CBC helps CSIS change the lead story from the Air India bombing to foreign espionage

The Canadian media are in an uproar over comments on CBC by Richard Fadden, the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.

Fadden told interviewer Peter "Bilderberger" Mansbridge that CSIS is aware of municipal and provincial politicians who have come under the influence of foreign governments.

This will send reporters on a chase to find out which municipal politicians have accepted free trips to China.

Mansbridge didn't ask Fadden about MPs who've accepted free trips to Israel, Taiwan, and other countries.

Some cynics might wonder if Mansbridge himself was acting on behalf of a foreign government when he conducted a softball interview with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late May.

Lower-level CSIS and RCMP officials have raised the spectre of Chinese espionage in the past, most notably in the Project Sidewinder investigation, which was derailed by their superiors.

What I find curious about the whole affair is the timing.

CSIS chose to make this revelation and CBC chose to broadcast it the day before the 25th anniversary of the bombing of Air India Flight 182 off the coast of Ireland. The attack killed 329 passengers and crew.

CSIS's shameful conduct in the period before and after the bombing was thoroughly chronicled in retired Supreme Court of Justice John Major's recently released report following a lengthy inquiry.

The 25th anniversary of the bombing will generate a great deal of media attention, as it should.

But somehow, CSIS has managed to change the lead story on newscasts across the country by making an unsubstantiated claim that puts a cloud over many politicians.

As a result, CSIS will come under less scrutiny from the media over its contribution to the largest mass murder in Canadian history.

During the 1980s, a great many security experts, politicians, and media commentators were questioning the competence of CSIS.

Journalist and author Richard Cleroux would tell tales of how RCMP and CSIS officers would refuse to share the same elevator.

Years later, the Globe and Mail carried a shocking report explaining how CSIS burned surveillance tapes from the Air India investigation on top of a building on West Broadway in Vancouver.

It's clear that since those sorry days, the security service has become far more adept in one important area: media relations. The proof was on display in Fadden's interview with Mansbridge.

Follow Charlie Smith on Twitter at twitter.com/csmithstraight.

Comments

11 Comments

Birdy

Jun 23, 2010 at 12:00pm

Nice article, the timing definitely makes this announcement smell funny. That said, subversion is a serious threat to Canada, and we're already pretty far into the process.

For more information on the subversion of the West, check out the work of Yuri Bezmenov, a.k.a. Tomas Schuman, who defected from the KGB in 1970, came to Canada and began working for the CBC, but was fired for criticizing Russia.

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glen p robbins

Jun 23, 2010 at 12:01pm

It always makes me laugh -- hearing people in power or those in media talking about credibility. I challenge readers here to telephone some random citizens with questions about government and elected officials --and media credibility---------------all this will start making alot of sense after you do.

The people don't believe the establishment --- government, elected officials, and the paid for profit media. (I am not against profits -- however when the desire to get a profit causes you to serve the interests of your advertiser-- over the consumers of that advertising -- you screw up the entire 'estate').

What is this saying about our public broadcaster?

LOL

Jun 23, 2010 at 12:03pm

Can't say I agree with you on this one, Charlie. While the report will definitely make the spy agency look bad, it happened 25 years ago and I'm sure they learned their lessons within the first couple of years after the incident.

As for the foreign control aspect, that does indeed sound interesting. It's not a stretch of the imagination to consider some of our politicians have loyalties back where they came from.

China and their international espionage efforts would certainly be lent to throw around influence in a province with this many Chinese interests. I'd like to see a dollar figure for the amount of money - both personal and business - that gets sent back to the motherland.

Qui bono?

WildBill

Jun 23, 2010 at 6:08pm

Too funny! I saw the headline and wondered how this 'paper' would use this to trash Israel, and there it was.

apeasant

Jun 23, 2010 at 6:20pm

glen p

I'd be willing to bet that most everywhere "don't believe the establishment."

Why they cower or give into Stockholm Syndrome is the interesting question.

"I want someone in charge, just as long as it's not me", seems to be the psychology of most.

glen p robbins

Jun 23, 2010 at 8:21pm

I doubt I will attract a majority with this -- but in a way Fadden just made the political and media business -- very interesting.

I apologize if I offend anyone -- but I like Mr. Fadden -- have we found ZEUS's CEO?

Darren K.

Jun 23, 2010 at 10:55pm

I like the way this article included the term "Bilderberger" in quotes between Peter and Mansbridge, helping to reduce the journalistic level of the Georgia Straight to that of Variety Magazine.

glen p robbins

Jun 24, 2010 at 2:23pm

apeasant -- you -- you're good you---(De Niro Analyse This-That and the other).

What you say is true -- it will come down to -- people -- saying -- if I don't get out and get involved -- I will confront one Gordon Campbell - special interest zombie after another--nothing will improve -- because the press will only let its stable of 'leveraged' "B" quality actors -- play in the mud.

I would like to see the study that attempts to identify the cost of lost production -- because of someone like Gordon Campbell -- wandering around aimlessly -- doing as he pleases--ANOTHER ugly political death.

A glen p robbins government would bring in the Dump The Awful Politician Act.

Birdy

Jun 24, 2010 at 2:48pm

re: Darren

What exactly is wrong with pointing out that Mansbridge is a globalist who attends secret meetings with war criminals, monarchs and Goldman Sachs on the tax payer dime?

If you honestly think that's just fine and dandy, maybe it's time to start slowing down your neurotoxic corporate media intake.