National Newswatch

Canada disrupts attempt to export banned materials to Russia

Aug 2 2022 — Stewart Bell — Canada has disrupted an attempt to send materials to Russia in violation of sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine, an official said Tuesday. Border officers in Montreal seized the shipment, described as “dual-use goods” banned from export to Russia under Canada’s sanctions regime. The shipment was one of more than a dozen with “suspected […]

Canadian government report accuses China of widespread campaign of espionage, manipulation

Jan 26 2022 — Stewart Bell — A government report on Chinese espionage activities in Canada accuses Beijing of engaging in a “systematic campaign of intelligence-gathering, persuasion, influence, and manipulation” against the Chinese community. In the report obtained by Global News, Canadian officials alleged the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office was tasked with “influencing or manipulating” community members, and using “coercive tactics” against […]

Extremist groups ‘actively recruiting’ military and police, Canadian intelligence report warns

Aug 23 2021 — Stewart Bell — Far-right extremist groups are “actively recruiting” past and present members of the military and police, according to a declassified Canadian intelligence report obtained by Global News. The report cited 17 examples in Canada, the U.S., U.K., Germany and New Zealand which “illustrate the intersections and relationships between ideologically motivated violent extremism and uniformed personnel.” Six […]

RCMP preparing charges against Toronto IT worker who became ‘voice of ISIS,’ document reveals

Jun 22 2021 — Stewart Bell — A former Toronto IT worker, known as the “voice of ISIS” because he narrated its gruesome execution videos, is being investigated by the RCMP for “serious terrorism offences,” a court document unsealed Tuesday reveals. The RCMP alleged in the top-secret affidavit it had reason to believe Mohammed Khalifa, a Canadian citizen captured in Syria by […]

Before COVID-19 hit CSIS, intelligence officer fought for mandatory masking but was rejected

May 6 2021 — Stewart Bell — Gary Vos Smith thought he was proposing a sensible precaution against the spread of COVID-19 when he began advocating for mandatory masking at Canadian intelligence headquarters. As an intelligence officer who manages three teams at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in Ottawa, he reasoned that requiring masks would keep everyone safe and ease anxieties.

‘We were ignored completely’: Review says RCMP leadership failed to act on harassment complaints

Mar 17 2021 — Stewart Bell — The intelligence analysts at RCMP headquarters had scored a string of successes by the time Cameron Ortis became their boss in 2016, but then things went downhill. After Ortis took over the RCMP’s National Intelligence Coordination Centre, staff said they faced harassment and inappropriate and demeaning comments, causing morale to plummet. “It was a terrible, […]

Federal COVID-19 subsidy went to company of man on no-fly list for alleged terrorist financing

Jan 20 2021 — Stewart Bell — A company run by a man on Canada’s no-fly list for allegedly financing terrorism and another barred from government national security contracts over alleged links to Indian intelligence were among the recipients of federal COVID-19 relief funds, records show. Yellow Car Rental and Life Prediction Technologies were both recipients of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy […]

Neo-Nazis, extremists capitalizing on COVID-19, declassified CSIS documents say

Dec 7 2020 — Stewart Bell — Extremist groups have been promoting disinformation about COVID-19 in an attempt to capitalize on the pandemic, according to declassified Canadian intelligence files obtained by Global News. Neo-Nazis, white supremacists and anti-government extremists, in particular, have been using COVID-19 conspiracy theories to attract followers, raise money and encourage violence, the documents said.

CSIS warns about conspiracy theories linking COVID-19 to 5G technology

Dec 4 2020 — Stewart Bell — Conspiracy theories linking 5G technology to COVID-19 have become so pervasive that Canada’s intelligence service is warning of possible extremist attacks on sites associated with the wireless network. A confidential Canadian Security Intelligence Service report obtained by Global News anticipates that “ideologically motivated violent” (IMV) extremists may target 5G sites. “As companies begin 5G infrastructure […]