The head of CSIS gave a rare speech yesterday, in which he did two things – called for more modernisations to the CSIS Act in order to let the organisation collect more digital information, and to warn about state actors who are targeting the country’s economic secrets, often though partnerships that they then take advantage of (pointing the finger on this one specifically at China).

Vigneault ended his talk with a "call to action" for CSIS' allies to help support their mandate. He suggests that these new powers he's obliquely asking for are needed to let CSIS analyze "large volumes of data" — perhaps via AI/machine learning.

— Justin Ling (Has Left) (@Justin_Ling) February 9, 2021

I really hope that if CSIS is pushing for new legislative powers, it puts them in writing.

For years, Canada's national security agencies sought new authorities via backchannel, media leaks, and oblique speeches. I thought we had gotten away from that.

— Justin Ling (Has Left) (@Justin_Ling) February 9, 2021

Meanwhile, here’s former CSIS analyst Jessica Davis’ assessment of what she heard in the speech, which has a few interesting insights.

https://twitter.com/JessMarinDavis/status/1359213965851697154

https://twitter.com/JessMarinDavis/status/1359213967906865152

https://twitter.com/JessMarinDavis/status/1359214670624792576

https://twitter.com/JessMarinDavis/status/1359215146657341441

https://twitter.com/JessMarinDavis/status/1359215476224704512

Good reads:

• Justin Trudeau says that non-essential travellers at land-border crossings will need proof of a negative COVID test, or face a $3000 fine plus quarantine.
• Health Canada has agreed to re-label the Pfizer vaccine vials as containing six doses instead of five, and will provide the low-dead-volume syringes and training videos.
• Health Canada officials say they are in the “final stages” of the AstraZeneca vaccine approval, but it’s complicated by the fact that one of their trials is still ongoing.
• A look inside a COVID isolation hotel in Calgary paints a pretty grim picture.
• Steven Guilbeault says that quarantine and travel exemptions for Olympic athletes and trainers will soon be announced.
• A Federal Court judge rejected an attempt to get an injunction that would pause the federal assault-style rifle ban, as it would not cause irreparable harm for owners.
• Senators have passed two amendments so far to the assisted dying bill, on a sunset clause for the mental health exclusion, and further clarity on what is not excluded.
• Erin O’Toole says he doesn’t want national standards on long-term care, and has once again swallowed himself whole to try and out-Bloc the Bloc.
• O’Toole is shuffling his critics, and it sounds like Ed Fast will replace Pierre Poilievre on the finance portfolio (as Poilievre is less effective at rattling Freeland).
• Here’s an interesting look at CANZUK (which people like Erin O’Toole promote), and how it’s a failure to grasp the realities of being middle powers.
• Kady O’Malley’s Process Nerd column looks at what could happen if there are battling amendments between the Commons and Senate on the assisted dying bill.
• Paul Wells dissects Erin O’Toole’s attempts at being blandly appealing to Ontario, and how that may wind up dividing his already fractious party base.
• Heather Scoffield evaluates O’Toole’s economic plans, focused on manufacturing and natural resources, ignoring where most of the hurt in the economy actually is.
• Susan Delacourt hears from Anita Anand, and her frustration when people demanded the PM call Pfizer, which made it sound like needing a man to do her job.
• Colby Cosh delves into the statistics that show that suicides have decreased over the past year, and how it may relate to other war-time decreases recorded.
• My column offers a reminder that we don’t have “mandates” in Canada, and to stop importing American notions when we talk about leaders in Canadian politics.

Odds and ends:

Senators today paid tribute to the remarkable, redoubtable Elaine McCoy. I was grateful for the chance to be among those who spoke. https://t.co/wAllVFM4CU #ableg #abpoli #yyc #yeg #cdnpoli #SenCA

— Paula Simons (@Paulatics) February 9, 2021

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