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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

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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Why isn’t there a Rorschach test for terrorism?

  • OTTAWA—You all know what a Rorschach ink blot test is. Invented back in 1917 by a Swiss psychiatrist working on his own in an
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 1, 2017
The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which the person's perception of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both. Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Why isn’t there a Rorschach test for terrorism?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 1, 2017
  • OTTAWA—You all know what a Rorschach ink blot test is. Invented back in 1917 by a Swiss psychiatrist working on his own in an

Why isn’t there a Rorschach test for terrorism?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | May 1, 2017
  • OTTAWA—You all know what a Rorschach ink blot test is. Invented back in 1917 by a Swiss psychiatrist working on his own in an
The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which the person's perception of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both. Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Can we please stop lionizing terrorists and extremists?

  • OTTAWA—Now that the recommendations of the Iacobucci Commission in Canada have finally been implemented and three Canadians who claim to have been tortured in
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 24, 2017
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured in a Hill scrum. CSIS and the RCMP don’t have the luxury of time or resources to waste on non-threats, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Can we please stop lionizing terrorists and extremists?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 24, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Now that the recommendations of the Iacobucci Commission in Canada have finally been implemented and three Canadians who claim to have been tortured in

Can we please stop lionizing terrorists and extremists?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 24, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Now that the recommendations of the Iacobucci Commission in Canada have finally been implemented and three Canadians who claim to have been tortured in
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured in a Hill scrum. CSIS and the RCMP don’t have the luxury of time or resources to waste on non-threats, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Do immigrants and asylum-seekers pose a terrorist threat?

  • The news coming out of Stockholm is all too familiar these days. A man stole a beer truck and drove it down a popular
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 12, 2017
A mourner places flowers at a memorial for the four people killed in Stockholm, Sweden last week when an attacker rammed them in a stolen truck while they were in a pedestrian mall. Photograph courtesy of Frankie Fouganthin

Do immigrants and asylum-seekers pose a terrorist threat?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 12, 2017
  • The news coming out of Stockholm is all too familiar these days. A man stole a beer truck and drove it down a popular

Do immigrants and asylum-seekers pose a terrorist threat?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 12, 2017
  • The news coming out of Stockholm is all too familiar these days. A man stole a beer truck and drove it down a popular
A mourner places flowers at a memorial for the four people killed in Stockholm, Sweden last week when an attacker rammed them in a stolen truck while they were in a pedestrian mall. Photograph courtesy of Frankie Fouganthin

Trains, plane and automobiles, and terrorism

  • OTTAWA—Terrorism is sure getting complicated. The good old days, if I may call them that, were easy by comparison. Terrorists were easy to spot
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 10, 2017
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently in a scrum on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Trains, plane and automobiles, and terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 10, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Terrorism is sure getting complicated. The good old days, if I may call them that, were easy by comparison. Terrorists were easy to spot

Trains, plane and automobiles, and terrorism

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 10, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Terrorism is sure getting complicated. The good old days, if I may call them that, were easy by comparison. Terrorists were easy to spot
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured recently in a scrum on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

There are many outstanding questions after Toronto man charged with leaving Canada to join terrorist group

  • The RCMP announced yesterday that they have arrested Pamir Hakimzadah, and charged him with leaving Canada to join the Islamic State, terrorism-related charges. This
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 6, 2017
A file photo of the RCMP, which arrested Pamir Hakimzadah on Wednesday under terrorism-related charges. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

There are many outstanding questions after Toronto man charged with leaving Canada to join terrorist group

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 6, 2017
  • The RCMP announced yesterday that they have arrested Pamir Hakimzadah, and charged him with leaving Canada to join the Islamic State, terrorism-related charges. This

There are many outstanding questions after Toronto man charged with leaving Canada to join terrorist group

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 6, 2017
  • The RCMP announced yesterday that they have arrested Pamir Hakimzadah, and charged him with leaving Canada to join the Islamic State, terrorism-related charges. This
A file photo of the RCMP, which arrested Pamir Hakimzadah on Wednesday under terrorism-related charges. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

‘Couch jihadis’ aren’t always terrorists in waiting

  • Some potentially disturbing news on the terrorism front came out the other day in Canada. According to reports, employees at Pierre Elliot Trudeau airport
News | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 5, 2017
Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport. Flickr photo by Abdallah H

