesy YouTube

Reading, writing, and radicalism: schools and the links to terrorism

  • OTTAWA—One of the many beauties of living in a liberal, secular democratic society is the freedom to disagree and debate. There are always many
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 18, 2019

Reading, writing, and radicalism: schools and the links to terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 18, 2019
  • OTTAWA—One of the many beauties of living in a liberal, secular democratic society is the freedom to disagree and debate. There are always many

Reading, writing, and radicalism: schools and the links to terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 18, 2019
  • OTTAWA—One of the many beauties of living in a liberal, secular democratic society is the freedom to disagree and debate. There are always many

Do terrorism sentences in Canada serve as a deterrent?

  • OTTAWA—We have laws for a reason, right? Over the centuries the Western world has developed a series of traditions such as presumed innocence, the
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 11, 2019
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently on the Hill, is the federal political minister responsible for anti-terrorism. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Do terrorism sentences in Canada serve as a deterrent?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 11, 2019
  • OTTAWA—We have laws for a reason, right? Over the centuries the Western world has developed a series of traditions such as presumed innocence, the

Do terrorism sentences in Canada serve as a deterrent?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 11, 2019
  • OTTAWA—We have laws for a reason, right? Over the centuries the Western world has developed a series of traditions such as presumed innocence, the
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently on the Hill, is the federal political minister responsible for anti-terrorism. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will increasing political polarization in Canada lead to an assassination? Not so fast

  • OTTAWA—There is a small plaque on Queen Street in Ottawa, two blocks south of Parliament Hill. It is not that prominent and easy to
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 4, 2019
A convoy of protesters driving trucks from Alberta in the 'United We Roll,' pictured in Ottawa on Feb. 19, 2019. The tuckers and supporters protested the Liberal government's pipeline program and the lack of support for the oil patch and resource jobs in the Prairies. The group was also joined by Canadian Yellow Vest movement members and right-wing extremists and racists. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Will increasing political polarization in Canada lead to an assassination? Not so fast

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 4, 2019
  • OTTAWA—There is a small plaque on Queen Street in Ottawa, two blocks south of Parliament Hill. It is not that prominent and easy to

Will increasing political polarization in Canada lead to an assassination? Not so fast

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 4, 2019
  • OTTAWA—There is a small plaque on Queen Street in Ottawa, two blocks south of Parliament Hill. It is not that prominent and easy to
A convoy of protesters driving trucks from Alberta in the 'United We Roll,' pictured in Ottawa on Feb. 19, 2019. The tuckers and supporters protested the Liberal government's pipeline program and the lack of support for the oil patch and resource jobs in the Prairies. The group was also joined by Canadian Yellow Vest movement members and right-wing extremists and racists. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Security certificate cases and Canada’s failure to use the intelligence it collects

  • OTTAWA—If there is one legal tool that divides Canadians like few others it is the so-called “national security certificates.” These are administrative processes whereby
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 25, 2019
Perhaps it is time to have CSIS collect intelligence to evidentiary standards, as some other nations’ spy agencies do, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of CSIS

Security certificate cases and Canada’s failure to use the intelligence it collects

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 25, 2019
  • OTTAWA—If there is one legal tool that divides Canadians like few others it is the so-called “national security certificates.” These are administrative processes whereby

Security certificate cases and Canada’s failure to use the intelligence it collects

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 25, 2019
  • OTTAWA—If there is one legal tool that divides Canadians like few others it is the so-called “national security certificates.” These are administrative processes whereby
Perhaps it is time to have CSIS collect intelligence to evidentiary standards, as some other nations’ spy agencies do, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of CSIS

A realistic assessment of the security threat from ‘irregular migrants’

  • OTTAWA—One duty that a government or state has to treat seriously is the protection of its citizenry. Police forces, militaries, security intelligence services, and
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 18, 2019
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently in a scrum in the West Block foyer. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A realistic assessment of the security threat from ‘irregular migrants’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 18, 2019
  • OTTAWA—One duty that a government or state has to treat seriously is the protection of its citizenry. Police forces, militaries, security intelligence services, and

A realistic assessment of the security threat from ‘irregular migrants’

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 18, 2019
  • OTTAWA—One duty that a government or state has to treat seriously is the protection of its citizenry. Police forces, militaries, security intelligence services, and
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently in a scrum in the West Block foyer. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What if Canada stopped preventing violent extremism or countering violent extremism: would it make a difference?

