Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Canada’s Politics and Government News Source Since 1989

BCCLA case shows how ignorant Canadians really are about CSIS

CSIS is legislatively mandated to investigate threats to the security of Canada, defined under Sec. 2 of the CSIS Act, by the powers granted under Sec. 12. One of these threats is politically motivated violence. Is it possible that some of the opposition to the Northern Gateway pipeline could have turned to violence? Absolutely, ergo CSIS did what we ask of it.

Protesters, pictured in Ottawa on Jan. 8, 2018, out in solidarity with Indigenous peoples who had been arrested at Wet’suwet’en camp in British Columbia. Canadians need to appreciate that CSIS acts as an 'early warning system' on threats to national security and public safety. It has a lower threshold of investigative power than law enforcement does. It collects intelligence, not evidence, and does so to keep up on what may morph into real threats to Canada. Everything it did in looking into the Northern Gateway protest movement was not only allowed, it was required, writes Phil Gurski. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Opinion
BY PHIL GURSKI
July 22, 2019

Opinion | BY PHIL GURSKI | July 22, 2019

FOLLOW THE HILL TIMES:

Want to make sure your whole office has the full Hill Times experience?

We have team plans available for companies, organizations, classes, Parliament Hill offices and more. Fill out this form and find out if your team is eligible for a discount.

More Opinion

Federal major projects office ‘should not take the place of proper consultation with First Nations,’ says AFN national chief

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Environment groups want ‘national interest’ defined in Liberals’ One Economy law

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

The government needs to have a 'national conversation' about what it means to have a project meet Bill C-5's criteria, says Anna Johnston, a staff lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law.

Environment groups want ‘national interest’ defined in Liberals’ One Economy law

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

The government needs to have a 'national conversation' about what it means to have a project meet Bill C-5's criteria, says Anna Johnston, a staff lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law.

BCCLA case shows how ignorant Canadians really are about CSIS

Is the CAF past the point of no return?

It’s time to end Canada’s control over First Nations identity

What good is a social safety net that doesn’t catch you?

Long live the Dalai Lama

Will the NDP emulate New York City’s Mamdani?

Q&A | Trade talks with a ‘revisionist power’ where leverage is everything

Parliamentarians celebrate Fourth of July at Lornado amid trade war, annexation threats

U.S. envoy Hoekstra opens his Ottawa home for July 4 festivities

Chinese boats get feds in hot water

Federal major projects office ‘should not take the place of proper consultation with First Nations,’ says AFN national chief

Environment groups want ‘national interest’ defined in Liberals’ One Economy law

Environment groups want ‘national interest’ defined in Liberals’ One Economy law

News

Get free news updates

Opinion

Submit a guest opinion article

resources

Follow us

Advertise

subscribe

get help

Get free news updates

Submit a guest opinion article

BCCLA case shows how ignorant Canadians really are about CSIS

Get The Foreign Policy Newsletter