Canada's electronic watchers enjoy secrecy second to none | Toronto Star

Cops, spooks and politicians. No better place to be for those who want to abuse their positions than here in Canada.

They are joined at the hip with the NSA and the surveillance across both is probably pretty seamless.

They are joined at the hip with the NSA and the surveillance across both is probably pretty seamless.


They have been for decades, but it isn't about spying on other nations which concerns me (they are fair game), it is the fear of spying on Canadian citizens that is the danger. Citizens of free nations have to feel comfortable with some form of privacy and believe that if this is going to be an issue that there are honest mechanisms in place to avoid abuse.

The theory that "they are spying on us, so we have to spy on them" is valid, but these decisions need to go through a more rigorous process.

The "Five Eyes" of the English-speaking world (U.S, Britain, Canada, Australia, N.Z.) have carried on joint, coordinated listening for decades as well. We are just as culpable as the Americans in all of this.

I agree, that was my point. This is only news to those who have never read about these agencies, plenty of material has been written about it over the years.

In all honesty I prefer that these five eyes have these capabilities rather than some of our enemies. No nation is perfect but call me a nostalgic, blind patriot when I say that I still think Canada and our allies have a little more humanity.

Hell, maybe they have even listened to my calls, wouldn't surprise me one bit...probably fell asleep while doing so.

I agree, that was my point. This is only news to those who have never read about these agencies, plenty of material has been written about it over the years.

In all honesty I prefer that these five eyes have these capabilities rather than some of our enemies. No nation is perfect but call me a nostalgic, blind patriot when I say that I still think Canada and our allies have a little more humanity.

Hell, maybe they have even listened to my calls, wouldn't surprise me one bit...probably fell asleep while doing so.


It may have kept us safe from time-to-time ... maybe far more that we'll ever know, There is a big price, though, because it only works if the rule of law is respected by the listeners. It might be terribly tempting to some of the control freaks who drive our trains to use it to "sculpt" the politics of country. That sort of thing has happened over and over in history and we are certainly not immune to secret arrests in the dead of night, here.

It may have kept us safe from time-to-time ... maybe far more that we'll ever know, There is a big price, though, because it only works if the rule of law is respected by the listeners. It might be terribly tempting to some of the control freaks who drive our trains to use it to "sculpt" the politics of country. That sort of thing has happened over and over in history and we are certainly not immune to secret arrests in the dead of night, here.


There was apparently some of this going on, as the article suggests with the term used by some in this field as "LOVEINT" (2008, NSA)...spying on former gf's, love interests etc, inexcusable when dealing with sensitive and vital resources meant to defend the nation.

This is why the oversight is so needed.