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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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An uneventful G7, from a security standpoint

  • OTTAWA—Well, the G7 in La Malbaie, Que., is over and some would say, ‘Thank God!’  It would be hard to imagine a weirder summit
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 18, 2018
European Council President Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Theresa May, German chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanue Macron, Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, pictured Friday, June 8 at the G7. Photograph courtesy of Canada G7 Twitter

An uneventful G7, from a security standpoint

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 18, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Well, the G7 in La Malbaie, Que., is over and some would say, ‘Thank God!’  It would be hard to imagine a weirder summit

An uneventful G7, from a security standpoint

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 18, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Well, the G7 in La Malbaie, Que., is over and some would say, ‘Thank God!’  It would be hard to imagine a weirder summit
European Council President Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Theresa May, German chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanue Macron, Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, and Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, pictured Friday, June 8 at the G7. Photograph courtesy of Canada G7 Twitter

The U.K. and Canada: polar opposites when it comes to the terrorist threat

  • OTTAWA—All it takes is a cursory glance at the news on any given day to conclude—erroneously, as I hope to show—that Islamist extremist terrorism
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 11, 2018
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently on the Hill, is the political minister responsible for CSIS, the CSE, and the RCMP. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The U.K. and Canada: polar opposites when it comes to the terrorist threat

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 11, 2018
  • OTTAWA—All it takes is a cursory glance at the news on any given day to conclude—erroneously, as I hope to show—that Islamist extremist terrorism

The U.K. and Canada: polar opposites when it comes to the terrorist threat

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 11, 2018
  • OTTAWA—All it takes is a cursory glance at the news on any given day to conclude—erroneously, as I hope to show—that Islamist extremist terrorism
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently on the Hill, is the political minister responsible for CSIS, the CSE, and the RCMP. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Debate on allowing CSIS data to be released in court cases

  • OTTAWA—Carrying out a terrorism investigation is not easy. The stakes are high since many (erroneously) see terrorism as an existential, pervasive threat and no
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 4, 2018
A Federal Court has ruled that the legal team for Awso Peshdary, accused of recruiting Canadians to join the Islamic State (and also acquitted over his role in the 2010 Operation SAMOSSA plot), should be given the affidavit CSIS prepared to gain a warrant against him.  Photograph courtesy of Facebook

Debate on allowing CSIS data to be released in court cases

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 4, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Carrying out a terrorism investigation is not easy. The stakes are high since many (erroneously) see terrorism as an existential, pervasive threat and no

Debate on allowing CSIS data to be released in court cases

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | June 4, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Carrying out a terrorism investigation is not easy. The stakes are high since many (erroneously) see terrorism as an existential, pervasive threat and no
A Federal Court has ruled that the legal team for Awso Peshdary, accused of recruiting Canadians to join the Islamic State (and also acquitted over his role in the 2010 Operation SAMOSSA plot), should be given the affidavit CSIS prepared to gain a warrant against him.  Photograph courtesy of Facebook

The constant struggle between press freedom and national security

  • OTTAWA—As Canadians we expect the authorities tasked with keeping us safe to do as they are mandated.  We spend a lot of taxpayers’ hard-earned
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 28, 2018

The constant struggle between press freedom and national security

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 28, 2018
  • OTTAWA—As Canadians we expect the authorities tasked with keeping us safe to do as they are mandated.  We spend a lot of taxpayers’ hard-earned

The constant struggle between press freedom and national security

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 28, 2018
  • OTTAWA—As Canadians we expect the authorities tasked with keeping us safe to do as they are mandated.  We spend a lot of taxpayers’ hard-earned

The constant struggle between press freedom and national security

  • As Canadians, we expect the authorities tasked with keeping us safe to do as they are mandated. We spend a lot of taxpayers’ hard-earned money
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 24, 2018
Vice Media is petitioning the Supreme Court to ensure protections for journalists when law enforcement demands seizure of their reporting materials in the name of national security. The top court heard arguments in the case on Wednesday. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The constant struggle between press freedom and national security

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 24, 2018
  • As Canadians, we expect the authorities tasked with keeping us safe to do as they are mandated. We spend a lot of taxpayers’ hard-earned money