  • OTTAWA—We in Canada have terrorism on the brain. On any given day, there’s at least one, and, unfortunately, usually far more than one, terrorist
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 11, 2019
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, the political minister responsible for anti-terrorism, pictured last week on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What if Canada stopped preventing violent extremism or countering violent extremism: would it make a difference?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 11, 2019
  • OTTAWA—We in Canada have terrorism on the brain. On any given day, there’s at least one, and, unfortunately, usually far more than one, terrorist

What if Canada stopped preventing violent extremism or countering violent extremism: would it make a difference?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 11, 2019
  • OTTAWA—We in Canada have terrorism on the brain. On any given day, there’s at least one, and, unfortunately, usually far more than one, terrorist
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, the political minister responsible for anti-terrorism, pictured last week on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why terrorist movements seldom ever really go away

  • OTTAWA—When we think of the major terrorist threats facing us today, we tend to think of phenomena like Islamist extremism (the Islamic State, al-Qaida,
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 4, 2019
The IRA terrorism may not be as rampant as it was decades ago, but it is still around. In fact, a car bomb exploded in Derry on Jan. 19. No one, thankfully, was killed or injured and the event was treated with a shrug by many people, if they even knew it took place. The group, which police think was behind the explosion, is called the New IRA, writes Phil Gurski. Image courtesy of CNN

Why terrorist movements seldom ever really go away

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 4, 2019
  • OTTAWA—When we think of the major terrorist threats facing us today, we tend to think of phenomena like Islamist extremism (the Islamic State, al-Qaida,

Why terrorist movements seldom ever really go away

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 4, 2019
  • OTTAWA—When we think of the major terrorist threats facing us today, we tend to think of phenomena like Islamist extremism (the Islamic State, al-Qaida,
The IRA terrorism may not be as rampant as it was decades ago, but it is still around. In fact, a car bomb exploded in Derry on Jan. 19. No one, thankfully, was killed or injured and the event was treated with a shrug by many people, if they even knew it took place. The group, which police think was behind the explosion, is called the New IRA, writes Phil Gurski. Image courtesy of CNN

Finally, some clarity on Canada’s foreign fighter problem

  • OTTAWA—If there is one thing in the world of terrorism that touches Canada the most, at least in the minds of average Canadians, it
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 28, 2019
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told a crowd in Regina that in fact the number is 250, about half into Syria, Iraq and Turkey, he said, and the rest into Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of north and east Africa. A few Canadian academics applauded the release of more information. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Finally, some clarity on Canada’s foreign fighter problem

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 28, 2019
  • OTTAWA—If there is one thing in the world of terrorism that touches Canada the most, at least in the minds of average Canadians, it

Finally, some clarity on Canada’s foreign fighter problem

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 28, 2019
  • OTTAWA—If there is one thing in the world of terrorism that touches Canada the most, at least in the minds of average Canadians, it
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told a crowd in Regina that in fact the number is 250, about half into Syria, Iraq and Turkey, he said, and the rest into Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of north and east Africa. A few Canadian academics applauded the release of more information. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Let’s hope Bernier gets the memo on how to talk about national security

  • OTTAWA—Third parties are an interesting bit of Canadian political history. I am not well-versed in the blood sport of politics and thus have no
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 21, 2019
People's Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier, pictured Oct. 10, 2018, shortly after completing the application with Elections Canada in Gatineau, Que., to formalize the People’s Party of Canada as federal political party. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Let’s hope Bernier gets the memo on how to talk about national security

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 21, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Third parties are an interesting bit of Canadian political history. I am not well-versed in the blood sport of politics and thus have no

