Political harassment targeting our people is a horrible problem that exists in a weird Bermuda Triangle of overlapping Canadian political dysfunctions.
What I find the most puzzling is the lack of action against *Iranian* interference operations inside Canada. Iran doesn't have the economic clout or large diasporas of China or India. The Iranian regime is a lawless group of a-holes who nobody likes, and about the only mitigating factor for any Canadians is that the US doesn't like them. Canadians with Iranian background don't like the Iranian regime! There's no constituency for Iran. Still, it seems like little has been done to blunt Iranian operations inside Canada that involve intimidation and blackmail of Canadian citizens.
One thing that struck me was that Irwin Cotler apparently has 24/7 RCMP protection, as he's apparently under threat of Iranian assassination. That was mentioned as an aside in an article with an interview with Cotler either early this year or late last year. It's absolutely baffling how little attention that got, and the government is more than willing to make hay over an Indian assassination to get a moment of popularity, but says nothing about Iran potential assassinations.
What an excellent column. All the parties have dirty hands on this because of what Matt so wonderfully captured: "Every major Canadian political party has become enamoured with treating ethnic and religious groups in Canada as vote banks."
I think Matt nailed it and my thoughts are that all the parties in Ottawa don't want anyone in Canada to notice the foreign registry thing so "lets all agree we won't talk about it".
Vote banks - Exactly !!! Golden calfs, sacred cows. Should be replaced with ancient pagan gods.
Now we see the concrete results of the government funded academic exercise called "multiculturalism". No cohesion in society and a rapidly decaying state institutions..
Angela Merkel: German multiculturalism has 'utterly failed' . 2010.
The darling of the left said it, but the soon-to-be post-nation state knew better. The problem isn't about having different cultures (how much blood pudding could we really stomach?) as that is desirable, it is about not requiring integration.
Good question. If citizenship is defined as holding a passport and being eligible to vote, then yes. If citizenship encompasses having a common set of values (culture), then perhaps not, as the polarization has become increasingly intractable.
I agree wholeheartedly that something needs to be done but I do not think creating a foreign influence registry will do the trick. It's like asking a thief...will you promise to never take something that isn't yours again..they will answer of course, yes. But can you trust that answer...well, no. So I'm afraid that I just don't get that we need another convening moment, or another polite question to those who have already indicted they are inclined to ignore our laws and values.
I would equate the foreign influence registry to gun rules in Canada. Well-meaning people follow the rules and are still harassed; criminals ignore the rules without consequence because we just don't do enforcement if it is difficult.
I have the same thought around the registry … would it effectively address foreign interference ? I believe others countries do have what are considered effective registries. It would be good to understand the process and requirements around the registry, which I don’t at this point.
I agree with you in many respects but there is one (theoretical) thing to consider.
If say, Joe, acted for Iran without registering then he could be prosecuted and (again, theoretically) imprisoned for acting on behalf of a foreign (kinda) power. Of course, the thought that anyone would be imprisoned for such a thing rather than a terrifically token fine (that would probably be paid by said foreign power) is laughable.
Great article Matt, and unfortunately I too am not surprised nothing gets done. The Liberals of the past 10+years know how to talk, but not how to do. Canada's heading down a tough path and so many Canadians don't have a clue. V Knight NS
The people who work at the senior ranks of the public service share in common with politicians and big business one key feature: a belief that morality and ethics should NOT take precedence over "flexibility" and "the needs of the moment".
Which is why our "leading elites" often do things that are so difficult for the rest of us to comprehend.
Ultimately, I think that those elites of ours are letting their desire for "flexibility" get in the way of understanding and *good sense*.
I suspect that neither China nor India would make a long-term issue of efforts by Canada to force foreign influence registration requirements on their agents. After all, both countries do far more to prevent foreign influence / interference within their own borders.
Then again, "good sense" and the Government of Canada have long seemed to be strangers to one another.
There are a lot of people who don't see Canada as a real country. More of a placeholder nation (like Belgium) or a hotel for various diaspora. Canada is even seen by some as the frontier where mindshare and investment are still up for grabs.
If our elites actually believed in Canada with their time and money, and not just in words, Canada would be much further ahead in its nationhood development. Instead they derive their worth by what Americans think of them or folks "back home."
