Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Canada turfed out more spies to the U.S. than elsewhere
OTTAWA—New figures show Canada has turfed out five spies in the past decade from a surprising source country — its best friend and ally, the United States.
From 2004 to 2014 Ottawa sent back to the U.S. five of a total of 21 of those barred from Canada “on security grounds for engaging in an act of espionage that is against Canada or that is contrary to Canada’s interests,” according to a document produced by Canada Border Services Agency.
It’s not clear whether the espionage was by foreign government agents or whether it was industrial espionage — that is, spying to obtain state secrets or spying that targeted intellectual property or corporate secrets.
A document released under the Access to Information law shows the suspected spies were permanent residents or foreign nationals deemed inadmissible on security grounds, but does not break down them down by citizenship. Rather, it indicates the country to which the spies were sent back to.
Still, the fact that the U.S. is the origin of the most espionage cases is surprising, especially given the emphasis put by federal politicians — including two former CSIS directors, one of whom is now national security advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper — on China as a suspected source of espionage.
The U.S. actually tops this list, followed by China, India and Sweden with two expulsions each in 10 years.
The only two ousters of suspected spies to China are listed in 2014, with no earlier expulsion for the nine years prior.
The U.S. actually tops this list, followed by China, India and Sweden with two expulsions each in 10 years.
The only two ousters of suspected spies to China are listed in 2014, with no earlier expulsion for the nine years prior.
Russia accounts for just one expulsion — in 2004 — in the decade covered by the search.
In a joint project, the Toronto Star and La Presse sought further information from CBSA, the U.S. embassy, former American ambassadors, former diplomats, and Canadian officials, but none shed any light on the specifics of any case.
Wendy Atkin, a media spokesperson for Canada’s border agency, declined to provide any details on specific cases but in a written statement clarified that Canada may not have been the sole target of the espionage.
The Canadian government acts to declare someone inadmissible on security grounds in cases where the espionage is targeting not just Canada, but its allies like the United States, in which case it is deemed contrary to Canada’s interests, Atkin said.
Spies were sent back to the United States during the previous Republican administration of then-president George W. Bush as well as under the current Democrat Administration of President Barack Obama. Evictions were ordered under the governments of then-Liberal prime minister Paul Martin and Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
“We have long been concerned with espionage,” CSIS director Michel Coulombe told a Senate committee last month.
“Our industrial capabilities, rich natural resources and access to key allies make Canada an attractive target for hostile actors. What is new, however, is the sheer breadth of today’s targets and the use of cyber attacks, which are efficient, cost-effective and most importantly, deniable, providing anonymity for their perpetrators.”
“Canada’s economic and strategic interests and assets are also susceptible to the threat of espionage, interference and the transfer of technologies. Corporate acquisitions by foreign entities, particularly when state-owned, can also pose risks, and CSIS provides advice to the government in such cases in accordance with the CSIS Act.”
Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former senior CSIS intelligence manager and now head of the Northgate Group, said to many Canadians “these figures will hit like a sledgehammer in the forehead. People do not expect that our neighbours spying on us. These are our friends, our friends; they can not do that.”
However, Juneau-Katsuya recalled that in his time at CSIS, from 1984-2000, the agency identified three or four American spies active on Canadian soil. “FBI or CIA who had come to do operations here but without the Canadian government’s consent,” he said in an interview.
“The problem when we speak of Americans, it’s that they are also our close allies,” he said. He suggested that Canadian businesses, executives and politicians do not have their guard up when approached by Americans in the way as when approached by a Russian or Chinese national.
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http://m.thestar.com/#/article/news...-out-more-spies-to-the-us-than-elsewhere.html
Canada turfed out more spies to the U.S. than elsewhere
OTTAWA—New figures show Canada has turfed out five spies in the past decade from a surprising source country — its best friend and ally, the United States.
From 2004 to 2014 Ottawa sent back to the U.S. five of a total of 21 of those barred from Canada “on security grounds for engaging in an act of espionage that is against Canada or that is contrary to Canada’s interests,” according to a document produced by Canada Border Services Agency.
It’s not clear whether the espionage was by foreign government agents or whether it was industrial espionage — that is, spying to obtain state secrets or spying that targeted intellectual property or corporate secrets.
A document released under the Access to Information law shows the suspected spies were permanent residents or foreign nationals deemed inadmissible on security grounds, but does not break down them down by citizenship. Rather, it indicates the country to which the spies were sent back to.
Still, the fact that the U.S. is the origin of the most espionage cases is surprising, especially given the emphasis put by federal politicians — including two former CSIS directors, one of whom is now national security advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper — on China as a suspected source of espionage.
The U.S. actually tops this list, followed by China, India and Sweden with two expulsions each in 10 years.
The only two ousters of suspected spies to China are listed in 2014, with no earlier expulsion for the nine years prior.
The U.S. actually tops this list, followed by China, India and Sweden with two expulsions each in 10 years.
The only two ousters of suspected spies to China are listed in 2014, with no earlier expulsion for the nine years prior.
Russia accounts for just one expulsion — in 2004 — in the decade covered by the search.
In a joint project, the Toronto Star and La Presse sought further information from CBSA, the U.S. embassy, former American ambassadors, former diplomats, and Canadian officials, but none shed any light on the specifics of any case.
Wendy Atkin, a media spokesperson for Canada’s border agency, declined to provide any details on specific cases but in a written statement clarified that Canada may not have been the sole target of the espionage.
The Canadian government acts to declare someone inadmissible on security grounds in cases where the espionage is targeting not just Canada, but its allies like the United States, in which case it is deemed contrary to Canada’s interests, Atkin said.
Spies were sent back to the United States during the previous Republican administration of then-president George W. Bush as well as under the current Democrat Administration of President Barack Obama. Evictions were ordered under the governments of then-Liberal prime minister Paul Martin and Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
“We have long been concerned with espionage,” CSIS director Michel Coulombe told a Senate committee last month.
“Our industrial capabilities, rich natural resources and access to key allies make Canada an attractive target for hostile actors. What is new, however, is the sheer breadth of today’s targets and the use of cyber attacks, which are efficient, cost-effective and most importantly, deniable, providing anonymity for their perpetrators.”
“Canada’s economic and strategic interests and assets are also susceptible to the threat of espionage, interference and the transfer of technologies. Corporate acquisitions by foreign entities, particularly when state-owned, can also pose risks, and CSIS provides advice to the government in such cases in accordance with the CSIS Act.”
Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former senior CSIS intelligence manager and now head of the Northgate Group, said to many Canadians “these figures will hit like a sledgehammer in the forehead. People do not expect that our neighbours spying on us. These are our friends, our friends; they can not do that.”
However, Juneau-Katsuya recalled that in his time at CSIS, from 1984-2000, the agency identified three or four American spies active on Canadian soil. “FBI or CIA who had come to do operations here but without the Canadian government’s consent,” he said in an interview.
“The problem when we speak of Americans, it’s that they are also our close allies,” he said. He suggested that Canadian businesses, executives and politicians do not have their guard up when approached by Americans in the way as when approached by a Russian or Chinese national.
...more...
http://m.thestar.com/#/article/news...-out-more-spies-to-the-us-than-elsewhere.html