The constant struggle between press freedom and national security

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 24, 2018
  • As Canadians, we expect the authorities tasked with keeping us safe to do as they are mandated. We spend a lot of taxpayers’ hard-earned money
Vice Media is petitioning the Supreme Court to ensure protections for journalists when law enforcement demands seizure of their reporting materials in the name of national security. The top court heard arguments in the case on Wednesday. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

There’s a fine line between right to protest and public safety

  • OTTAWA—It would be hard to forget the G8/G20 riots in Toronto in 2010; or similar mass violence at the WTO meetings in Seattle in
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 21, 2018
The G20 Summit in Toronto attracted protests and riots. Protesters will be forced to wave their placards and chant their slogans 1.5 km away in a ‘free speech zone,' although most of them will likely be in Québec City (148 km away), thus making it unlikely that their complaints will be heard by the very people they feel should be listening, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times file photograph

There’s a fine line between right to protest and public safety

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 21, 2018
  • OTTAWA—It would be hard to forget the G8/G20 riots in Toronto in 2010; or similar mass violence at the WTO meetings in Seattle in

There’s a fine line between right to protest and public safety

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 21, 2018
  • OTTAWA—It would be hard to forget the G8/G20 riots in Toronto in 2010; or similar mass violence at the WTO meetings in Seattle in
The G20 Summit in Toronto attracted protests and riots. Protesters will be forced to wave their placards and chant their slogans 1.5 km away in a ‘free speech zone,' although most of them will likely be in Québec City (148 km away), thus making it unlikely that their complaints will be heard by the very people they feel should be listening, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times file photograph

A few thoughts on U.S. decision to axe Iranian nuclear deal

  • OTTAWA—I must confess that I hesitated quite a bit before putting pen to paper (fingers to keyboard?) on this topic. I was sitting in
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 14, 2018
Iran President Hassan Rouhani and U.S. President Donald Trump. Photographs courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

A few thoughts on U.S. decision to axe Iranian nuclear deal

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 14, 2018
  • OTTAWA—I must confess that I hesitated quite a bit before putting pen to paper (fingers to keyboard?) on this topic. I was sitting in

A few thoughts on U.S. decision to axe Iranian nuclear deal

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 14, 2018
  • OTTAWA—I must confess that I hesitated quite a bit before putting pen to paper (fingers to keyboard?) on this topic. I was sitting in
Iran President Hassan Rouhani and U.S. President Donald Trump. Photographs courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Canada’s national sport: suing CSIS for doing its job

  • OTTAWA—Pop quiz! What is Canada’s ‘national game’? Duh, it’s hockey of course (or ‘ice hockey’ as the rest of the world knows it as
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 7, 2018
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured on the Hill, is the federal political minister responsible for CSIS. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s national sport: suing CSIS for doing its job

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 7, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Pop quiz! What is Canada’s ‘national game’? Duh, it’s hockey of course (or ‘ice hockey’ as the rest of the world knows it as

Canada’s national sport: suing CSIS for doing its job

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 7, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Pop quiz! What is Canada’s ‘national game’? Duh, it’s hockey of course (or ‘ice hockey’ as the rest of the world knows it as
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured on the Hill, is the federal political minister responsible for CSIS. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Kinder Morgan protests are not ‘child’s play’ and may constitute terrorism one day

  • OTTAWA—I consider myself a fairly reasonable and rational person. I also have had a hankering for science since I was a kid and do
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 30, 2018
Protesters, pictured April 7, 2018, at Burnaby Mountain against the Trans Mountain pipeline. Those who passionately defend our planet need to be told that they will be held accountable for serious acts of violence. I don’t know about you, but having a charge of 'terrorism' held over your head cannot and should not be seen as a badge of honour, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Kinder Morgan protests are not ‘child’s play’ and may constitute terrorism one day

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 30, 2018
  • OTTAWA—I consider myself a fairly reasonable and rational person. I also have had a hankering for science since I was a kid and do

Kinder Morgan protests are not ‘child’s play’ and may constitute terrorism one day

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 30, 2018
  • OTTAWA—I consider myself a fairly reasonable and rational person. I also have had a hankering for science since I was a kid and do
Protesters, pictured April 7, 2018, at Burnaby Mountain against the Trans Mountain pipeline. Those who passionately defend our planet need to be told that they will be held accountable for serious acts of violence. I don’t know about you, but having a charge of 'terrorism' held over your head cannot and should not be seen as a badge of honour, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Robbing Peter to pay Paul in national security

