Tag: terrorism

Harper versus Nicholson: Advise, assist — and accompany — in Iraq

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A member of the Force Protection team participates in a weapons handling drill in Kuwait, during Operation IMPACT on January 18, 2015. (Photo: OP Impact, DND)

During Question Period in the House of Commons on Sept. 30, Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair wanted some precision from Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the extent of the mission of Canadian Forces Special Operations Forces (CF SOF) who would be on the ground in northern Iraq.

Speaking in French, Mulcair asked: ” Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said that the rules of engagement are to advise and assist the Iraqis, but the question is, assist them how? For instance, are Canadian soldiers currently going on patrols with Iraqis or Kurds?” (This English translation I’m using here is the one that is published in Hansard, FYI)

The Prime Minister began his reply in French — “Mr. Speaker, I said ‘advise and assist the Iraqis’ ” — but then he switched to his first language, English, to finish the answer.  The emphasis here is mine: “If I could just use the terminology in English, it is quite precise. It is to advise and to assist. It is not to accompany. I think that was laid out before the parliamentary committee.” Continue reading Harper versus Nicholson: Advise, assist — and accompany — in Iraq

Harper's new national security advisor on the threat of terrorism

Richard Fadden

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper named Richard Fadden as his new National Security Advisor, a job which, you might have guessed, is both important and influential in that you end up talking to the prime minister of a G8 country likely every day, if not more often, about, well, national security.

On Wednesday, of course, terrorists killed 12 journalists and policemen in Paris.

Later this year, we will have an election where national security and our collective response to the world’s terrorists may be an issue. I try to connect all three of those dots in a column offered up for publication in our newspapers tomorrow. [You can read it now here].
That column draws heavily on a speech Fadden — whose bio is worth reviewing — gave in 2009 just after he was appointed head of CSIS. Newspaper will only give me 625 words worth of space so I was only able to impart a small bit of what Fadden said back then. I encourage you to read all of what he said in 2009 and can report that, in my discussions with current and former Harper insiders, Fadden’s 2009 thinking would be very much in keeping with the prime minister’s thinking right now in 2015.

I’m told, though I am unlikely to be able to confirm this with Fadden himself, that he pretty much wrote this himself and rather than offer it to PCO higher-ups where the “good bits” would likely be gutted, he just went and gave the speech. The source for these remarks is here [PDF]: Continue reading Harper's new national security advisor on the threat of terrorism

What are you scared of? Canadians polled on security threats

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CFB PETAWAWA, Ont. – A graduating student of the 2014 Patrol Pathfinder course holds a position as a CH-147F Chinook helicopter departs Garrison Petawawa on November 10, 2014. (Cpl Mark Schombs, 4 CDSB Petawawa Imaging)

Ipsos Reid polled citizens of 26 countries about security threats and released the results at the Halifax security conference on this weekend. Here’s the Canada-only results from that poll: Continue reading What are you scared of? Canadians polled on security threats

On key terrorism question, Trudeau stands with Harper, RCMP; Mulcair does not

Justin Trudea

Were last weeks attacks in Quebec and on Parliament Hill acts of terrorism? The government was quick to label them as such. Today, after their first caucus meetings since last Wednesday’s Parliament Hill shooting, both NDP leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau were asked this question. Both had different answers.

Here’s Thomas Mulcair: Continue reading On key terrorism question, Trudeau stands with Harper, RCMP; Mulcair does not

Israel ambassador says Ottawa City Hall art show "glorifies terror"

The current exhibition at the Karsh-Masson Gallery at City of Ottawa features an exhibit by Palestinian-born artist Rehab Nazzal. The exhibit has been strongly condemned by Rafael Barak, Israel’s Ambassador to Canada. [An article at  MuslimLink profiles Nazzal and the exhibition] Here is the press release issued this morning by the Embassy of Israel:

Exhibit at Ottawa City Hall Glorifies Terror

Ottawa, Canada – May 23, 2014: An exhibit at Ottawa’s City Hall Karsh-Masson Art Gallery reflects a culture of hate and incitement that contradicts the values of Canada as a guardian of peace and champion against terror. Although the exhibit claims to present “portraits of lost artists, activists, writers and leaders,” this deceitful description is cover for what is a “who’s who” of international terrorists: suicide bombers, masterminds of massacres, terrorist operatives and the hijackers of planes, buses, and schools. Many of those glorified are individuals connected to organizations that appear on Canada’s official list of terrorist entities. Continue reading Israel ambassador says Ottawa City Hall art show "glorifies terror"

An "acceptable decision" to hang a terrorist in India

Outside Chabad House
MUMBAI, India – The bullet holes from shots fired by terrorists who tortured and murdered the occupants of the Jewish community centre in November, 2008 could still be seen outside the centre when Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Laureen visited the site a year later. (DAVID AKIN)

On November 26, 2008, Islamist terrorists landed in small dinghies on the shores of Mumbai, India and, over the next three days killed 164 and wounded 308.

Most of the attackers were killed by the police and army in fierce battles.

On Wednesday, at 7:30 a.m. local time, Indian authorities hanged the lone survivor of  the terrorist squads that attacked Mumbai. Continue reading An "acceptable decision" to hang a terrorist in India

Khadr's no threat, his U.S. army lawyer says

U.S. Army Lt. Col Jon Jackson is the court-appointed defender for convicted Canadian terrorist Omar Khadr. Jackson was in Ottawa Thursday and we asked him about Khadr, his state of mind, and Jackson’s assessment of how Canadians should think about him.

Continue reading Khadr's no threat, his U.S. army lawyer says

Irwin Cotler: Legislation Rushed is Justice Denied

From Liberal MP Irwin Cotler:

While much has been written about the Conservative government’s omnibus
crime bill, C-10, little attention has been paid to one of its nine
constituent bills, the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, landmark
legislation that would allow – for the first time – Canadian victims of
terror to sue their terrorist perpetrators in Canadian courts.
I supported this legislation and had even proposed something similar in a
Private Member’s Bill during a previous Parliament. Regrettably, the
Government’s legislation was flawed Continue reading Irwin Cotler: Legislation Rushed is Justice Denied