Shows
Secure LineNat Sec Fight ClubIn the final episode of Season 1, Jessica Davis and Stephanie Carvin dive into what Canada’s new government should prioritize when it comes to national security and intelligence. From long-overdue RCMP reform to the growing threat of extremist violence, they lay out a transition binder’s worth of ideas—some controversial, all necessary.They debate whether violent extremism deserves top billing, why RCMP structure still fails national security needs, and how Canada’s intelligence collection and sharing strategies need to evolve—especially as U.S. cooperation becomes less certain. They make the case for a separate Canadian foreign in...2025-05-2038 minSecure LineThe Election EpisodeThis week on Secure Line, Jess and Steph tackle the election head-on — with a deep dive into how national security is (and isn’t) showing up in the party platforms. From defense to disinformation, foreign interference to financial crime, and economic resilience to hate-motivated violence, we sift through what the political parties are promising Canadians on the security front. Spoiler: the consensus across platforms might just be “do the job better.”We break it all down in four key areas: extremism and domestic threats, espionage and economic security, disinformation and online harms, and national security capacity. And while the...2025-04-2435 minSecure LineSignal and the (FI) Noise: Catching up with the newsCanada’s national security landscape is shifting—fast. In this whirlwind episode, the Secure Line trio reunites to break down the cacophony of news, rumors, and real threats shaping the political and intelligence environment. From foreign interference in Canada’s early election days to China’s digital whispers on WeChat, from annexation talk on X to a government that still hasn't figured out how to talk to diaspora communities—there’s signal, and then there’s a lot of noise.We dive into SignalGate, the explosive leak from a U.S. government group chat that compromised Israeli HUMINT and rattle...2025-04-1446 minSecure LinePlaying DefenceIn this urgent and wide-ranging episode of Secure Line, Stephanie Carvin and Leah West tackle the growing uncertainty in Canada’s defense posture amid escalating rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump. With Jessica Davis away this week, they’re joined by defense and security expert Philippe Lagassé to unpack what it all means for Canadian sovereignty, NORAD, and our military's future.From Justin Trudeau’s stark warning about Trump’s threat to Canadian sovereignty to the challenges facing the Canadian Armed Forces—aging equipment, recruitment struggles, and a reliance on U.S. systems—this episode dives deep. Lagassé explains how C...2025-04-0538 minSecure LineThe View from TaiwanIn this special on-the-ground episode, host Stephanie Carvin takes listeners to Taipei, where she attended a series of academic and security-focused conferences, including the first-ever Canada-Taiwan academic conference on Indo-Pacific Security and the Halifax Forum's inaugural overseas event. Amidst rising global tensions and growing concerns about authoritarianism, Steph sits down with three guests offering unique perspectives on Taiwan’s geopolitical situation and its implications for democracies around the world.Mariam Makarova, head of the East Asia Office of the Liberal Democratic League of Ukraine, draws compelling parallels between Ukraine and Taiwan, emphasizing the need for democratic resilience and...2025-03-2828 minSecure LineTerrorism Forecast 2025In this episode of Secure Line, hosts Leah West and Jessica Davis are joined by Dr. Colin P. Clarke, a senior research fellow at the Soufan Center and director of research at the Soufan Group, to discuss the evolving global terrorism landscape. Building on the previous episode's focus on Canada, this conversation broadens the scope to examine the most pressing terrorism threats worldwide.Dr. Clarke delves into his recent analysis, Trends in Terrorism: What’s on the Horizon in 2025?, and reflects on how rapidly the threat landscape has shifted even since its publication in January. He discusses key developments, in...2025-03-1043 minSecure LineCrypto Cold FrontIn this episode of Secure Line, Leah, Jess, and Steph sit down with Ari Redbord, Head of Global Policy at TRM Labs, to explore how illicit actors are exploiting cryptocurrency to evade sanctions, launder illicit funds, and finance destabilizing activities. While North Korea’s cyber operations and crypto heists have been widely documented, a surprising revelation from TRM Labs’ latest report places Canada among the top 10 countries with the highest exposure to sanctioned entities. This unexpected ranking raises critical questions about Canada’s role in global illicit finance and the vulnerabilities in its regulatory and enforcement frameworks.We explore the wo...2025-03-0348 minSecure LineImplausible Deniability: The New Age of State ThreatsIn this episode of Secure Line, hosts Stephanie Carvin, Jessica Davis, and Leah West dive into the evolving landscape of state threats. They explore how modern covert operations—from cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns to acts of sabotage—are reshaping national security, highlighting a significant shift from traditional espionage to more technologically driven, transnational activities. The episode features guest Matthew Redhead, a seasoned researcher on financial crime and national security. Drawing on insights from his report, “Old Wine, New Bottles, The Challenge of State Threats,” Redhead delves into the blurred lines between espionage, sabotage, and foreign interfere...2025-02-2548 minSecure LineTerrorism Threat Medium?In this episode of Secure Line, hosts Leah West and Jessica Davis examine the evolving terrorism landscape in Canada. The discussion is driven by recent terrorist attacks in the United States at the start of 2025, which reignited concerns about domestic threats. While some have suggested that ISIS is “back,” others argue it never really disappeared. At the same time, ideologically motivated violent extremism—ranging from ultraright nationalists to accelerationists—continues to expand its influence.Award-winning investigative journalist Stewart Bell joins the conversation to analyze the findings of a new Insight Threat Intelligence report that tracks terrorism charges, incidents...2025-02-1831 minSecure LineBelow the Tear Line: A conversation with Michelle Tessier, former CSIS DDOIs Canada finally taking foreign interference seriously? In this episode of Secure Line, we sit down with Michelle Tessier, the former Deputy Director of Operations at CSIS, for an in-depth discussion on intelligence, transparency, and the increasing threat of foreign interference in Canada. Having spent decades at the highest levels of Canada’s intelligence service, Michelle brings a unique perspective on how the country has historically handled this growing national security challenge.Our conversation explores the impact of the Hogue inquiry, which raised critical questions about intelligence transparency. Michelle shares her views on how CSIS has evolved in its...2025-02-1036 minSecure LinePodmergencyIn this Podmergency episode of Secure Line, Stephanie Carvin, Jessica Davis, and Leah West break down the latest Canada-U.S. border security deal, announced after the threat of sweeping tariffs from the Trump administration. They explore the $1.3 billion package aimed at securing the border, including the appointment of a fentanyl czar, the designation of cartels as terrorist organizations, and the creation of a Canada-U.S. strike force targeting organized crime and money laundering.The hosts question the effectiveness of these measures, discussing the murky concept of an "intelligence directive," the realities of financial crime enforcement in Canada, and whether...2025-02-0538 minSecure LineSorry, we're compromisedIn this episode of Secure Line, hosts Stephanie and Jessica reflect on the final report from Canada’s Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference. They explore the major revelations about foreign interference by China, Russia, and India in Canada’s political system, particularly in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
The conversation highlights key takeaways from the inquiry, including systemic failures in intelligence sharing, the role of misinformation and disinformation in shaping public discourse, and Canada's ongoing struggle to address foreign interference effectively. They critique intelligence culture in Canada, the government’s response to security threats, and the persistent challenges in intell...2025-02-0343 minSecure LineTrump 2.0: Putting Makeup on a Bear in a ClosetThe inaugural episode of Secure Line, a podcast hosted by Jessica Davis, Leah West, and Stephanie Carvin, explores the implications of Donald Trump’s return to office as the 47th President of the United States and its impact on Canadian security and intelligence. The discussion focuses on how Trump's policies, including proposed tariffs on Canadian goods and suggestions about Canada becoming the 51st state, might challenge Canada's national security and economic stability. With guests Thomas Juneau and Justin Ling, the hosts discuss challenges facing Canada, including potential emboldening of extremist groups, reduced intelligence cooperation, and shifting U.S. foreign po...2025-01-2642 minSecure LineSecure Line: TrailerWelcome to Secure Line, launching in late January 2025. 2025-01-1701 min
BerlinsideOut16 – Canada and Germany: Finding Ways to Take Strategic Responsibility [Part 2]
In this two-part series, BerlinsideOut talks about Germany’s relationship with Aaron’s (other) home country of Canada, its potential role in helping to provide Germany and the rest of the democratic team with critical resources, whether both countries are underpricing Russian and Chinese threats, and how to leverage another transatlantic relationship amidst uncertain political times in the US.
