Mr Rigby's assessment is worth noting. These developments could well have detrimental effects on the briefing to the Prime Minister of covert information and assessments relevant to pressing foreign and defence policy challenges.
The person who is taking up the new position is, it should be noted, is someone who spent most of his career with foreign affairs (he originally came out of the Canadian International Development Agency).
In other words, no deep operational experience in any of Canada's covert intelligence collection organizations.
These transfers and reassignments, certainly in areas of national intelligence matters are highly problematic. I certainly agree with “A Canuck’s” statements. I tread into areas I’m not familiar with but any positions regarding national intelligence matters must be filled by subject matter experts.
The diplomatic and international affairs advisor sounds like Morrison's old Foreign & Defence Policy Advisor position. Well known as a poor manager of people, I imagine GAC is quite pleased to get a new DM. He's also pro-China, so fits in well with the PM's views and won't be offering any unpleasant reality checks on such things as law enforcement cooperation and cultural exchanges with the CCP as part of Canada's new strategic partnership. Recall Morrison's spectacular testimony before parliamentary committee that, as the acting NSIA, he didn't know he was supposed to do something with reporting indicating coordinated CCP interference in the Liberal Party out of the Toronto consulate, after initially denying he'd even seen it. There was also his leak of classified material to the Washington Post around the Nijjar killing. Normally perjury, incompetence, and a criminal offence should get you fired (and charged under FISOIA). I guess the rules are different for these Oxbridge grads, what.
I had hoped to see the NSIA position evolve more into something similar to the US one, or a combination of the NSA and ODNI, which is what's needed. And, current occupants notwithstanding, these are usually occupied by long-serving military and intelligence professionals - that also needs to happen here (see above).
I find this government very strange - it's cutting positions in agencies it says it intends to grow because they're short people, like CBSA and RCMP, and it creates extra agencies like this new Financial Crimes Agency whose mandate could easily be tackled by RCMP and FinTRAC if they were properly resourced and authorized. The NSIA position was cut back at a time when, for example, counter foreign interference needs to be be turbo-charged. It's...unintelligible.
According to David Morrison's LinkedIn page, he was appointed to this role in 2019, so it looks like it's little to no change for him (except that he's now a Sherpa for G20 conferences, too).
He reportedly was not a big fan of intelligence assessment, nor of opinions offered by those who were not a part of the diplomatic element of the public service.
The Carney government generally could do much better at explaining their decisions and policy choices to Canadians, as opposed to the ‘daddy knows best’ approach. It seems many senior appointments to the newly created agencies are corporate CEOs or bankers. Or bringing back officials from 2 generations ago (hello Mr. Sabia). Surely that leaves the deputy cadre feeling somewhat scorned and not having the trust of the PM.
Well.
Mr Rigby's assessment is worth noting. These developments could well have detrimental effects on the briefing to the Prime Minister of covert information and assessments relevant to pressing foreign and defence policy challenges.
The person who is taking up the new position is, it should be noted, is someone who spent most of his career with foreign affairs (he originally came out of the Canadian International Development Agency).
In other words, no deep operational experience in any of Canada's covert intelligence collection organizations.
These transfers and reassignments, certainly in areas of national intelligence matters are highly problematic. I certainly agree with “A Canuck’s” statements. I tread into areas I’m not familiar with but any positions regarding national intelligence matters must be filled by subject matter experts.
The diplomatic and international affairs advisor sounds like Morrison's old Foreign & Defence Policy Advisor position. Well known as a poor manager of people, I imagine GAC is quite pleased to get a new DM. He's also pro-China, so fits in well with the PM's views and won't be offering any unpleasant reality checks on such things as law enforcement cooperation and cultural exchanges with the CCP as part of Canada's new strategic partnership. Recall Morrison's spectacular testimony before parliamentary committee that, as the acting NSIA, he didn't know he was supposed to do something with reporting indicating coordinated CCP interference in the Liberal Party out of the Toronto consulate, after initially denying he'd even seen it. There was also his leak of classified material to the Washington Post around the Nijjar killing. Normally perjury, incompetence, and a criminal offence should get you fired (and charged under FISOIA). I guess the rules are different for these Oxbridge grads, what.
I had hoped to see the NSIA position evolve more into something similar to the US one, or a combination of the NSA and ODNI, which is what's needed. And, current occupants notwithstanding, these are usually occupied by long-serving military and intelligence professionals - that also needs to happen here (see above).
I find this government very strange - it's cutting positions in agencies it says it intends to grow because they're short people, like CBSA and RCMP, and it creates extra agencies like this new Financial Crimes Agency whose mandate could easily be tackled by RCMP and FinTRAC if they were properly resourced and authorized. The NSIA position was cut back at a time when, for example, counter foreign interference needs to be be turbo-charged. It's...unintelligible.
Oh dear. There certainly does need to be an explanation. Silos again (national:international)? That is never very helpful.
According to David Morrison's LinkedIn page, he was appointed to this role in 2019, so it looks like it's little to no change for him (except that he's now a Sherpa for G20 conferences, too).
He reportedly was not a big fan of intelligence assessment, nor of opinions offered by those who were not a part of the diplomatic element of the public service.
The Carney government generally could do much better at explaining their decisions and policy choices to Canadians, as opposed to the ‘daddy knows best’ approach. It seems many senior appointments to the newly created agencies are corporate CEOs or bankers. Or bringing back officials from 2 generations ago (hello Mr. Sabia). Surely that leaves the deputy cadre feeling somewhat scorned and not having the trust of the PM.
Excellent insights.