The Fenian Raids and a Friendly Border Threat Analysis with Phil Gurski

The Live Drop

Phil Gurski, an author and renowned Canadian intelligence professional. Phil worked as an analyst at the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), Canada's equivalent of the NSA, and as a senior strategic analyst at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). He contributes to the Ottawa Citizen and­­ has published six books on counter-terrorism, including his recent work, The Peaceable Kingdom: A History of Terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present.

I interviewed Phil in an actual face to face Live Drop in the town of Russell, Ontario, where he talked about his forthcoming book on the Fenian Raids of the mid-19th century. The first terrorism threat Canada faced came from across the border from disgruntled Irish Nationalists after the American Civil War. In this wide-ranging discussion, we delve into a primer on the ramshackle but spirited Fenian Raids and explore the history of Canada, immigration along the border, Five Eyes intelligence sharing, modern terrorism threats, and the challenges facing the Canadian intelligence community at large. Turns out Canada doesn't have a CIA equivalent, nor a foreign intelligence collection mandate... only for direct threats to their national security.

Phil Gurski is the CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting. You can find him on X at @borealissaves, and on his blog and website borealisthreatandrisk.com

Live Drop Episode 67

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