In part two, Ben and Aaron pick up core BerlinsideOut themes with Anessa Kimball and Stephanie Carvin. They discuss how Germany and Canada both depend heavily on liberal ordering but, thanks to a strategic deficit in both countries, are...2024-01-261h 02
Gormley - On Demand CJME / CKOMGormley - Stephanie Carvin - November 22nd, 2023Ottawa is facing calls for a Global Affairs department that collects intelligence on other countries to be relegated and accountable in the same way as other national security agencies in Canada. Intelligence experts like Stephanie Carvin, a former national security specialist now at Carlton University, say the current rules are vague. She joins Gormley to discuss why this oversight is needed.
+ more stories and more from you! Gormley2023-11-2235 min
This MattersWhat the Pentagon leak means for CanadaGuest: Stephanie Carvin, associate professor at Carleton University and former national security analyst According to leaked documents from the Pentagon, a Canadian pipeline was successfully hacked in February. The FBI has arrested the suspected leaker, but the information is out there and could have wide-reaching ramifications, especially for the war in Ukraine. Today, we are joined by national security expert Stephanie Carvin to discuss what the leaks say about the security of Canadian infrastructure. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar.2023-04-1720 min
Sensitivity SessionsAdult ADHD & Embracing a Neurodivergent Identity with Krista Carvin, RSWIn this episode, we explore:what late-identified ADHD can look like and how to find support for yourselfwhat the neurodiversity movement is and how identifying as neurodivergent can promote self-acceptancehow cultivating awareness of physical sensations & emotions can help support ADHDersthe additional mental load that ADHDers, HSPs and other neurodivergent people can experiencethe difference between neutral ADHD traits and distressing symptomsKrista Carvin is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Krista realized that how we treat the unique mental health needs of folks living with ADHD could use some… updating. Krista dreams of a better fu...2022-11-281h 02
PressProgress Sources"Insurrection From Within" Exploring the Failed Police Response to the Freedom Convoy with Stephanie CarvinStephanie Carvin, a Carleton University international affairs professor and a former CSIS intelligence analyst, talks about the failure of police to anticipate the ‘Freedom Convoy,’ and how it was allowed to spiral out of control.Evidence and testimony show signs of intelligence failure, communication breakdowns, erratic leadership, and an “insurrection from within” Ottawa Police.While warnings from outside sources went ignored, an OPS unit produced a politically biased and “unprofessional” intelligence report that Carvin says reveals cultural issues within the ranks of the Ottawa Police.Support the show2022-11-0347 min
A Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 182 Global Implications of the War in UkraineIn this podcast, Stephanie sits down with Gerry Butts, vice chairman and a senior advisor at Eurasia Group, to talk about recent developments in Europe and what the war in Ukraine means for global stability. In particular, they discuss problems relating to energy, food and whether or not the West can stay united in what is increasingly becoming a protracted conflict. Please note this podcast was recorded June 24, 2022.2022-07-2034 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 181 An INTREPID Podsight: Brigadier General Doug GibsonDiplomacy goes well beyond diplomats – so what is the role of a defence attaché (or in the case of a Commonwealth country, defence advisor) anyway? In this episode Stephanie speaks with UK Brigadier General Doug Gibson about his role in Canada, UK-Canada defence cooperation, the 2021 UK Foreign Policy and Defence Review (linked below), NATO expansion and the war in Ukraine, declassification and prebunking in the information space and more!Please note that this podcast was recorded on June 6 2022 and reflect events up to that date.2021 UK Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy: http...2022-07-0931 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 180 Reforming Canadian National SecurityCraig and Stephanie are joined by former National Security and Intelligence Advisor Vincent Rigby and uOttawa colleague and frequent INTREPID contributor Thomas Juneau to discuss a May 2022 report on reforming Canadian national security. The uOttawa Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) convened a task force of former senior government officials to recommend the path forward on Canadian national security policy and reform. Their report makes a series of recommendations on strategy, tools, governance, and transparency. In this podcast, Messieurs Rigby and Juneau walk through their key observations. The report is here.2022-06-2236 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 179 An INTREPID Podsight: Canadian Forces Intelligence CommandIn this episode, Stephanie is joined by Intrepid contributor, Thomas Juneau, Major-General Michael Wright, Chief of Defence Intelligence and Commander of Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM), and Ms. Christine Kennedy, Assistant Chief of Defence Intelligence. The four get into a detailed discussion of what CFINTCOM does, how it is structured and how it is evolving. They also discuss the challenges CFINTCOM is confronting, including the environment and climate change, the war in Ukraine (including disinformation and “debunking”), and AUKUS. NB: This was our first “in-person” recording since the start of the pandemic – so you will hear a few bumps a...2022-06-1443 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 178 Two Way Streets -- Transparency, Dialogue and National SecurityIn this episode Craig and Stephanie sit down with Intrepid Podcast contributor, Thomas Juneau, and Dominic Rochon, senior assistant deputy minister for the national and cyber security branch of Public Safety Canada. Thomas and Dominic are co-chairs of the National Security Transparency Advisory Group. Together, the four look at their latest report “How National Security and Intelligence Institutions Engage with Racialized Communities”. They discuss ongoing challenges in building trust, and how to balance engagement in organizations that are also seen as engaged in active community surveillance. You can access the report here: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca...2022-06-0238 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 177 Negative Chemistry -- WMDS and the Ukraine ConflictStephanie sits down with her former NPSIA colleague Jez Littlewood, a specialist in weapons of mass destruction, and Craig Forcese to discuss the rules governing nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and their use. They then address questions arising from the conflict in Ukraine, including recent concerns that Russia may use such weapons.2022-03-2332 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 176 Ukraine and the Laws of Armed ConflictIn Ep 174, Stephanie and Craig discussed many of the international issues raised by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They did not, however, address the “laws of armed conflict” (LOAC) (also called “international humanitarian law”) governing how armed conflicts are supposed to be fought, and creating the concept of “war crimes”. In this episode, Stephanie and Craig are joined by MGen (ret) Blaise Cathcart, Canada’s former Judge Advocate Lawyer (JAG). The JAG is the Canadian Armed Forces’ top military lawyer. They discuss the scope and application of LOAC, and drill down on a number of specific issues: can Canada be considered a “b...2022-03-1153 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 175 Emergencies Act Aftermath: What Role for Review?The honking may have stopped in Ottawa, but the debate over the Emergencies Act is far from over. Following the invocation of the Act, there is a requirement for two reviews to take place – one by Parliamentarians, and the other a broader look at government