  • OTTAWA—Way back when I was an analyst at CSE, I recall a conversation with an workmate about who was more important to the organization
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 23, 2018
Communications Security Establishment chief Greta Bossenmaier, pictured March 20, 2018, at the House Standing Committee on National Defence meeting in Centre Block. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Robbing Peter to pay Paul in national security

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 23, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Way back when I was an analyst at CSE, I recall a conversation with an workmate about who was more important to the organization

Robbing Peter to pay Paul in national security

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 23, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Way back when I was an analyst at CSE, I recall a conversation with an workmate about who was more important to the organization
Communications Security Establishment chief Greta Bossenmaier, pictured March 20, 2018, at the House Standing Committee on National Defence meeting in Centre Block. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The cutting edge of unstoppable terrorism

  • OTTAWA—In a very funny Monty Python skit, John Cleese plays a drill sergeant who is trying to teach a bunch of skinny recruits to
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 16, 2018
Amor Ftouhi was charged with committing violence after a Michigan airport officer was stabbed in the neck at the Bishop International Airport in Flint, Mich., on June, 21, 2017. Photograph courtesy of Facebook

The cutting edge of unstoppable terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 16, 2018
  • OTTAWA—In a very funny Monty Python skit, John Cleese plays a drill sergeant who is trying to teach a bunch of skinny recruits to

The cutting edge of unstoppable terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 16, 2018
  • OTTAWA—In a very funny Monty Python skit, John Cleese plays a drill sergeant who is trying to teach a bunch of skinny recruits to
Amor Ftouhi was charged with committing violence after a Michigan airport officer was stabbed in the neck at the Bishop International Airport in Flint, Mich., on June, 21, 2017. Photograph courtesy of Facebook

Why can’t Canada get rid of people we don’t want here?

  • OTTAWA—Is it just me or is it strange that an independent, secular democracy cannot make simple decisions on who it wants to allow to
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 2, 2018
Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured last week in a scrum on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Why can’t Canada get rid of people we don’t want here?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 2, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Is it just me or is it strange that an independent, secular democracy cannot make simple decisions on who it wants to allow to

Why can’t Canada get rid of people we don’t want here?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 2, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Is it just me or is it strange that an independent, secular democracy cannot make simple decisions on who it wants to allow to
Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured last week in a scrum on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s self-styled ‘Freemen’ should not get off scot free

  • OTTAWA—Of all the groups that we can describe as extremist in nature, if not necessarily violent extremist, none can be as bizarre as the
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 19, 2018

Canada’s self-styled ‘Freemen’ should not get off scot free

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 19, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Of all the groups that we can describe as extremist in nature, if not necessarily violent extremist, none can be as bizarre as the

Canada’s self-styled ‘Freemen’ should not get off scot free

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 19, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Of all the groups that we can describe as extremist in nature, if not necessarily violent extremist, none can be as bizarre as the

Stop the politicization of terrorism

  • OTTAWA—Remember Willy Horton? No, not the former Detroit Tigers baseball player, the former convicted murderer. He became famous (infamous?) in 1987 when, after he
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 12, 2018
Former Conservative MP Diane Finley, centre, pictured in this file photo on the Hill with Conservative MP Rob Nicholson, told a parliamentary committee discussing a bill that would impose plain packaging for cigarettes that ‘contraband tobacco’ sales had financed the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center (the 1993 one, not 9/11), a claim which Phil Gurski says does not appear to be backed up by evidence. The Hill Times file photograph

Stop the politicization of terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 12, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Remember Willy Horton? No, not the former Detroit Tigers baseball player, the former convicted murderer. He became famous (infamous?) in 1987 when, after he

Stop the politicization of terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 12, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Remember Willy Horton? No, not the former Detroit Tigers baseball player, the former convicted murderer. He became famous (infamous?) in 1987 when, after he
Former Conservative MP Diane Finley, centre, pictured in this file photo on the Hill with Conservative MP Rob Nicholson, told a parliamentary committee discussing a bill that would impose plain packaging for cigarettes that ‘contraband tobacco’ sales had financed the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center (the 1993 one, not 9/11), a claim which Phil Gurski says does not appear to be backed up by evidence. The Hill Times file photograph

How hard can it be to make a workable no-fly list?

