XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ab.politics   
   From: Panca@nyet.ca   
      
   > On Monday, September 29, 2014 4:44:57 PM UTC-6, (ಠ_ಠ)         wrote:   
   >> 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.   
      
   On 9/29/2014 5:36 PM, Roy wrote:   
   > Sounds like a conflict of interest...the FEDs are stacking the deck AGAIN   
   perhaps?   
      
      
   There's no "perhaps" with this government.  Harper will call it 'strategy'.  I   
   call it abuse of authority and lack of respect for Canadians.   
   Time to teach them what we think of such tactics.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)