There has been a number of competing threads in the ongoing Emergencies Act public inquiry, and a lot of police testimony that is contradictory, and contradicting their own documentary evidence. For example, one senior Ottawa police officer is claiming that they had the tow trucks all lined up and ready to go without the invocation of the Act—erm, except the documents don’t show that at all, and that they needed the Act to secure those services. There has also been a lot of alarming signs about the quality of police intelligence about the make-up of the occupation (which many leaders subsequently ignored anyway). The OPP did see an increasing risk of violence the longer it dragged on, particularly by those in the occupation who felt they were “at war” with the federal government, along with growing anti-police sentiment (presumably because police weren’t doing their bidding to arrest members of the government). The Commission has agreed to hear CSIS’ evidence behind closed doors.
Here’s former CSIS analyst Jessica Davis on the quality of that intelligence, and yikes:
There's a great deal of variation in the quality of reports, but many fail some basic tenets of intelligence reporting:
a) Neutral language
b) Well-articulated sources
c) Nuance and uncertainty
d) Free of logical fallacies
e) "in lane" reporting— JMDavis (@JessMarinDavis) October 26, 2022
In many cases, the sources of information aren't cited or referenced in any way. Sweeping statements are common, but what they're based on is anyone's guess.
— JMDavis (@JessMarinDavis) October 26, 2022
Logical fallacies have been present in several that I've seen, including the epic appeal to authority of Rex Murphy. I'd laugh if this wasn't such a serious matter.
— JMDavis (@JessMarinDavis) October 26, 2022
In short: this is not inspiring confidence. There appears to be a lack of professionalism in the intelligence function in many of these organizations (and I mean that as a lack of training & standards). And the federal level isn't immune either.
— JMDavis (@JessMarinDavis) October 26, 2022
I'm reviewing more of these documents and I want to clarify: there are some that are very good and very professional, with excellent expressions of uncertainty and judgments. But these are not the norm.
— JMDavis (@JessMarinDavis) October 26, 2022
Ukraine Dispatch, Day 245:
Both Russian and NATO forces carried out annual nuclear exercises, while Russia carries on its false narrative that Ukrainians plan to detonate a “dirty bomb” on their own soil in order to blame Russia—information operations entirely. While this was happening, Russian forces targeted 40 towns in Ukraine, killing at least two more people.
We’re working with international partners to detect, correct, and call out the Kremlin’s state-sponsored disinformation about Ukraine.
Read the latest information based on Canadian Forces Intelligence Command analysis. 1/6 pic.twitter.com/Lf81zOPU1l
— Canadian Armed Forces (@CanadianForces) October 26, 2022
The photos MFA Russia used for their "dirty bomb in Ukraine" claims are actually from 2010 and made by the Slovenian Radioactive Waste Management Authority. pic.twitter.com/GQdC318AwZ
— Bakhti Nishanov (@b_nishanov) October 26, 2022