actions. Hopefully, this will contribute to a better understanding of what happened, why, and whether the Trudeau governments actions were appropriate. To discuss these reviews, and the need for transparency, Stephanie sits down with Leah West and Thomas Juneau. They also discuss the implications of the Convoy for the national security community goin...2022-03-0636 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 174 Russia's War of Choice against Ukraine and International LawIntrepid podcast continues to grapple with too much history in too short a time. Today, Craig Forcese joins Stephanie to discuss Russia’s illegal and tragic invasion of Ukraine. They walk through the international law issues raised by this act of aggression (a war crime), as of the morning of 24 February. They focus especially on Russia’s “lawfare” and legal trolling — its (unpersuasive) use of pretextual legal justifications to mask aggression since 2014. A earlier blog version of the some the issues they discuss is on the Intrepid website here.2022-02-2431 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 172 The Convoy and the LawThis episode was recorded at 2pm on Friday February 11, 2022. As the Convoy currently occupying Ottawa continues into third week, and its supporters attempt to spread the movement across major Canadian cities and ports of entry, is solving this crisis a problem of law or enforcement? Mike Nesbitt joins Stephanie through some of the proposed legal options. Is this terrorism? Sedition? Treason? Or is it … surprisingly… a lot of mischief? Do we actually need emergency powers to fix this? Note: the podcast has already covered the use of emergency powers in prior episod...2022-02-1336 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 171 Financing the Ottawa Occupation**Note: This podcast was recorded before the news that GoFundMe shut downpayments to the Convoy organizers. As noted in the podcast, organizers have other options to raise funds. We'll look to update listeners on these developments sometimes next week.**As we recorded this episode, the streets of Ottawa were occupied with trucks from a so-called “Freedom Convoy” that claims to be about mandates, but in reality has extremist origins. With non-stop honking, intimidation of those who seek to follow public health guidance and signs invoking conspiracy theories and hate groups, the residents of Ottawa overwhelmingly would like the...2022-02-0538 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 170 An Intrepid Podsite: Fatima Syed, JournalistIn this episode, Stephanie sits down with Fatima Syed, journalist with The Narwal and host of The Backbench at Canadaland. They discuss covering ongoing violence against the Muslim community and the challenges in covering national security issues in Canada. Importantly, throughout the interview, Fatima discusses her approach to her work, and emphasizes the importance of having conversations across communities to better understand experiences of hate, but also build bridges with those who hold radically different views but are willing to engage. Please note this episode was recorded on December 15 20212022-01-3142 min
Conversation SixStephanie Carvin and Julian KuStephanie Carvin and Julian Ku on the return of Canadian hostages2021-09-2506 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 165: A Minisode on Canada's New Governor GeneralIn this mini-episode, Stephanie hosts a quick chat with Phil Lagassé about Canada’s new governor general. They also reflect on the impact of having the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the role for so long (circling back to their discussion in Ep 152). Please note, this episode was recorded on 13 July 2021. You can read some of Phil’s commentary on the new Governor General with these links:https://policymagazine.ca/heavy-burdens-of-office-for-the-new-gg/https://lagassep.com/2021/07/20/the-commissioner-vs-the-constitution/ Episode 152 can be listened to here: https://www.intrepidpodcast.com/podcast/2021/3/29/ep-152-her-ma...2021-08-2009 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 164 NSICOP-out? Unpacking the current mess over Parliament and intelligenceWhat was supposed to be a committee examining the relationship between Canada and China has turned into something of a constitutional crisis. Opposition MPs on the ad-hoc Canada-China Committee are demanding access to classified documents to find out the reasons two scientists were fired from the National Microbiology Lab. The entire affair has led to the trashing of one of Canada’s few national security transparency and oversight institutions, the shutting down of committees, government officials being publicly scolded and a cameo no one expected – Section 38 of the Canada Evidence Act. There is a lot to unpack here...2021-08-1148 min
Hamilton Today with Scott ThompsonSchellenberg's appeal denied and Spavor's verdict looms, Vaccines and the education system & Moderna's Canadian mRNA plantThe Scott Thompson Show Podcast
With Schellenberg's appeal denied, Spavor's verdict looming, and developments in Meng Wanzhou's hearing in B.C., we get an update on the situation from Rachel Gilmore, and then turn to Stephanie Carvin to untangle the web of international politics that surrounds these cases.
Guests:
Rachel Gilmore, National Online Journalist with Global News
Stephanie Carvin, Associate Professor of International Affairs at the Norman Paterson School of International Affair at Carleton University, Former National Security Analyst for CSIS; Author of Stand on Guard: Reassessing Threats to Canada’s Na...2021-08-101h 12A Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 163 A Summer Update on Terrorism ChargesIn this episode, Stephanie sits down with Jessica Davis and Michael Nesbitt to discuss recent developments in terrorism cases in Canada. First, in the wake of the tragic attack in London, Ontario, Crown Prosecutors have brought terrorism charges, possibly the first ever against an individual motivated by far-right extremism. What are the challenges in prosecuting this as a terrorism case? Next, they discuss an extremist travel case where one individual has pleaded guilty, but charges have been stayed against another. This leads the group to ask some hard questions about terrorism charges generally. Why are so few women charged...2021-07-1533 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 162 Stand on GuardIn the late spring of 2021, University of Toronto Press released Stand on Guard: Reassessing Threats to Canada’s National Security, by Stephanie Carvin. This episode features the introduction to the book which presents the evolving context in which threats to the security of Canada are manifesting and evolving. Carvin argues that rather than responding to national security threats with fear, Canadians need to responsibly widen their understanding and respond with empathy to best meet the challenges of the 21st Century. You can read the Open Canada review of the book here: https://opencanada.org/book-review-stand-on-guard/2021-07-0924 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 159 The Culture of CAFPlease note, this podcast contains references to sexual assault.In this episode, Stephanie and Amar sit down with Leah and guest LGen (retd) Mike Day who served with Joint Task Force Two (JTF2) and Canada’s Special Operations Forces Command. The four discuss the issues surrounding the long-standing issue of sexual assault in the military. How did we get to this point? Why has this issue never been fully addressed? What, if anything can be done about it? Are there reasons to have hope? This podcast was recorded on 5 May 2021 but was delayed due to te...2021-06-101h 00
Hamilton Today with Scott ThompsonThousands attend vigil for Muslim family in London, Ontario; Investigating extremist violence; Should Canada Day be cancelled?The Scott Thompson Show Podcast
Sawyer Bogdan returned to the show, to talk about last night's vigil in London, Ontario. She and Scott also discussed what is known and as-of-yet unknown about the man who killed four members of a Muslim family and injured a nine-year-old boy on Sunday evening.