My (very naive, to be sure) question is, why can we not have "friends" and "trading partners" to whom we say something like, "We really, really, really do like you / want to trade with you, but Canada has rules that prevent folks from interfering with our citizens and our government so, if any folks start interfering and if we catch them we shall imprison them. Of course, friends / trading partners would not interfere so we shall treat those so caught as domestic terrorists and imprison them for long terms."
Gee, it’s almost as if the LPC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Communist Party of China. As for the Iranian interference, it seems like just the other day that Frankie Bubbles was Foreign Affairs Minister and gung-ho to reboot our “relationship” with Iran that the big meanie Harper had ruined when he kicked Iranian “diplomats” out for, er, interfering with Canadians of Iranian extraction, a reboot that was cancelled when Iran shot down Ukraine Airlines flight 752.
"It’s important because the victims are our people ...". It is important because it undermines democracy.
Having a column on BC without mentioning the land crisis in Richmond is mind boggling. Dug up Christie Blatchford's "Helpless" in preparation for a Caledonia times a thousand. Foresee the CAF intervening to forcibly remove the current residents? If BC isn't actually a province is there "a get out of Canada free" card for Alberta?
Hmmm..... "'a get out of Canada free' card for Alberta"
Well, certainly there is. If we left we could simply assert that our share of the national debt is $X and we have already paid $X+ through the mechanism of over taxation to fund the federal system.
I'm willing to go farther, and say that our political parties rely on foreign interference to function, because of these vote banks. Thats why we tolerated them so much. Its the nature of diaspora politics.
What I find the most puzzling is the lack of action against *Iranian* interference operations inside Canada. Iran doesn't have the economic clout or large diasporas of China or India. The Iranian regime is a lawless group of a-holes who nobody likes, and about the only mitigating factor for any Canadians is that the US doesn't like them. Canadians with Iranian background don't like the Iranian regime! There's no constituency for Iran. Still, it seems like little has been done to blunt Iranian operations inside Canada that involve intimidation and blackmail of Canadian citizens.
One thing that struck me was that Irwin Cotler apparently has 24/7 RCMP protection, as he's apparently under threat of Iranian assassination. That was mentioned as an aside in an article with an interview with Cotler either early this year or late last year. It's absolutely baffling how little attention that got, and the government is more than willing to make hay over an Indian assassination to get a moment of popularity, but says nothing about Iran potential assassinations.
What an excellent column. All the parties have dirty hands on this because of what Matt so wonderfully captured: "Every major Canadian political party has become enamoured with treating ethnic and religious groups in Canada as vote banks."
I think Matt nailed it and my thoughts are that all the parties in Ottawa don't want anyone in Canada to notice the foreign registry thing so "lets all agree we won't talk about it".
Vote banks - Exactly !!! Golden calfs, sacred cows. Should be replaced with ancient pagan gods.
Now we see the concrete results of the government funded academic exercise called "multiculturalism". No cohesion in society and a rapidly decaying state institutions..
Angela Merkel: German multiculturalism has 'utterly failed' . 2010.
The darling of the left said it, but the soon-to-be post-nation state knew better. The problem isn't about having different cultures (how much blood pudding could we really stomach?) as that is desirable, it is about not requiring integration.
Are the left and right fellow citizens?
Good question. If citizenship is defined as holding a passport and being eligible to vote, then yes. If citizenship encompasses having a common set of values (culture), then perhaps not, as the polarization has become increasingly intractable.
The first one, I think. It would be nice if we all looked at one another as fellow citizens.
With you. Should be able to agree to disagree without it being personal. Argue the point, not the person.
I agree wholeheartedly that something needs to be done but I do not think creating a foreign influence registry will do the trick. It's like asking a thief...will you promise to never take something that isn't yours again..they will answer of course, yes. But can you trust that answer...well, no. So I'm afraid that I just don't get that we need another convening moment, or another polite question to those who have already indicted they are inclined to ignore our laws and values.
I would equate the foreign influence registry to gun rules in Canada. Well-meaning people follow the rules and are still harassed; criminals ignore the rules without consequence because we just don't do enforcement if it is difficult.
You just defined "anarcho tyranny". Onerous rules for the compliant, zero enforcement for real offenders. Punishments that only hurt the law abiding.