  • OTTAWA—In the 1997 movie Rocket Man (starring Canadian actor Harland Williams), a comedy about the first manned mission to Mars, there is a scene where a
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 5, 2018

How hard can it be to make a workable no-fly list?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 5, 2018
  • OTTAWA—In the 1997 movie Rocket Man (starring Canadian actor Harland Williams), a comedy about the first manned mission to Mars, there is a scene where a

How hard can it be to make a workable no-fly list?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 5, 2018
  • OTTAWA—In the 1997 movie Rocket Man (starring Canadian actor Harland Williams), a comedy about the first manned mission to Mars, there is a scene where a

CSE should be allowed to go on the offensive

  • OTTAWA—I still remember my first day at CSE. I had moved to Ottawa from London, Ont., where I had been interviewed by CSE representatives
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 26, 2018
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale is the political minister responsible for CSE. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

CSE should be allowed to go on the offensive

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 26, 2018
  • OTTAWA—I still remember my first day at CSE. I had moved to Ottawa from London, Ont., where I had been interviewed by CSE representatives

CSE should be allowed to go on the offensive

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 26, 2018
  • OTTAWA—I still remember my first day at CSE. I had moved to Ottawa from London, Ont., where I had been interviewed by CSE representatives
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale is the political minister responsible for CSE. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Canada-Trinidad terrorism link

  • OTTAWA—Every year, many Canadians flock to Trinidad and Tobago to escape the harsh winter climate. In addition, there are some 70,000 Canadians of Trinidadian
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 19, 2018
Canada's federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, pictured recently on Parliament Hill. Canada has to ensure that our immigration system has the resources and knowledge to identify and keep bad actors out, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The Canada-Trinidad terrorism link

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 19, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Every year, many Canadians flock to Trinidad and Tobago to escape the harsh winter climate. In addition, there are some 70,000 Canadians of Trinidadian

The Canada-Trinidad terrorism link

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 19, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Every year, many Canadians flock to Trinidad and Tobago to escape the harsh winter climate. In addition, there are some 70,000 Canadians of Trinidadian
Canada's federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, pictured recently on Parliament Hill. Canada has to ensure that our immigration system has the resources and knowledge to identify and keep bad actors out, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A rare look at the terrorist threat to Canada thanks to CSIS

  • OTTAWA—We get a peek at what security intelligence services do all too rarely in this country. In contrast, the recent leaking of an FBI
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 12, 2018
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently on the Hill, is the federal political minister responsible for CSIS. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A rare look at the terrorist threat to Canada thanks to CSIS

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 12, 2018
  • OTTAWA—We get a peek at what security intelligence services do all too rarely in this country. In contrast, the recent leaking of an FBI

A rare look at the terrorist threat to Canada thanks to CSIS

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 12, 2018
  • OTTAWA—We get a peek at what security intelligence services do all too rarely in this country. In contrast, the recent leaking of an FBI
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently on the Hill, is the federal political minister responsible for CSIS. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Fine line between hate and terrorism: murder is murder

  • OTTAWA—We in Canada have, thankfully, few dates that will ‘live in infamy’ to cite former U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt in the wake of
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 5, 2018
Air India 182 memorial in Toronto. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia

Fine line between hate and terrorism: murder is murder

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 5, 2018
  • OTTAWA—We in Canada have, thankfully, few dates that will ‘live in infamy’ to cite former U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt in the wake of

Fine line between hate and terrorism: murder is murder

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 5, 2018
  • OTTAWA—We in Canada have, thankfully, few dates that will ‘live in infamy’ to cite former U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt in the wake of
Air India 182 memorial in Toronto. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia

On the link between immigration and terrorism

  • OTTAWA—Canada is a nation of immigrants, of that there is no question. Our historical openness to those around the world has made us the
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 29, 2018
Canada's federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, pictured last month on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On the link between immigration and terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 29, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Canada is a nation of immigrants, of that there is no question. Our historical openness to those around the world has made us the

On the link between immigration and terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 29, 2018
  • OTTAWA—Canada is a nation of immigrants, of that there is no question. Our historical openness to those around the world has made us the
Canada's federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, pictured last month on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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