Guest: Sawyer Bogdan, Reporter for Global News Radio in London 980 CFBL
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Stephanie Carvin joined Scott to provide insight on extremist violence as well as the questions that investigators will focus on in the case of the London, Ontario attack.
2021-06-091h 12A Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 157 Great Cases Series -- Charter Section 7 Substantive Fundamental JusticeStephanie and Craig are back with the latest discussion of key court decisions affecting national security law. Here, we take a quick look at how Charter section 7 “fundamental justice” has created expectations about the “substance” of government conduct in select national security cases. We discuss Operational Dismantle (and the application of the Charter to the Crown’s prerogative powers over defence and international relations), Suresh (and the prospect of removing someone to a place where they may be tortured) and O’Neill (dealing with the nonsense that is s 4 of the Security of Information Act).2021-05-2042 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 156 The Great Cases Series -- Charter Section 7 Right to Full Answer and DefenceStephanie and Craig are back with the latest discussion of key court decisions affecting national security law. Here, we take a quick look at the thorny issue of disclosure of information by the government in criminal cases, governed by several key section 7 cases. We discuss Stinchcombe and O’Connor. And then segue into how national security confidentiality privileges under section 38 of the Canada Evdence Act feed into the discussion. Here, we chat about Ribic and Ahmad. Once again, Craig has prepared a “Charter Short” providing a video primer on section 7 and criminal law disclosure. You may want to view this f...2021-04-2937 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 155 An Intrepid Podsight: Shelly Bruce, Chief of the Communications Security EstablishmentIn this episode of Intrepid Podcast, Leah and Stephanie sit down and speak with Shelly Bruce, Chief of the CSE about the organization she is responsible for in an era of changing legislation, threats, review and, of course, a worldwide pandemic. The trio also speak about a number of topics, including Shelly’s career, cyber attribution, cyber defence, the CSE’s 75th anniversary, and the importance of diversity in STEM and national security.2021-04-2431 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 154 The Great Cases Series -- Charter Section 7 Procedural FairnessThe Intrepid crew start a new series, discussing the leading court decisions in national security law. We keep dropping case names. So we figured we should do a walk through. We’ve organized this cases in progressions, mostly built around Charter rights. In this first episode Craig and Stephanie focus on section 7 of the Charter, and those cases decided under it implicating procedural fairness in national security matters. Before listening to the deep dive, please also consider reviewing another feature Craig has created: Charter “Shorts” (basic primers on different Charter rights). The 10 minute section 7 “short” is here. You may also want...2021-04-1652 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 153 Exploiting Chaos: How Malicious Non-State Actors Leverage COVID-19 to their Advantage in CyberspaceDuring the pandemic we have heard a lot about state actors engaging in threat-related activity. But what are non-state actors up to? In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Alex Wilner and Casey Babb to discuss their forthcoming chapter on this very question. Wilner and Baab identify three major activities that non-state actors are engaging in online: delegitimation, recruitment and incitement. After describing these activities, the three discuss what might be done about this problem. At a time when Parliament is investigating the regulation of social media companies, are there options for both the government and private sector to...2021-04-0630 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 152 Her Majesty in Right of Pod -- Evaluating the Pandemic ParliamentHer Majesty in Right of Pod returns to ask: How well has Parliament fared in the pandemic? Stephanie sits down with Phil Lagassé to discuss whether or not the fears expressed in last year’s Ep 122 over the challenges of running a legislature during COVID-19 came true. But there are other issues to discuss as well, especially Parliament’s weak performance in the area of national security. With legislation dying at prorogation, omnibus bills and a slow roll out of reform and change, why is Canada so bad at passing national security legislation? And what might be done about it? B...2021-03-2937 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 151 Canada and the Middle East in the Biden EraPresident Biden came into office in January 2021 with promises of holding Saudi Arabia accountable for the death of Jamal Khashoggi, but also to turn the focus of US foreign policy away from the Middle East and towards the Asia-Pacific. Six weeks later, he released a damning intelligence report, but took few other steps to hold Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible. Nor did he take steps that can be seen as really separating the US from its traditional alliance with the Kingdom. Are there implications of this for Canada? Stephanie sits down with Thomas Juneau to discuss Biden’s policy to...2021-03-2237 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 150 Attacks in Edmonton – what needs to be done to counter Islamophobia?Since December 2020 there have been six attacks against Black Muslim Women in Edmonton, Alberta where they were threatened, and verbally and physically assaulted. While Edmonton Police have now made an arrest in connection with these cases, the way these incidents were handled by law enforcement and politicians raises questions about how well Canada is doing in tackling Islamophobic attacks and whether more can be done. To discuss these issues, Stephanie sits down with Sarah Mushtaq who recently co-authored an editorial with Hanan Mohamud on the attacks and what steps leaders at all levels of government can take. They also...2021-03-1331 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 149 Parsing the 5G and Huawei IssuesCanada has a 5G and Huawei dilemma – but what is it, exactly? Is it technical risk? A matter of economic national security? Geopolitics? In reality, it is all of the above, but conflating these issues is hindering Canada’s ability to respond. Stephanie sits down with Christopher Parsons, a Senior Research Associate at the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, to talk about these issues on the podcast. They walk through Chris’ report that unpacks Canada’s Huawei/5G dilemmas, and what this means for Canadian national security, foreign...2021-03-0155 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 148 Review Review -- Evaluating the First Reports from NSIRA and the Office of the Information CommissionerIn this episode, Stephanie and Leah sit down with Bill Robinson, Citizen Lab Fellow and one of Canada’s leading national security researchers, to discuss the first reports by two of Canada’s new intelligence review and oversight bodies, the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) and the Intelligence Commissioner (IC). The three make comparisons to prior reports produced by their predecessors (the Security and Intelligence Review Committee and the Office of the Commissioner of the Communications Security Establishment respectively). In some cases, they are left wanting for some of the detail of previous reports. While the trio some...2021-02-2058 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 147 Respect My Authorities?This episode of Intrepid Podcast examines some recent developments with regards to CSIS. First, Stephanie and Jessica discuss the public speech that the CSIS Director gave on Tuesday February 9 at the Centre for International Governance Innovation. Next, Stephanie sits down with Leah and the long-lost Craig Forcese to discuss to recent Federal Court Decisions about CSIS foreign intelligence authorities. Once again, the Court has reaffirmed a very strict interpretation of what it means to collect intelligence “within” Canada. But where does this leave the Service in terms of the expectations that it can monitor an increasingly complex array of thre...2021-02-1251 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 146 Putting Online Hate on the MapShould Canada do more to counter hate online? This is a question currently before the House of Commons Heritage Committee. A new survey conducted in January 2021 on behalf of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation find that 93% are in favour of doing so. Stephanie sits down with Mohammed Hashim, the new Executive Director of the CRRF to discuss these results and what he thinks should be done. Importantly, before they dive in, they contextualize the discussion with some reflections of the four year anniversary of the violent extremist attack on a mosque in Quebec City, Islamophobia and the significance of...2021-02-0230 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDRp 144 Making a (Terrorism) List, Checking it TwiceIn the wake of the riot (often described as an insurrection) at the Capitol Building in Washington DC on January 6, there have been calls for the government of Canada to do more to combat far right terrorism. This includes listing the Canadian-founded Proud Boys, a far-right, chauvinist and neo-fascist organization. It is alleged that