Let’s hope Bernier gets the memo on how to talk about national security

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 21, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Third parties are an interesting bit of Canadian political history. I am not well-versed in the blood sport of politics and thus have no
People's Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier, pictured Oct. 10, 2018, shortly after completing the application with Elections Canada in Gatineau, Que., to formalize the People’s Party of Canada as federal political party. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We have to stop seeing our intelligence agencies as evil actors

  • OTTAWA—I realize that CSIS is not well understood by most Canadians and this is of course partly by design. It is, after all, an
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 14, 2019
CSIS Director David Vigneault has given at least one speech on what keeps him up at night. He spoke at the Economic Club of Canada on Dec. 4, 2018: here’s hoping there are more to come, writes Phil Gurski. Photo handout

We have to stop seeing our intelligence agencies as evil actors

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 14, 2019
  • OTTAWA—I realize that CSIS is not well understood by most Canadians and this is of course partly by design. It is, after all, an

We have to stop seeing our intelligence agencies as evil actors

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 14, 2019
  • OTTAWA—I realize that CSIS is not well understood by most Canadians and this is of course partly by design. It is, after all, an
CSIS Director David Vigneault has given at least one speech on what keeps him up at night. He spoke at the Economic Club of Canada on Dec. 4, 2018: here’s hoping there are more to come, writes Phil Gurski. Photo handout

CSIS, RCMP need more access to foil serious acts of violence

  • OTTAWA—There has been an awful lot of news lately on privacy in the digital space. Facebook, in particular, has been in the hot seat
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | December 17, 2018
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale is the federal political minister responsible for the RCMP and CSIS. When our spies and cops fail to stop violent acts from occurring, few are willing to cut them some slack and try to understand the challenges inherent in the work they do. One of the hardest challenges is the use of unbreakable encryption: it is very difficult to determine violent intent when you cannot read the communications sent between nefarious parties, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

CSIS, RCMP need more access to foil serious acts of violence

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | December 17, 2018
  • OTTAWA—There has been an awful lot of news lately on privacy in the digital space. Facebook, in particular, has been in the hot seat

CSIS, RCMP need more access to foil serious acts of violence

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | December 17, 2018
  • OTTAWA—There has been an awful lot of news lately on privacy in the digital space. Facebook, in particular, has been in the hot seat
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale is the federal political minister responsible for the RCMP and CSIS. When our spies and cops fail to stop violent acts from occurring, few are willing to cut them some slack and try to understand the challenges inherent in the work they do. One of the hardest challenges is the use of unbreakable encryption: it is very difficult to determine violent intent when you cannot read the communications sent between nefarious parties, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

When Canadians carry out terrorist attacks abroad

  • OTTAWA—July 1 is, of course, our national day. Whether you celebrate it like we do here in Ottawa with a series of events centred
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | December 10, 2018
Bangladesh-born Canadian Tamim Chowdhury was considered the mastermind of the attack at the Holey Artisan bakery in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 1, 2016, where 29 people were killed including 20 hostages. Bangladeshi police issued a bounty for Mr. Chowdhury and he was killed along with other IS terrorists in a raid on a safe house in late August 2016.  Photograph courtesy of Bangladesh Police

When Canadians carry out terrorist attacks abroad

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | December 10, 2018
  • OTTAWA—July 1 is, of course, our national day. Whether you celebrate it like we do here in Ottawa with a series of events centred

When Canadians carry out terrorist attacks abroad

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | December 10, 2018
  • OTTAWA—July 1 is, of course, our national day. Whether you celebrate it like we do here in Ottawa with a series of events centred
Bangladesh-born Canadian Tamim Chowdhury was considered the mastermind of the attack at the Holey Artisan bakery in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 1, 2016, where 29 people were killed including 20 hostages. Bangladeshi police issued a bounty for Mr. Chowdhury and he was killed along with other IS terrorists in a raid on a safe house in late August 2016.  Photograph courtesy of Bangladesh Police

Yes, CSIS should be allowed to look into university campuses as possible radicalization sites

