Roundup: Defence intelligence and their limits

Some of you may recall that recently, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians submitted a report to the prime minister, which was later made public, about how military intelligence in this country is large and vaster than most people anticipate. The Canadian Press recently obtained the August 2018 federal directive about what kinds of personal information that defence intelligence is able to collect and keep, and it turns out that they can indeed keep some of that information, even if obtained by chance, so long as it supports a legitimate investigation. You may recall that at the time of the NSICOP report that there were calls for its activities to be bound by statute instead of by Crown prerogative, as it is currently. With that in mind, here’s Philippe Lagassé with some context on why that may or may not be a good thing.

https://twitter.com/PhilippeLagasse/status/1137787804979748865

https://twitter.com/PhilippeLagasse/status/1137789288127631361

Good reads:

  • The government is expected to announce a ban on single-use plastics by 2021.
  • The government looks set to invoke closure on the debate in response to Senate amendments to C-59, as well as their steel import measures bill.
  • Correctional Services of Canada are investing in detection equipment to prevent drones from making “deliveries” to prisoners.
  • An audit of food services in federal prisons says they are a vulnerability, and points to cheaper and healthier options for prisoners (that won’t result in food riots).
  • The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP says a Mountie broke the law when he investigated and leaked a protester’s background in BC.
  • The former Canadian commander in Iraq says that while ISIS may have been defeated in terms of the territory they held, they are still potent ideologically.
  • Here’s a look at how difficult it is for governments to make any changes to the EI system, such has how the “zones” are laid out.
  • Scientists are drawing links between climate change and the increased forest fires in Alberta, despite Jason Kenney’s insistence that it’s “complex.”
  • There continue to be issues for Cubans seeking Canadian visas, as the embassy ended those services in Havana after the so-called “sonic attacks.”
  • For the NBA finals game tonight, there will be competing ads from the Conservatives and lobby group Engage Canada.
  • Here is a compilation of MPs’ farewell speeches as they won’t be running again this fall.
  • Aaron Wherry debunks the Conservative rhetoric about Trudeau and taxes.

Odds and ends:

The court challenge of the Ontario decision to cut Toronto City Council in half goes to the Court of Appeal today.

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