members of the Proud Boys participated in acts of terrorist violence that day, as well as during several earlier high-profile incidents. In this episode, Stephanie, Leah and Jess break down the listing process – how it is done and what the consequences are. They lo...2021-01-1830 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 142 New Year’s Resolutions: Bias and Islamophobia in National SecurityIn this podcast, Stephanie converses with Navaid Aziz of the Islamic Information Society of Calgary. Navaid has been described as a “bridge builder” between the Muslim community, and the Canadian national security community. He is also actively engaged in community-based intervention and prevention. In their conversation, the two discuss bias in Canadian national security, harmful language that is used, and what, if anything, might be done to improve community relations. In addition, they discuss a social media incident this past fall where Stephanie posted a picture of a cake depicting a drone strike that was condemned as insen...2021-01-0438 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 134 Composing the Security and Intelligence Community Pt 3: Canadian Security Intelligence ServiceStephanie and Craig are back with the third part in the INTREPID special series on diversity and inclusion in Canada’s security and intelligence community. They are very pleased to welcome to the show Michelle Tessier, Deputy Director of Operations, at the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS). We discuss Ms Tessier’s career, and her experience and views on the significance of diversity and inclusion for a largely HUMINT-oriented intelligence service like CSIS. As always with guests, we end with a “day in the life” and career advice. Thank you to Michelle Tessier for joining us on the show.2020-08-2434 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 132 China's Tendrils - Foreign State Sponsored Harrassment in CanadaThis spring, Amnesty International issued an updated report on Chinese harassment of Chinese human rights critics in Canada. This report and accompanying issues were featured last week in the Globe and Mail. Joining Stephanie and Craig to discuss the report and the issue of Chinese-sponsored harassment are Alex Neve, Secretary-General of Amnesty Canada, and Chemi Lhamo, 2019 student president at the University of Toronto's Scarborough campus. Chemi describes harassment and threats of violence she experienced, as a Canadian of Tibetan origin, during her period in student government — conduct she believes was orchestrated by China. Alex describes the more general pattern of...2020-08-2145 min
Uncommons with Nate Erskine-SmithCanada-China Relations with Stephanie CarvinChina has arbitrarily detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, weaponized tariffs and trade, violated international law and human rights in Hong Kong, and continues to commit mass atrocities against the Uyghurs. In this episode, Nate is joined by national security expert and professor Stephanie Carvin to discuss Canada’s relationship with China. Professor Carvin is also the co-host of the Intrepid Podcast focused on national security law and you can follow her on Twitter here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to...2020-08-0531 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEpisode 125: Being Candid on the Duty of Candour (A quick take on the Federal Court Decision)On 16 July the Federal Court released a long rumoured decision on CSIS operations. While many of the legal issues raised in the case have been resolved as a result of Bill C-59, the decision noted a number of other issues that raise questions about relations between the Service, the Federal Court and the Department of Justice. The Intrepid Gang discuss what happened and why, why CSIS officers need some kind of immunity (and bemoan that it took so long to get it), the duty of candor and some of our early big picture take-aways. This is a topic to...2020-07-1729 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 123 Composing the Security and Intelligence Community, Pt 1 The NSICoP ReviewAfter an unceremonious early ending to Season 3, rudely interrupted by a worldwide pandemic, A Podcast Called INTREPID is back for Season 4. We’re focusing on doing some '“deep dives” through the summer, including a special series on diversity and inclusion in the Canadian security & intelligence community. We will also have a successor to our series Her Majesty in Right of Pod: Muskoka Chair Charter Chats with Carissima Mathen. In this episode we launch the first of our “Composing the Security and Intelligence Community” discussions on diversity in the S&I community. This topic was a focus of the National S...2020-06-2636 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 120 An Emergency Podcast on Emergency LawStephanie, Craig and Leah West assemble to walk through a range of actual and possible legal responses to COVID-19. We talk: Quarantine Act; Aeronautics Act; provincial public health law; provincial emergency law; federal emergency law; and the deployment of the Canadian Armed Forces. We’re try to guess ahead on what might be coming, as well as looking at what has happened, and talk about some of the (legal) pros and cons. The chapter we mention in the podcast is here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3554318Stay healthy everyone!2020-03-1948 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDAn Emergency Broadcast from Your Sponsor, Big AcademiaIf you came for Canadian national security discussions, hold your horses. We have a lot planned. But right now: this is a special podcast dedicated to our academic colleagues who need to convert all their courses to online on two days notice. In this podcast, Stephanie, Craig and our guests David Hornsby (Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) at Carleton University) and Peter Sankoff (Professor of Law at University of Alberta) assemble their cumulative experience with online teaching and talk tips for online pedagogy and making the most of online tools. We hope this is useful. The online teaching guidance...2020-03-1544 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 120 Ben Makuch and Reporting on the Far Right ThreatBen Makuch’s reporting on national and international security issues has taken him from Eastern Europe to talking to Canadian foreign fighters to challenging the Canadian government in the Supreme Court over protections for journalists. Over the magic of the internet, Stephanie sits down with Ben and they talk about his latest reporting on far right extremism and white nationalist movements in Canada, the United States, Ukraine and the growing links between these movements. Is law enforcement paying enough attention and are they prepared to take on this threat? This podcast was recorded on 26 February 2020.2020-03-0737 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 119 This Podcast is Not ContagiousCraig and Stephanie beamed in Steven Hoffman, the Director of the Global Strategy Lab, a Professor of Global Health, Law, and Political Science at York University, and the Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Population & Public Health. We do a deep dive into the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Steven discusses the significance of this novel virus and walks us through the global and national legal and policy response — this is very much a response that is supposed to be guided by law, and especially something most people have never heard of: the World Health Organization...2020-02-2747 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 118 What Even is 5GThere has been a lot of discussion in the media about 5G, but not a lot of information on what 5G actually is and how it is different from what has come before. Stephanie sits down with Ericsson’s VP, Chief Technology Officer, David Everingham who breaks it all down – even though Stephanie keeps trying to switch the analogies all back to cake. A useful episode for those looking for a bit of tech-support in trying to think through the challenging policy issues. 2020-02-2134 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 117 More Terrorism Prosecutions, More ProblemsUsing the magic of the internet once again, Stephanie sits down with Leah and Mike to discuss developments in two terrorism cases: Peshdary and Ali. In the former, Leah talks to Peshdary’s legal team to work through what a “Wilson Application” is and why a defence team might use it in a national security case. Turning to Ali, Mike discusses the findings of the Court and asks when is a terrorist group not a group? Our terrorism legislation is not making anything easy…2020-02-1341 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 116 Counting HateThe fact that crimes committed by individuals appearing to be motivated by some ideologies (such as far right extremism) are considered as “hate crimes” and not “terrorist offences” has been a frequent theme of Intrepid Podcast. In this week’s episode, recorded on the second anniversary of the Quebec Mosque Shooting, Stephanie sits down (over the internet) with Michael Nesbitt who has done some work to actually put some numbers to this phenomenon. Why is it that 53/54 terrorism offenses were charged by people who subscribe to a particular ideology (Al Qaida-Islamic State inspired extremism)? And what does that mean for the w...2020-02-0136 min
RCI | English : InterviewsThe issue of Huawei, national security and 5GThe U.K. has just announced it will permit a partial use of Huawei technology in development of its 5G network.