‘Couch jihadis’ aren’t always terrorists in waiting

News | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 5, 2017
  • Some potentially disturbing news on the terrorism front came out the other day in Canada. According to reports, employees at Pierre Elliot Trudeau airport

‘Couch jihadis’ aren’t always terrorists in waiting

News | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 5, 2017
  • Some potentially disturbing news on the terrorism front came out the other day in Canada. According to reports, employees at Pierre Elliot Trudeau airport
Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport. Flickr photo by Abdallah H

When terrorists become statesmen

  • OTTAWA—I see that Martin McGuinness died the other day. McGuinness was an Irish republican, a member of the Sinn Fein political party and, until
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 3, 2017
Martin McGuinness was an Irish republican, a member of the Sinn Fein political party and, until he left politics, in part, because he was stricken with cancer, the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland from 2007 to early 2017. He was also, according to some, a terrorist. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia

When terrorists become statesmen

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 3, 2017
  • OTTAWA—I see that Martin McGuinness died the other day. McGuinness was an Irish republican, a member of the Sinn Fein political party and, until

When terrorists become statesmen

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | April 3, 2017
  • OTTAWA—I see that Martin McGuinness died the other day. McGuinness was an Irish republican, a member of the Sinn Fein political party and, until
Martin McGuinness was an Irish republican, a member of the Sinn Fein political party and, until he left politics, in part, because he was stricken with cancer, the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland from 2007 to early 2017. He was also, according to some, a terrorist. Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia

Jumping the gun on terrorism, again

  • OTTAWA—I know that in a world of 24/7 news and intense competition to be first with a breaking story that time is of the
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 29, 2017
Reporters scrum Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale last year. Reporters and analysts engaged in 'instant analysis' is worrisome because a story at the outset may not be the whole picture, suggests Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Jumping the gun on terrorism, again

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 29, 2017
  • OTTAWA—I know that in a world of 24/7 news and intense competition to be first with a breaking story that time is of the

Jumping the gun on terrorism, again

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 29, 2017
  • OTTAWA—I know that in a world of 24/7 news and intense competition to be first with a breaking story that time is of the
Reporters scrum Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale last year. Reporters and analysts engaged in 'instant analysis' is worrisome because a story at the outset may not be the whole picture, suggests Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Preliminary thoughts on the London attacks

  • OTTAWA—Residents of London have undergone yet another terrorist attack. The nation that survived countless IRA attacks and threats in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s,
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 27, 2017
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured in this file photo on the Hill. In the immediate aftermath of this loss of life, perspective is important. Yes, this is a tragic event and lessons will be learned, but terrorism remains a rare event in the West. We need to emulate the British 'stiff upper lip' and more of 'keep calm and carry on,' writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Preliminary thoughts on the London attacks

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 27, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Residents of London have undergone yet another terrorist attack. The nation that survived countless IRA attacks and threats in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s,

Preliminary thoughts on the London attacks

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 27, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Residents of London have undergone yet another terrorist attack. The nation that survived countless IRA attacks and threats in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s,
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured in this file photo on the Hill. In the immediate aftermath of this loss of life, perspective is important. Yes, this is a tragic event and lessons will be learned, but terrorism remains a rare event in the West. We need to emulate the British 'stiff upper lip' and more of 'keep calm and carry on,' writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Mr. Big tactic should be allowed, especially in terrorism cases

  • OTTAWA—In a democracy that prides itself on the rule of law, no one in Canada is above the law, even—and especially—those charged with enforcing
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 20, 2017
The Supreme Court of Canada declared its discomfort with the tactic in rulings issued in 2014. The court stated that the Mr. Big approach could be used, albeit carefully, and that the alleged criminal cannot be put in a position where he feels that he is coerced or fearful of serious physical harm should he not give Mr. Big the response he wants, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Mr. Big tactic should be allowed, especially in terrorism cases

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 20, 2017
  • OTTAWA—In a democracy that prides itself on the rule of law, no one in Canada is above the law, even—and especially—those charged with enforcing

Mr. Big tactic should be allowed, especially in terrorism cases

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 20, 2017
  • OTTAWA—In a democracy that prides itself on the rule of law, no one in Canada is above the law, even—and especially—those charged with enforcing
The Supreme Court of Canada declared its discomfort with the tactic in rulings issued in 2014. The court stated that the Mr. Big approach could be used, albeit carefully, and that the alleged criminal cannot be put in a position where he feels that he is coerced or fearful of serious physical harm should he not give Mr. Big the response he wants, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Is Canada soft on terrorism? Nope

