Roundup: CSIS’ hackers

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So that story about CSIS looking to hire hackers and data scientists? Well, some of the concerns raised about the story may have been overblown. Maybe. Stephanie Carvin – who used to be an analyst at CSIS – has some thoughts on the issue and what it represents.

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1081183300738342918

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1081183303783383041

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1081183316747919360

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1081185895636787200

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1081185900007247873

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1081185903224205312

I do wonder if We The Media are capable of asking some of the right questions when it comes to our intelligence services, and whether we treat them with too much suspicion because they’re a world of secrets and we don’t get to learn them, and that they not able to operate transparently. Not that they’re above scrutiny – they’r enot, and the fact that we’ve now got NSICOP to provide parliamentary oversight is a long overdue step up in that direction – but we can’t treat everything they do as inherently problematic.

Good reads:

  • The Parliamentary delegation headed to China says they have no mandate to address the detained Canadians, but they will bring it up while trying to do no harm.
  • Ahmed Hussen says that planned changes to the IRB will deal with the asylum claimant backlog – but he won’t elaborate on what the changes are.
  • The NEB released a report into the Alberta oil price differential, and found that pipelines are only a recent issue, along with refinery capacity and added production.
  • Here’s a look at how the government is using YouTube stars and social media “influencers” to get across messages on issues like opioids.
  • A Canadian charity (that attracts high-profile politicians) has been clocked by the CRA for funding projects that support the Israeli military, against CRA rules.
  • Polling shows that Canadians are becoming less accepting of immigration, thanks to myths that are being perpetuated.
  • Here’s your periodic complaints by farmers that they don’t think they’ll like the new Canada Food Guide.
  • Here’s another profile of Karen Wang, the Liberal candidate in the coming Burnaby South by-election.
  • Charlie Angus is complaining that the PM filmed a fundraising video in his office, against the rules. The PMO says mea culpa and they’ll make “reparations.”
  • Tony Clement says he’ll be back in Parliament when it returns. No word from Raj Grewal on whether he plans to return as well.
  • Kevin Carmichael looks at yesterday’s job data and delves into the reasons why wage growth has been stagnant.
  • Robert Hiltz knows that this is going to be a terrible year for federal politics but exhorts you to pay attention all the same, because it matters.
  • My weekend column goes through jobs data, and wonders if there may yet be a jobs crisis for certain demographics that this government will need to address.

Odds and ends:

Here are photos from the new home of the Senate.

The new Parliamentary restaurant will be underground, after a century of panoramic views of the Ottawa river.

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