Canada's Busy Spies

In short, CSIS viewed Arar not just as a potential security threat, but also as a political hassle and a policy problem. And it wanted other departments to be aware of the downside of him coming home. Even so, Hooper rebuffed a suggestion that CSIS would have preferred Arar rot in a Syrian jail. Whatever the truth, all this ought to raise a red flag in Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan's office. As minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, she reports to Parliament on CSIS' behalf. CSIS appears to have strayed well beyond its core competency, in voicing concerns to the solicitor-general, foreign affairs department and others about the political and policy implications of having Ottawa repatriate Arar. With all respect to Justice O'Connor's findings in this tangled, troubling case, the spy agency might benefit from an attitude adjustment. Canada's spies should not be anxious about Liberal image management, Canada-U.S. relations and immigration policy. We elect members of Parliament to watch out for such things. And when we don't like the result, we vote them out. CSIS is not similarly accountable. It should stick to its mandate: Keeping close tabs on threats to our security. Influencing the politicians is a matter for the voting public, not for our secret spy services. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1125094211560&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

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