Richard Fadden

A new front in the fight over disclosure

The spy agency says it will use evidence obtained via torture to protect public safety

March 31, 2009. Geoffrey O’Brian, a CSIS lawyer and advisor on operations and legislation, under questioning by the public safety committee, admitted there is no absolute ban on using intelligence that may have been obtained from countries with questionable human rights records on torture. He said it would be extremely rare but in a circumstance as grave as the 9/11 attacks or the Air India bombing, the executive branch has a “duty” to protect the security of its citizens, even if such information can “never” be used in a court proceeding.

A week into his summer tour, Michael Ignatieff is more or less on the record about the Cornwall border crossing, flooding in Manitoba, farm insurance, Louis Riel, firefighters, the census, the proposed Pickering airport, Afghanistan, Richard Fadden, foreign investment, affordable housing, contraband cigarettes, fighter jets, a Peterborough rail link, election timing, overseas travel, our politics and prison farms.

After an announcement in Waterloo this afternoon, the Prime Minister managed to get through a brief session with reporters without a single question about the director of our national spy agency. Nonetheless, I had previously filed a couple questions, via e-mail, with the Prime Minister’s Office:

It escaped me in the moment, but it is perhaps worth noting that the Conservative MP who most aggressively pursued Richard Fadden yesterday was Dave MacKenzie, who holds the title and responsibility of parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Public Safety.

Richard Fadden explains himself, makes “quiet” progress

The parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs has rebuked the CSIS chief over those allegations of foreign interference in Canadian politics and Mr. Fadden is now due to appear before the public safety committee next Monday. Wesley Wark, meanwhile, demands a mea culpa

While the premiers of Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia are unimpressed with the head of CSIS, the Liberals want the national security committee recalled to investigate Richard Fadden’s claims and the NDP’s Olivia Chow is demanding answers. For good measure, sources now tell the CBC that the Prime Minister’s Office was aware of Mr. Fadden’s general concerns and the Prime Minister is himself concerned.

If what the CSIS director said is true, how can it possibly be acceptable not to alert the governments directly involved?

Earlier today, the Prime Minister’s Office had been punting questions on the matter—”We have no knowledge of these matters. CSIS directs its own operations. Questions should be directed to CSIS.”—and just now, Mr. Fadden has attempted to punt his own allegations of foreign interference in Canadian politics.