XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ab.politics   
   From: Panca@nyet.ca   
      
   Take a look at WHO he has appointed to investigate CSIS' spying on   
   environmental groups.  ANOTHER Conservative crony with ties to the petroleum   
   industry.   
   Harper, do we all look as stupid to you as some of your own party members ?   
   ________________________________________   
   — CP — Sep 28 2014   
      
   Spy watchdog’s past oil ties spark concerns in civil liberties complaint case   
      
      
   OTTAWA - A civil liberties group is objecting to Canada's spy watchdog   
   assigning Yves Fortier to investigate alleged spying on environmental   
   activists, citing a conflict due to his former petroleum industry ties.   
      
   The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association's lawyer has written to the   
   Security Intelligence Review Committee asking that Fortier "recuse himself from   
   any participation" in the matter since he once sat on the board of TransCanada   
   Pipelines — the company behind the Keystone XL project.   
      
   Fortier, one of three review committee members, was recently appointed to lead   
   an investigation into the association's complaint that the Canadian Security   
   Intelligence Service gathered and shared information about activists opposed to   
   Canada's energy policies.   
      
   The association filed the complaint with the review committee in February after   
   media reports suggested that CSIS and other government agencies consider   
   protests and opposition to the petroleum industry as possible threats to   
   national security.   
      
   The complaint also cited reports that CSIS had worked with and shared   
   information with the National Energy Board about so-called "radicalized   
   environmentalist" groups seeking to participate in the board's hearings on   
   Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline project, which would see Alberta crude   
   flow to westward to Kitimat, B.C.   
      
   The groups included Leadnow, ForestEthics Advocacy Association, the Council of   
   Canadians, the Dogwood Initiative, EcoSociety, the Sierra Club of British   
   Columbia and Idle No More, the indigenous rights movement.   
      
   "None of these groups are criminal organizations, nor do they have any history   
   of advocating, encouraging, or participating in criminal activity," says the   
   Feb. 6 complaint.   
      
   The CSIS Act is clear that "lawful advocacy, protest or dissent" cannot be   
   regarded as threats to national security, the complaint adds.   
      
   Former cabinet minister Chuck Strahl stepped down as chairman of the review   
   committee earlier this year after it was revealed he had registered as a   
   lobbyist on behalf of Enbridge's Northern Gateway project.   
      
   The complaint says while Strahl "had done the right thing," remaining review   
   committee members with current or past ties to the petroleum industry —   
   namely   
   Fortier and Denis Losier, who sat on the board of Enbridge NB — should not be   
   involved in the matter. (Losier has since left the committee.)   
      
   Paul Champ, a lawyer for the civil liberties association, says a copy of the   
   complaint was sent to CSIS director Michel Coulombe but no reply was received.   
      
   Earlier this month, the review committee informed Champ that Fortier had been   
   assigned to the complaint.   
      
   Fortier, an accomplished lawyer and former ambassador to the United Nations,   
   has served as a director for many Canadian corporations. He was appointed to   
   the review committee in August 2013.   
      
   Fortier's assignment to the civil liberties association's complaint prompted a   
   Sept. 25 letter from Champ to the committee reiterating the B.C. group's   
   position that despite Fortier's "exemplary reputation," his involvement creates   
   an appearance of bias.   
      
   "Indeed, he is clearly a Canadian of extraordinary accomplishment and rectitude   
   who has made significant contributions to Canada," the letter says.   
      
   "Still, the BCCLA submits that this is a highly serious complaint and should be   
   handled in a manner that is in every way beyond reproach, with justice not only   
   done, but seen to be done."   
      
   Josh Paterson, executive director of the civil liberties association, said he   
   hopes the review committee "will consider it very carefully, and that Mr.   
   Fortier might decide to step back from this one."   
      
   The review committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.   
      
   Aside from Fortier, the other current review committee members are Gene McLean,   
   a private security specialist, and Deborah Grey, a former MP who is serving as   
   interim chairwoman.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)