Roundup: NSIRA spanks Global Affair’s intelligence program

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A long-delayed public release of NSIRA’s report into the activities of the Global Security Reporting Program—the “intelligence” arm of Global Affairs, which has diplomats openly engaging with persons of interest abroad—was finally released, and it’s making some waves. In particular, for a programme that isn’t actual covert intelligence gathering has some governance problems, with a lack of coherent policies or training that has led to some lines being blurred, which can make some countries believe this is an actual foreign intelligence service (it’s not, and we don’t have one).

So, with this in mind, here are four threads from some very reputable sources. Stephanie Carvin walks through the report, and breaks down its components, as well as the government’s responses.

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1737569161042096138

Jessica Davis has a shorter walkthrough (with paragraph numbers!) about her own concerns about what she reads in it.

Leah West has a few legal observations about the report.

And Thomas Juneau gives a much more generous read, and places some of the GSRP’s work into better context.

Ukraine Dispatch:

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed journalists’ questions about whether Ukraine is losing the war, but acknowledges challenges of being in a country under siege. Ukraine’s forces appear to be moving to a more defensive posture, likely because of the artillery shortage.

Good reads:

  • As part of his year-ender with CBC, Justin Trudeau says he’s noted a “tonal shift” with India, now that they know they can’t bluster their way through this crisis.
  • Trudeau appointed three new senators for Ontario, including former Olympian Marnie McBean, the head of YWCA Canada and a senior public servant.
  • Chrystia Freeland was in Calgary to announce a deal between a carbon capture company and the Canada Growth Fund around a particular carbon credit scheme.
  • The Logic talks to Anita Anand about government digitalisation, modernisation, and the shortage of 30,000 digital workers they are contending with.
  • Thus far, the CRA has fired 185 of its employees who illegally accessed CERB.
  • Here is a look at the issue of building enough charging infrastructure for future EVs.
  • Sweden is set to join the Canadian-led NATO brigade in Latvia, once Hungary and Türkiye stop blocking the final ratification of their accession.
  • One of Hamas’ senior leaders made a troll video thanking Canada for the ceasefire vote, and wouldn’t you know it, the usual terminally online suspects took the bait.
  • The Liberals are running newspaper ads in Prairie ridings—where there is a large Ukrainian diaspora—about the Conservative votes against Ukraine’s interests.
  • In New Brunswick, a “Christian” TV host will be running for the PCs in the next election, and has been pushing hard on the “parental rights” moral panic.
  • The Star has a look at the Christmas cards of Ontario’s provincial party leaders, as well as some MPPs.
  • Kevin Carmichael notes that the Americans are likely to start cutting interest rates before Canada because their higher labour productivity can absorb shocks better.
  • Susan Delacourt recounts some of the highlights of Trudeu’s year-ender with Terry Dimonte, particularly about linking Poilievre to American political nihilism.

Odds and ends:

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