Thoughtful and informed comment that is most welcome given the accusations thrown about in the media. Two points: first, tensions and misunderstandings between foreign affairs and the security service have a long history (as far back as the Herbert Norman affair in the 1950s) so the allegations about the GSRP by retired CSIS officers are no surprise, but definitely to be assessed sceptically. Second, legitimate open source information-gathering perfectly consistent with diplomatic propriety in most countries can be interpreted as "intelligence-gathering" in states like China and Russia when it suits their purposes, since in autocracies all sources are potentially closed to foreigners. Nothing we have seen concerning whatever information Kovrig gathered from Spavor re: North Korea could constitute covert intelligence - except in the PRC, where words mean what the ruling party says they mean. That does put the GSRP in a more delicate position than than it enjoys in more open states.
RE: "Our officers were not declared persona non grata." Nuala Lawlor / GSRP was PNGed from Sudan in 2007 for "spying." Source descriptions in GSRP reporting are parallel in many ways to what intelligence agencies such as CSIS use. GSRP training also previously included methods to avoid surveillance and detection. I am not defending the Ellis/Gurski position, but let's admit that---even while GSRP reporting is invaluable---there were "issues" prior to Kovrig and Spavor.
Thoughtful and informed comment that is most welcome given the accusations thrown about in the media. Two points: first, tensions and misunderstandings between foreign affairs and the security service have a long history (as far back as the Herbert Norman affair in the 1950s) so the allegations about the GSRP by retired CSIS officers are no surprise, but definitely to be assessed sceptically. Second, legitimate open source information-gathering perfectly consistent with diplomatic propriety in most countries can be interpreted as "intelligence-gathering" in states like China and Russia when it suits their purposes, since in autocracies all sources are potentially closed to foreigners. Nothing we have seen concerning whatever information Kovrig gathered from Spavor re: North Korea could constitute covert intelligence - except in the PRC, where words mean what the ruling party says they mean. That does put the GSRP in a more delicate position than than it enjoys in more open states.
Sadly transparency and informed debates have all but disappeared in Canada.
We also have zero foriegn policy and intelligence culture.
A highly informative article. Thanks, Professor.
RE: "Our officers were not declared persona non grata." Nuala Lawlor / GSRP was PNGed from Sudan in 2007 for "spying." Source descriptions in GSRP reporting are parallel in many ways to what intelligence agencies such as CSIS use. GSRP training also previously included methods to avoid surveillance and detection. I am not defending the Ellis/Gurski position, but let's admit that---even while GSRP reporting is invaluable---there were "issues" prior to Kovrig and Spavor.