U.S. spied on G20 in Canada

Canada is now caught up in an international spy scandal thanks to documents leaked by Edward Snowden from America’s National Security Agency. The documents say the NSA conducted widespread surveillance on world leaders from the U.S. embassy in Ottawa with the knowledge and co-operation of Canada’s “communications security establishment” during the G-8, and G-20 summits. And as spectacular as that might sound, as Scot Urquhart reports, experts in the security field are collectively trying to stifle a yawn.

Canada’s reputation as a friendly international host, has taken a severe blow as allegations that the Harper government through C-Sec, The Communications Security Establisment of Canada, teamed up with the the National Security Agency of the United States, to spy on allies and diplomats at both the G-8 and G-20 summits. Under Canadian law, we’re not supposed to let foreign agencies operate, on Canadian soil.

Opposition Leader Thomas Mulcair: “What is it about obeying the law that this so-called law and order Conservative government, doesn’t seem to understand?!”

In the Commons the Official Opposition, thundered indignation. But at least one Security expert says, the Tempest is decidedly overblown. John Thompson works for the Strategic Capital Intelligence Group: ” Anyone who thinks there’s a tremendous scandal here, is awesomely naïve.”

Thompson has written extensively for the Mackenzie Institute. He says that everyone involved knows that spying, is standard procedure in gatherings of this kind and whistle blowers like Edward Snowden are really blowing the whistle, on an open secret: “Well, I’m sorta reminded of that scene in Casablanca…”

Inspector Pierre from the movie Casablanca: “I’m shocked! Shocked, to find that gambling is going on in here! Your winnings. Oh, thank you very much. Everybody out at once!”

Thompson: “The embarassment is not that the United States does it or that we were spying on Brazil. The embarassment is that it got noticed. That’s not supposed to happen.”

But thanks to Edward Snowden, it has. And so, in the short run, the best the Harper Conservatives can do is skirt the issue as in this Q & A in the House of Commons:

Conservative Rob Nicholson: “I’ve already indicated Mr. Speaker that this organization is prohibited from targeting Canadians. As well they cannot ask our international partners to act in a way that circumvents Canadian law. That should satisfy the Honorable member.”

Mulcair: “We know it’s prohibited. We know they aren’t allowed to ask. We know they need the authorization of a judge; the question is: ‘Did they respect the law?’ and they failed to answer, like usual.”

The noted writer George Orwell was once attributed with saying: “We sleep peacefully in our beds at night, because rough men stand ready to do violence on our behalf.”
True or not, Canadians may still believe that laws enacted are to be respected, not only by citizens, but by the governments that act on their behalf.