Other countries have banned Huawei over security concerns. Canada is still debating its position on Huawei.
Stephanie Carvin (PhD) is an assistant professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa. She notes security alone may not be the only consideration
ListenEN_Interview_1-20200129-WIE10
The so-called 5G network is going to represent a significant leap forward in technology allowing for rapid transfer of vast amounts of data. But the U.S. and other s...2020-01-2909 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 114 Her Majesty in Right of Pod Ch 6 -- MegxitWith news that the Sussexes may be leaving the UK for Canada, Stephanie is FINALLY interested in Crown issues but Craig is not (we call it Craigxit). Nevertheless, Phil walks through Prince Harry’s status/non-status in Canada and, using recent reports about former Governor Generals in the news, describes what his powers would be. (To be clear though, unlike Stephanie, Phil is not a fan of this idea and he explains why.) Listeners, please excuse the couple of “booms” on the podcast – Phil tends to gesture a bit wildly (as much as one can in a three piece suit) w...2020-01-1747 min
Political Stripes with Bob RaePolitical Stripes with Bob Rae - Episode 19 - Current events in Iran with Stephanie CarvinIn this week's episode Bob talks to Stephanie Carvin about the current events in Iran. Stephanie provides an insight into the history of the Iran/US conflict, how recent events have led to the current heightened state, and the strike on the Ukranian airline.This show provides some great context for understanding the events in the current conflict.Stephanie Carvin is an Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa. Her research focuses on domestic and international security, international law, terrorism, and technology. She currently...2020-01-1600 min
Political Stripes with Bob RaePolitical Stripes with Bob Rae - Episode 19 - Current events in Iran with Stephanie CarvinIn this week's episode Bob talks to Stephanie Carvin about the current events in Iran. Stephanie provides an insight into the history of the Iran/US conflict, how recent events have led to the current heightened state, and the strike on the Ukranian airline.
This show provides some great context for understanding the events in the current conflict.
Stephanie Carvin is an Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa. Her research focuses on domestic and international security, international law, terrorism, and technology. She currently...2020-01-1635 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 113 Citizen VavilovThere is a lot going on in the world right now. But Stephanie and Craig wanted to catch up first with a development just before the holidays: The Supreme Court’s decision in Vavilov. This case is famous (in the narrow circles Craig lives in) for what it has done to “administrative law”. It is also famous for concerning the children of two Russian “illegals” — that is, Russian sleeper agents who fraudulently assumed Canadian citizenship — and the question of whether the children themselves are Canadian. In this podcast, we walk through some of the technical legal issues and debate the broader qu...2020-01-0953 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 111 Bearing Witness -- Genocide in MyanmarBecause of the proceedings underway before the International Court of Justice today (10 December 2019) concerning Myanmar’s genocide against the Rohingya, Stephanie and Craig to a walk-through of the crime of genocide, the 1948 Genocide Convention, the basis for ICJ jurisdiction and also the parallel criminal investigation launched by the (separate) International Criminal Court. It’s international law day.2019-12-1139 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEpisode 110 - A Sanctions ShortyJessica Davis and Michael Nesbitt sit down with Stephanie to discuss sanctions in light of a new case in Nova Scotia. Nader Kalai is the first person to be charged with violating Canadian and European Union sanctions on Syria. The gang takes the time to remind viewers what sanctions are and what the Canadian regime looks like (it’s been a while – the last time was Episode 5!) Does this charge mean the Public Prosecution Service of Canada is starting to take a more ambitious approach to prosecuting sanctions violations?2019-12-0532 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 109 -- Her Majesty in Right of Pod Ch 5 -- Provocative PrerogativeFor those who love weedy public law issues, Stephanie, Philippe and Craig finally steer back to the national security preoccupation of INTREPID, in this latest HMIROP chapter. Specifically, they mix it up (fight) over the scope of the royal prerogative over defence in Canadian law. In exchanging blows, they basically cover two issues: what is the constitutional status of the prerogative; and, whether there is any virtue in putting some matters covered by the prerogative on a statutory footing. This is not over yet.2019-11-2643 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 107 Her Majesty in Right of Pod Ch 4 -- Charterfest!Stephanie and Craig are back with Philippe Lagassé and special guest Adam Dodek, dean of the Faculty of Law (Common Law Section) at uOttawa. It’s time to bring the constitution up to date! In this episode, we focus on the Constitution Act 1982 and its headline components, especially the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, “aboriginal” rights, and how the constitution can be amended through amendment formulas. We discuss the political context that produced this “patriation” package. And we look at what didn’t get fixed and where we are now in our messy constitutional evolution. With the stage set, next wee...2019-11-1158 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 106 Continuity or Change in the Middle EastRecent weeks have seen dramatic changes in the Middle East – Trump’s withdrawal from Syria, the killing of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the return of mass popular protests in the region. Oh, and Iran just announced it will restart 1000 centrifuges in the latest blow to the nuclear agreement. To make sense of it all, Stephanie sat down (using the magic of the internet) to speak with Intrepid Podcast Editors Amarnath Amarasingam and Thomas Juneau about these developments and what we might expect in the coming months.2019-11-0748 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 105 Her Majesty in Right of Pod Ch 3 -- A British Subject You May Have Been Born But a Canadian Citizen You May Have DiedThe moment you have been waiting for! Stephanie, Craig and Philippe Lagassé are back for the next chapter in Canada’s rollicking constitutional history. In this chapter, we cover events from 1867 to 1982: imperial conferences, controversies and, not to be missed, the Colonial Laws Validity Act and the Statute of Westminster Act. A sideways dash through the King-Byng affair. And then a fast forward through to the Patriation Controversy of the early 1980s. Stephanie required adrenaline shots, but got through it. 2019-10-3052 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 104 Election SpecialStephanie sits down with Intrepid Podcast Editors Jessica and Leah to discuss national security issues in the 2019 Federal Party Platforms. Intrepid podcast is strictly a non-partisan affair so policies are treated as ideas to be evaluated for effectiveness and feasibility. They discuss plans for CBSA, review and oversight, cyber-security, counter-terrorism and sanctions. But the only political message they have for our audience is to VOTE! (Stephanie is still learning the editing ropes so there may be some mic noise in this episode. We’re docking her pay until she gets it right.)2019-10-1950 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 103 An Eyewitness Account of the Kurdish Camps in Syria Just Prior to the US WithdrawalIntrepid Podcast Editors, Leah West and Amar Amarasingam travelled to the Kurdish-controlled camps in Syria where Islamic State prisoners are being held. This was a week before US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw troops from the region, causing chaos in