For Canadians, the recent revelations regarding the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) must feel like a series of blows to the gut. First, they grappled with the harrowing reality of the CSIS’s toxic work environment for women, where rape and sexual assault thrived in the shadows. Now, they must confront the chilling truth of their own intelligence service operating outside the law, engaging in criminal activities under the guise of national security.
A secret memo obtained by CBC News reveals a disturbing trend within Canada’s intelligence community: a rising number of spies authorized to break the law. This glimpse into the murky world of clandestine operations raises serious questions about government transparency, accountability, and the potential for abuse.
According to an internal memorandum, the number of Canadian spies with permission to break the law is rising. The memo, marked secret, provides a glimpse into a murky world of how operatives can ignore normal rules with prior approval.
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Under current legislation, people working with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) who are “acting in good faith” can obtain “limited justification” to “commit acts or omissions that would otherwise constitute offences,” said a memorandum to Canada’s public safety minister. That limited justification can be granted to agents, contractors or intelligence assets, legal analysts said.
These otherwise-illegal activities “may be committed, or directed to be committed, as part of the Service’s information and intelligence collection duties and functions,” said the November 2022 memo obtained under access to information legislation.
The memo was requesting sign-off for a new crop of spies.
Though data on the number of agents allowed to commit crimes was redacted from these records, the memo said the number of people with this special clearance is rising. The reason for the increase was redacted.
This blatant disregard for ethical and legal boundaries paints a deeply disturbing picture of corruption at the heart of an institution entrusted with safeguarding our nation. The question now resonating across the country is clear: can we truly trust an organization so deeply flawed?
The records come at a tense time for the intelligence agency. There have been recent allegations from Canada’s prime minister that Indian government agents killed a prominent Sikh separatist in Vancouver; debates over foreign election interference; and concerns over how CSIS gathers information on opponents of large energy projects.
Meanwhile, the hard truth about CSIS, which has become a hell for women has also come to the fore. Reports of a “toxic workplace culture,” including allegations of “sexual assault” and “harassment,” have raised alarms about the safety of female employees and the overall organization’s environment. These concerns surfaced after officers from CSIS in British Columbia expressed worries about the troubling workplace culture.
Alarming details have emerged regarding the experiences of some CSIS officers, alleging multiple instances of sexual assault by a senior colleague. These incidents allegedly occurred during surveillance activities, with one officer reporting being raped nine times by the said colleague in surveillance vehicles.
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The Canadian intelligence agency now stands exposed. The revelations of a rising number of agents authorized to break the law – a license to operate beyond the bounds of morality and legality – paint a chilling picture of an institution wielding unchecked power. The whispers of sexual assault and a toxic work environment for women further erode public trust, leaving a gaping wound at the heart of an organization entrusted with safeguarding the nation.
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