  • OTTAWA—If there is one myth in the ever-increasing world of “alternative facts” (i.e. lies) that has otherworldly strength and perseverance it is the whopper
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 6, 2017
Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured in a Hill scrum. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Is Canada soft on terrorism? Nope

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 6, 2017
  • OTTAWA—If there is one myth in the ever-increasing world of “alternative facts” (i.e. lies) that has otherworldly strength and perseverance it is the whopper

Is Canada soft on terrorism? Nope

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | March 6, 2017
  • OTTAWA—If there is one myth in the ever-increasing world of “alternative facts” (i.e. lies) that has otherworldly strength and perseverance it is the whopper
Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured in a Hill scrum. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Guantanamo: America’s ongoing colossal error

  • I think we can all agree—well except maybe some in the new Trump administration—that the US decision to use the Guantanamo Naval Base in
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 27, 2017
The entrance to Camp One in Guantanamo Bay's Camp Delta. Author Phil Gurski argues that the prison was a colossal PR error, and that the U.S. should have put those suspected of engaging in terrorism on trial in the U.S., allowing the weight of a Western judicial system to bear on their cases. The Hill Times photograph courtesy of Kathleen T. Rhem

Guantanamo: America’s ongoing colossal error

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 27, 2017
  • I think we can all agree—well except maybe some in the new Trump administration—that the US decision to use the Guantanamo Naval Base in

Guantanamo: America’s ongoing colossal error

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 27, 2017
  • I think we can all agree—well except maybe some in the new Trump administration—that the US decision to use the Guantanamo Naval Base in
The entrance to Camp One in Guantanamo Bay's Camp Delta. Author Phil Gurski argues that the prison was a colossal PR error, and that the U.S. should have put those suspected of engaging in terrorism on trial in the U.S., allowing the weight of a Western judicial system to bear on their cases. The Hill Times photograph courtesy of Kathleen T. Rhem

What did we learn about Canada in the wake of the Quebec massacre?

  • OTTAWA—It has now been a few weeks since Alexandre Bissonnette walked into the Islamic Cultural Centre in Québec City armed to the teeth and
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 20, 2017

What did we learn about Canada in the wake of the Quebec massacre?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 20, 2017
  • OTTAWA—It has now been a few weeks since Alexandre Bissonnette walked into the Islamic Cultural Centre in Québec City armed to the teeth and

What did we learn about Canada in the wake of the Quebec massacre?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 20, 2017
  • OTTAWA—It has now been a few weeks since Alexandre Bissonnette walked into the Islamic Cultural Centre in Québec City armed to the teeth and

Why wasn’t Alexandre Bissonnette being monitored? Another ‘intelligence failure’?

  • OTTAWA—Here we go again. The fact that Alexandre Bissonnette was able to get a gun, walk into a mosque, slaughter innocent people, and not
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 6, 2017

Why wasn’t Alexandre Bissonnette being monitored? Another ‘intelligence failure’?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 6, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Here we go again. The fact that Alexandre Bissonnette was able to get a gun, walk into a mosque, slaughter innocent people, and not

Why wasn’t Alexandre Bissonnette being monitored? Another ‘intelligence failure’?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 6, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Here we go again. The fact that Alexandre Bissonnette was able to get a gun, walk into a mosque, slaughter innocent people, and not

Jumping the gun to label an act as ‘terrorism’ serves no useful purpose

  • I feel for politicians and public leaders—sometimes.  True, they do come out with some stupid things on occasion, but I want to give them
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 1, 2017
Messages of hope at a vigil on Parliament Hill on January 30, remembering and paying respects to the victims of the Quebec mosque shooting, which took place on Sunday. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Jumping the gun to label an act as ‘terrorism’ serves no useful purpose

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 1, 2017
  • I feel for politicians and public leaders—sometimes.  True, they do come out with some stupid things on occasion, but I want to give them

Jumping the gun to label an act as ‘terrorism’ serves no useful purpose

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | February 1, 2017
  • I feel for politicians and public leaders—sometimes.  True, they do come out with some stupid things on occasion, but I want to give them
Messages of hope at a vigil on Parliament Hill on January 30, remembering and paying respects to the victims of the Quebec mosque shooting, which took place on Sunday. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Does ‘institutionalized exclusion’ lead to radicalization?