an already fragile situation. On Tuesday October 8, before Turkish armed forces began striking Kurdish positions, Stephanie interviewed Leah and Amar about what they saw, including conditions in the camp, riots and talking to Canadian prisoners. We should note that Leah and Amar accompanied Global News Reporter, Stewart Bell as consultants. Listeners who want to learn more should check...2019-10-1641 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 102 Her Majesty in Right of Pod -- Pt 2 An Extended Heritage MinuteStephanie and Craig are back with Philippe Lagassé, for the second installment of our special feature: Her Majesty in Right of Pod, a deep-dive on the origins of Canadian public law and constitutional law. In the first chapter, we examined the emergence in the United Kingdom of concepts like the rule of law, parliamentary supremacy, responsible government, and judicial independence. In this chapter, we examine how what happened in England did not stay in England. Here, we talk about the reception of British law into Canada — the law of colonialism, basically. Then we skate through Canadian 19th century history to...2019-10-0943 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 101 Blowing the Whistle at the Agency of Misfit ToysStephanie and Craig are back with their first “explainer” episode for this new season, focusing on a specific area of national security law. This week, they rip an issue from the headlines in the United States. They examine how whistleblower protection works in Canadian law for members of the public service generally, the main intelligence services, and in the context of the Security of Information Act. And all this through this year’s first “INTREPID podcast storytime”!Addendum: here’s one of those internal policies we mentioned in the podcast but did not know the content of, helpfully pu...2019-10-0343 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 100 Her Majesty in Right of Pod -- Pt 1 No One Voted for the Crown!As promised, the crew at INTREPID is starting a few new “features” this season — the first is a sit-down with Philippe Lagasse, Crown scholar extraordinaire, to discuss the public law architecture of modern Canada (within which all national security law and practice — and all other exercises of governmental power — is entrenched). In this inaugural episode we march through several of the most important principles that continue to animate our system of law and government (rule of law, parliamentary supremacy, judicial independence, responsible government), situating them in history, and specifically UK history. Stephanie says it is really boring, so listen on!2019-09-2743 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 99 Double Agent Man -- Figuring out the RCMP Insider Threat CaseThe INTREPID team assembles: Stephanie hosts as Jessica Davis, Leah West and Michael Nesbitt join her for a discussion about the breaking news that a top RCMP intelligence official, Cameron Ortis, was arrested on September 13 and charged with violating the Security of Information Act (SOIA). Jess describes the kinds of information someone like Ortis would have access to and why it would be so dangerous if he committed the crimes of which he is accused. Leah and Mike discuss the rarely used SOIA and helpfully go through the charges to explain them and what it tells us about the...2019-09-1646 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 98.5 A Brave New FormatThe INTREPID Team is BACK for 2019-2020! This is officially Season 3, and Craig and Stephanie provide a quick briefing about our plans for the podcast and a bunch of new themes for the show. This includes our “national security in the news” round-ups, national security law and policy briefs, our “podsite” series, foreign affairs deep-dives, and giving Philippe Lagassé a microphone and the ability to talk about the Westminster system and Crown powers in a new special project. But first, we need to talk about Craig – his new role on NSIRA and how we plan to make the academic-style work on thi...2019-09-1221 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 98 Iran So Far AwayFor the last official podcast of Season 2, Stephanie plays the role of interviewer to Craig and regular guest (and Intrepid Blog founder) Thomas Juneau for a discussion about Iran. This is part of our occasional series on Canadian foreign policy in relation to particular states. In this episode we ask: Why did Canada split with Iran and why did the Trudeau government fail to re-open relations despite its 2015 election promise? What are the legalities of the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act and how does that complicate things? And given a series of skirmishes in the Gulf, what is...2019-07-3052 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 97 An INTREPID Podsight -- Tricia Geddes ADP CSISStephanie and Craig are very pleased to welcome to the show (as our last “podsight” guest of Season 2) Tricia Geddes, Assistant Director Policy at CSIS. Tricia talks about her career in the security & intelligence community and her present role as assistant director policy — and all that entails at CSIS. She looks back on lessons-learned from the policy development phase for bill C-59, and looks forward to how policy development might work in the future. She also discusses transparency and accountability at CSIS. This is a fascinating deep-dive into the real world of policy development in security & intelligence. Many thanks for Tr...2019-07-2345 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 96 Parsing DissentWith three episodes left in season 2, Stephanie and Craig return with their last news roundup before breaking for August. Most of bill C-59 came into force this week (and the CSE Act will come into force on August 1). This podcast has the details of the provisions now in force. And CSIS was in the news twice this month: once in relation to a BC Civil Liberties Association complaint about alleged “spying” by CSIS implicating environmentalists; and more recently after the federal Conservative Party called on CSIS to invistigate Canada’s former ambassador to China, John McCallum, for media comments urging...2019-07-2046 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 95 Naming, Shaming and Seizing AssetsStephanie and Craig are back to discuss the recent listing as a terrorist group of two (related) right-wing extremist groups — the first time this has happened in Canada. They walk through how listing works in the Criminal Code and the implications of listing. They then focus on the government’s newly announced national security transparency advisory group, complementing its national security transparency principles. They end with an update on some reporting on electoral interference in Canada. 2019-07-0443 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 94 Eastern Approaches -- Saudi ArabiaStephanie sat down with Thomas Juneau, A Blog Called INTREPID founding editor and uOttawa professor. They discussed recent developments in the Middle East, with a focus on Saudi Arabia and Canadian foreign policy issues. This is one in an occasional series we are doing on regional national security and international relations issues, looked at through the prism of Canadian interests.2019-06-2842 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 92 An INTREPID Podsight -- Ralph Goodale Minister of Public SafetyStephanie and Craig are honoured to welcome to the show Ralph Goodale, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. In this “podsight”, we discuss with the Minister the challenges of heading such a busy and complex portfolio. We then launch into a discussion of bill C-59 and its progress through Parliament, before “future-casting” on important public policy issues in the Public Safety portfolio. These include: new legislation on cybersecurity standards in select critical infrastructure sectors; encryption and the “going dark” issue and reform of “lawful access” intercept law; the hard dilemmas of dealing with “foreign fighters” and children in SDF custody; and...2019-06-1045 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 91 May the Coming Into Force