  • OTTAWA—Way back in medieval times there was a concept known as sanctuary. Under this notion, those who had committed crimes could place themselves beyond
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | December 3, 2018
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently on the Hill, is the minister responsible for CSIS and the RCMP. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Yes, CSIS should be allowed to look into university campuses as possible radicalization sites

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | December 3, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Way back in medieval times there was a concept known as sanctuary. Under this notion, those who had committed crimes could place themselves beyond

Yes, CSIS should be allowed to look into university campuses as possible radicalization sites

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | December 3, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Way back in medieval times there was a concept known as sanctuary. Under this notion, those who had committed crimes could place themselves beyond
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently on the Hill, is the minister responsible for CSIS and the RCMP. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What do you mean Canada does not have a foreign intelligence service?

  • OTTAWA—We all know that many nations have a foreign intelligence service that sends spies here, there, and everywhere to collect the information its government
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | November 26, 2018
It's Bond, James Bond: Sean Connery played James Bond in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever. It's unlikely Canada will see a new foreign intelligence agency, like the British MI6 or the CIA, any time soon, writes Phil Gurski. 'Maybe that is what Canadians would prefer anyway. We are, after all, a shy, diffident people who would rather be neither shaken nor stirred.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

What do you mean Canada does not have a foreign intelligence service?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | November 26, 2018
  • OTTAWA—We all know that many nations have a foreign intelligence service that sends spies here, there, and everywhere to collect the information its government

What do you mean Canada does not have a foreign intelligence service?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | November 26, 2018
  • OTTAWA—We all know that many nations have a foreign intelligence service that sends spies here, there, and everywhere to collect the information its government
It's Bond, James Bond: Sean Connery played James Bond in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever. It's unlikely Canada will see a new foreign intelligence agency, like the British MI6 or the CIA, any time soon, writes Phil Gurski. 'Maybe that is what Canadians would prefer anyway. We are, after all, a shy, diffident people who would rather be neither shaken nor stirred.' Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

National Security Intelligence Committee has taken a hit by Clement’s sexting scandal

  • OTTAWA—I imagine that most Canadians are already very tired of this story and yet here I am weighing in on it, from the perspective
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | November 19, 2018
Tony Clement's sexting scandal had an impact on NSICOP, but there is no sign in the public domain that he was targeted because of his membership on the committee, was asked by the extortionist for sensitive intelligence, or handed over such information, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times file photograph

National Security Intelligence Committee has taken a hit by Clement’s sexting scandal

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | November 19, 2018
  • OTTAWA—I imagine that most Canadians are already very tired of this story and yet here I am weighing in on it, from the perspective

National Security Intelligence Committee has taken a hit by Clement’s sexting scandal

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | November 19, 2018
  • OTTAWA—I imagine that most Canadians are already very tired of this story and yet here I am weighing in on it, from the perspective
Tony Clement's sexting scandal had an impact on NSICOP, but there is no sign in the public domain that he was targeted because of his membership on the committee, was asked by the extortionist for sensitive intelligence, or handed over such information, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times file photograph

The upside of foreign fighter policy Down Under

  • OTTAWA—Australia and Canada are very similar countries in many ways. Both former British colonies, both (relatively) open to immigration, both members of the Five
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | November 12, 2018
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured. Phil Gurski is suggesting that Canada follow the Australian government's initiative ‘Declared Area Offence,' meaning it's 'an offence for a person to intentionally enter, or remain in, a declared area in a foreign country where the person knows, or should know, that the area is a declared area.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The upside of foreign fighter policy Down Under

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | November 12, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Australia and Canada are very similar countries in many ways. Both former British colonies, both (relatively) open to immigration, both members of the Five

The upside of foreign fighter policy Down Under

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | November 12, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Australia and Canada are very similar countries in many ways. Both former British colonies, both (relatively) open to immigration, both members of the Five
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured. Phil Gurski is suggesting that Canada follow the Australian government's initiative ‘Declared Area Offence,' meaning it's 'an offence for a person to intentionally enter, or remain in, a declared area in a foreign country where the person knows, or should know, that the area is a declared area.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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