  • OTTAWA—Quebec is a very interesting province for many reasons, not least of which is the tremendous change in the role of religion over time.
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 30, 2017
On Oct. 20, 2014, a Muslim convert ran over two members of the Canadian Armed Forces outside Montreal, killing Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, pictured. The creation of the Montreal-based Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence was affected in part in response to concerns over this phenomenon in the province.Terrorism is a small, but real, phenomenon in Quebec, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of Department of National Defence

Does ‘institutionalized exclusion’ lead to radicalization?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 30, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Quebec is a very interesting province for many reasons, not least of which is the tremendous change in the role of religion over time.

Does ‘institutionalized exclusion’ lead to radicalization?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 30, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Quebec is a very interesting province for many reasons, not least of which is the tremendous change in the role of religion over time.
On Oct. 20, 2014, a Muslim convert ran over two members of the Canadian Armed Forces outside Montreal, killing Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, pictured. The creation of the Montreal-based Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence was affected in part in response to concerns over this phenomenon in the province.Terrorism is a small, but real, phenomenon in Quebec, writes Phil Gurski. Photograph courtesy of Department of National Defence

Should we ‘ban’ Salafism?

  • OTTAWA—What causes terrorism? Lots of things, and that is why it is so hard to stop. We can identify, and have identified, the behaviours
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 23, 2017

Should we ‘ban’ Salafism?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 23, 2017
  • OTTAWA—What causes terrorism? Lots of things, and that is why it is so hard to stop. We can identify, and have identified, the behaviours

Should we ‘ban’ Salafism?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 23, 2017
  • OTTAWA—What causes terrorism? Lots of things, and that is why it is so hard to stop. We can identify, and have identified, the behaviours

Irredeemable terrorists create difficult dilemma

  • OTTAWA—The debate over what to do with terrorists is never-ending. Positions range from one extreme to another, from “kill them all”  to “maybe it’s
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 16, 2017
The scene after Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was shot and killed while standing guard at the National War Memorial on Oct. 22, 2014. The Hill Times photograph by Mark Burgess

Irredeemable terrorists create difficult dilemma

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 16, 2017
  • OTTAWA—The debate over what to do with terrorists is never-ending. Positions range from one extreme to another, from “kill them all”  to “maybe it’s

Irredeemable terrorists create difficult dilemma

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 16, 2017
  • OTTAWA—The debate over what to do with terrorists is never-ending. Positions range from one extreme to another, from “kill them all”  to “maybe it’s
The scene after Cpl. Nathan Cirillo was shot and killed while standing guard at the National War Memorial on Oct. 22, 2014. The Hill Times photograph by Mark Burgess

What terrorist threats will 2017 bring us?

  • OTTAWA—I am a glass half-full kind of guy, someone who seeks to find the positive in life. I am an optimist tinged with realism.
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 9, 2017
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured in this file photo in a scrum on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Should we react in unhelpful manners, we essentially hand victory to the extremists, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

What terrorist threats will 2017 bring us?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 9, 2017
  • OTTAWA—I am a glass half-full kind of guy, someone who seeks to find the positive in life. I am an optimist tinged with realism.

What terrorist threats will 2017 bring us?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 9, 2017
  • OTTAWA—I am a glass half-full kind of guy, someone who seeks to find the positive in life. I am an optimist tinged with realism.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, pictured in this file photo in a scrum on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Should we react in unhelpful manners, we essentially hand victory to the extremists, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

How do you solve a problem like IS defectors?

  • Years ago when I first joined the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, there was a veteran counter-terrorism guy, whom I’ll call ‘Mike’ in this article.
Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 3, 2017
A screenshot of an ISIS propaganda video showing Canadian John Maguire, a radicalized Canadian who supported the terrorist group, and who went by the name Abu Anwar al-Canadi. Maguire was actively calling for lone-wolf attacks on Canadian soil, before reportedly being killed near Kobani in early 2015.

How do you solve a problem like IS defectors?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 3, 2017
  • Years ago when I first joined the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, there was a veteran counter-terrorism guy, whom I’ll call ‘Mike’ in this article.

How do you solve a problem like IS defectors?

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | January 3, 2017
  • Years ago when I first joined the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, there was a veteran counter-terrorism guy, whom I’ll call ‘Mike’ in this article.
A screenshot of an ISIS propaganda video showing Canadian John Maguire, a radicalized Canadian who supported the terrorist group, and who went by the name Abu Anwar al-Canadi. Maguire was actively calling for lone-wolf attacks on Canadian soil, before reportedly being killed near Kobani in early 2015.

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