Be With YouStephanie and Craig are back, albeit jet-lagged. We jump into a few matters we’ve been following. First, some new information on security background checks for judges — a follow up on our earlier discussion on the security clearance process. Second, a look at discussions over the last few days about charging Daesh fighters with crimes against humanity and war crimes. Third, we loop back to bill C-59 to update listeners on developments. To this end, we walk through the amendments proposed by the senate. And then, being optimists, we talk about what happens when (not if!) the bill receives roya...2019-06-0741 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 90 Future-Casting the Next Parliament's Priorities in Canadian National Security Law and PolicyStephanie and Craig sat down with Michael Nesbitt, Leah West and Jess Davis (all founding editors of “A Blog Called INTREPID) while all were at the University of Toronto for an anti-terrorism conference. Recorded in the wood-paneled drawing room of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (complete with echo and people arriving for work treading on squeaky floors), our group offers up their thoughts on the top priorities in national security law and policy reform for the next year, after the federal election. Craig and Stephanie are on various travels for the balance of the month and will be...2019-05-1830 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 89 A Surplus of HeadlinesStephanie and Craig pause on the guest front, and play catch up on news in the Canadian national security space. Among the topics: national security in the 2019 federal budget; issues arising in the senate proceedings on bill C-59 (including the terrorism speech crime; no fly list appeals and special advocates); recent reporting on “dangerous” Canadians; the now second set of amendments to the 2018 terror threat to Canada report; and a peculiar cyber crime investigation involving both the RCMP and the CRTC. This episode comes as we have launched A Blog Called INTREPID — our effort to add written analysis to this C...2019-05-0744 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 88 Building Bridges Between Silos -- Bill C-59 and Information-SharingStephanie and Craig are very pleased to welcome to the show Sophie Beecher, Director, Intelligence Policy, National Security Policy Directorate, Public Safety Canada. Sophie walks us through the Security of Canada Information Sharing Sharing Act (SCISA). SCISA was amongst the most controversial features of bill C-51 (2015), and in its current form has attracted criticism from civil society groups, academics and the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. And yet, information-sharing on national security within the federal government is an obvious need, if national security objectives are to be met in an efficacious manner. How do we reconcile this security need with...2019-04-3040 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 87 A Close Up with the National Security and Intelligence Committee of ParliamentariansThis is the INTREPID deep-dive on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, which last week issued its first (very substantive) annual report. Stephanie and Craig are honoured to welcome to INTREPID the NSICoP’s Chair, David McGuinty, and its Executive Director, Rennie Marcoux. We talk about how NSICoP works and the way it has evolved over its first two years, how it conducts its reviews, highlights of the two recent reviews into the government setting of intelligence priorities and the intelligence functions of the Canadian Armed Forces, its future plans, and the way in which it will bu...2019-04-1948 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 86 Catching Up with the News Cycling PelotonCraig and Stephanie interrupt their series of guest interviews to update listeners on news in the national security law and policy world. In this episode, they discuss their reaction to the first ever annual report of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICoP), and summarize some of the key takeaways; circle back to the CSE threats to democratic processes update; address various social media speech and regulation issues that have been in the news lately; briefly update on the senate committee hearings in C-59; and update on an issue they didn’t know the answer to before: wh...2019-04-1644 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 85 An INTREPID Podsight -- Stephane Perrault Chief Electoral Officer of Canada on Election SecurityStephanie and Craig were honoured to sit down with Stéphane Perrault, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada, to discuss elections security and the workings of Elections Canada in preparing for the 2019 election. We covered the role of the Chief Electoral Officer, how Elections Canada incorporates cyber- and election security into its task of delivering an election, the changes to Canada’s elections laws in bill C-76 as they relate to foreign influence and the role of social media in elections, the new Communications Security Establishment Cyber Centre update on electoral interference, and the respective (and separate) roles of the Chi...2019-04-1338 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 84 An INTREPID Podcast Special Part 3 -- Foreign Fighters and Counter Violence ExtremismStephanie and Craig are very pleased to welcome Michael King to the show, for our oft-promised third episode in our study of foreign terrorist fighters. Our purpose in this series is to canvass the range of possible legal and policy responses to foreign fighter returnees. In episode 73 we walked through the facts on the ground in this area, with a focus on Canadians who affiliated with Daesh. In episode 74 we considered the international law issues around their detention in Syria by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Canadian law issues surrounding their prosecution in Canada. In this episode...2019-04-1141 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 83 The INTREPID Crib Notes on Information Warfare and Countering Hybrid ThreatsIn the last week of March, just in time for exam season, Stephanie sat down in Ottawa with James Pamment, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Strategic Communication at Lund University and a senior adviser to the Hybrid COE in Helsinki. James leads a small research team that provides training, scenario exercises, process and policy support to governments and international organizations in protection from election interference, disinformation and hybrid influence techniques. In this conversation, Stephanie and James get into the weeds on hybrid influence, with a focus on Russian activities. A good primer for that end of...2019-04-0624 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 82 An INTREPID Podsight -- Mr Justice Richard Mosley of the Federal CourtStephanie and Craig are honoured to welcome to the show Mr Justice Richard Mosley of the Federal Court. We spend a lot of time on INTREPID talking about the national security jurisprudence of the Federal Court. This was our opportunity to sit down with one of the most experienced and respected Federal Court “designated judges” (who hear security cases) to talk about what it is like to be a judge in the national security space. We start with a brief overview of Justice Mosley’s distinguished career, and then launch into a discussion of CSIS warrants and Canada Evidence Act pr...2019-03-2942 minA Podcast Called INTREPIDEp 81 Newszilla The Return -- Catching up with the tsunami of newsStephanie and Craig are back to update issues we’ve been following. First up, an update on bill C-59’s pilgrim’s progress through the senate. This week the news is good! Next up, reflection on the horrific terrorism attack in New Zealand and the issue of right wing extremism and terrorism. After that, a catch up on what is happening in the Meng extradition case — a source of considerable friction between Canada and the China. That then leads to a discussion of Huawei and the 5G question — there have been some developments among allies on that complicated issue. And that’s...2019-03-2348 min