I have the same thought around the registry … would it effectively address foreign interference ? I believe others countries do have what are considered effective registries. It would be good to understand the process and requirements around the registry, which I don’t at this point.
This assumes that no one knows who "they" are already. Registration is a test.
I agree with you in many respects but there is one (theoretical) thing to consider.
If say, Joe, acted for Iran without registering then he could be prosecuted and (again, theoretically) imprisoned for acting on behalf of a foreign (kinda) power. Of course, the thought that anyone would be imprisoned for such a thing rather than a terrifically token fine (that would probably be paid by said foreign power) is laughable.
Great article Matt, and unfortunately I too am not surprised nothing gets done. The Liberals of the past 10+years know how to talk, but not how to do. Canada's heading down a tough path and so many Canadians don't have a clue. V Knight NS
Not just Liberals.
They all suck because they all want the "flexibility" that having no registry gives them.
The people who work at the senior ranks of the public service share in common with politicians and big business one key feature: a belief that morality and ethics should NOT take precedence over "flexibility" and "the needs of the moment".
Which is why our "leading elites" often do things that are so difficult for the rest of us to comprehend.
Ultimately, I think that those elites of ours are letting their desire for "flexibility" get in the way of understanding and *good sense*.
I suspect that neither China nor India would make a long-term issue of efforts by Canada to force foreign influence registration requirements on their agents. After all, both countries do far more to prevent foreign influence / interference within their own borders.
Then again, "good sense" and the Government of Canada have long seemed to be strangers to one another.
There are a lot of people who don't see Canada as a real country. More of a placeholder nation (like Belgium) or a hotel for various diaspora. Canada is even seen by some as the frontier where mindshare and investment are still up for grabs.
If our elites actually believed in Canada with their time and money, and not just in words, Canada would be much further ahead in its nationhood development. Instead they derive their worth by what Americans think of them or folks "back home."
The government’s response is beyond the pale, foreign policy concerns vis-a-vis China and India (and all others) be damned!
You nailed it Matt. Sadly.
Well stated Matt. One more "wait and see" promise unfulfilled! The list is getting long and time is running out on Carney's credibility.
PP already blew most of what was left of his ranting against the RCMP.
Is there one adult leader left in the HofC other than Blanchet?
Yes. PP.
My (very naive, to be sure) question is, why can we not have "friends" and "trading partners" to whom we say something like, "We really, really, really do like you / want to trade with you, but Canada has rules that prevent folks from interfering with our citizens and our government so, if any folks start interfering and if we catch them we shall imprison them. Of course, friends / trading partners would not interfere so we shall treat those so caught as domestic terrorists and imprison them for long terms."
Gee, it’s almost as if the LPC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Communist Party of China. As for the Iranian interference, it seems like just the other day that Frankie Bubbles was Foreign Affairs Minister and gung-ho to reboot our “relationship” with Iran that the big meanie Harper had ruined when he kicked Iranian “diplomats” out for, er, interfering with Canadians of Iranian extraction, a reboot that was cancelled when Iran shot down Ukraine Airlines flight 752.
Harry, can you please tell me why it is "almost" like that?
It seems to me that it isn't "almost like that" or "like that" but it is that.
"It’s important because the victims are our people ...". It is important because it undermines democracy.
Having a column on BC without mentioning the land crisis in Richmond is mind boggling. Dug up Christie Blatchford's "Helpless" in preparation for a Caledonia times a thousand. Foresee the CAF intervening to forcibly remove the current residents? If BC isn't actually a province is there "a get out of Canada free" card for Alberta?
"Nobody there. Nobody there. Nobody there!" Quintessential federalist.
Hmmm..... "'a get out of Canada free' card for Alberta"
Well, certainly there is. If we left we could simply assert that our share of the national debt is $X and we have already paid $X+ through the mechanism of over taxation to fund the federal system.
Great Piece Matt!!
Aaaah, the things this country could accomplish if we had competent people in charge…
100%.
I'm willing to go farther, and say that our political parties rely on foreign interference to function, because of these vote banks. Thats why we tolerated them so much. Its the nature of diaspora politics.
Yeah, vote banks but let us not forget campaign cash.