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Criminalization of dissentHarper government's extensive spying on anti-oilsands groups revealed in FOI
Vancouver Observer 19/11/2013 - The federal government has been vigorously spying on anti-oil sands activists and organizations in BC and across Canada since last December, documents obtained under the Access to Information Act show. Not only is the federal government subsidizing the energy industry in underwriting their costs, but deploying public safety resources as a de-facto 'insurance policy' to ensure that federal strategies on proposed  pipeline projects are achieved, these documents indicate. Before the National Energy Board's Joint Review Panel hearings on the proposed Enbridge oil pipeline, the NEB coordinated the gathering of intelligence on opponents to the oil sands. The groups of interest are independent advocacy organizations that oppose the Harper government's policies and work for environmental protections and democratic rights, including Idle No More, ForestEthics, Sierra Club, EcoSociety, LeadNow, Dogwood Initiative, Council of Canadians and the People's Summit.
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Canada, CSEC and mass surveillance
Op-ed
Kent Roach: How to hold our spies accountable
Ottawa Citizen 19/11/2013 - Canadians should be concerned that their accountability house is in particular disorder. The government has rejected the 2006 recommendations of the Arar Commission, which stressed that accountability should keep pace with the increased intensity of the whole of government and transnational national security activities. The heads of the two  main watchdogs on Canada's intelligence agencies have both recently raised alarms that they do not have the authority to chase intelligence threads beyond the agency that they review. Canada is alone among democracies in not giving even a small group of parliamentarians access to secret information. The Afghan detainee affair underlines the mischief that this can cause in an interconnected world where so much is classified as secret.
Hugh Segal, Conservative Senator decries lack of 'accountability' of spy agencies
The Canadian Press 20/11/2013 - Conservative Sen. Hugh Segal says it's "deeply problematic" that Canada lacks a full-fledged national security committee of parliamentarians to keep an eye on spy agencies. At a national intelligence conference Wednesday, Segal described current  oversight of the spy world as a "non-system of zero legislative accountability." It features parliamentary committees - including one on which Segal sits - that aren't allowed to see secret documents and watchdogs that conduct after-the-fact reviews, the senator told a symposium of the Canadian Association for Security and Intelligence Studies. Read more
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US, NSA and mass surveillance
The New York Times 21/11/2013 - The National Security Agency is authorized to spy on the citizens of America's closest allies, including Britain, even though those English-speaking countries have long had an official non-spying pact, according to a newly disclosed  memorandum. The classified N.S.A. document, which appears to be a draft and is dated January 2005, states that under specific circumstances, the American intelligence agency may spy on citizens of Britain without that country's consent or knowledge. The memo, provided by the former N.S.A. contractor Edward J. Snowden, is labeled secret and "NOFORN," indicating that it may not be shared with any foreign country. Read moreFisa court order that allowed NSA surveillance is revealed for first time
The Guardian 19/11/13 - A secret court order that authorised a massive trawl by the National Security Agency of Americans' email and internet data was published for the first time on Monday night, among a trove of documents that also revealed a judge's concern that the NSA "continuously" and "systematically" violated the  limits placed on the program. The order by the Fisa court, almost certainly its first ruling on the controversial program and published only in heavily redacted form, shows that it granted permisson for the trawl in part because of the type of devices used for the surveillance. Even the judge approving the spying called it a "novel use" of government authorities. Read moreSupreme Court allows NSA to continue looking at telephone records for nowJudge questions his role in NSA caseU.S. senators challenge NSA claim that dragnet surveillance is requiredSenate intelligence panel sharply split on surveillance reformsAT&T and Verizon pressed to detail roles in US surveillance efforts |
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Citizenship, immigration and refugee rights
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Criminalization of dissent
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Guantanamo
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No-fly list
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Omar Khadr
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Rule of law
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Surveillance
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War on terror
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Miscellaneous
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The views expressed in this News Digest do not necessarily reflect the positions of ICLMG
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Event
The Human Cost of Killer Drones
November 25, 2013
7-9pm
Room 12102, Desmarais building
55 Laurier Avenue East
University of Ottawa
Free
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Farea Al-Muslimi testifying in front of the US Congress
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Featuring:
Farea Al-Muslimi, the Yemeni activist who made Obama admit to the use of drones.
Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada.
John Packer, UN expert currently advising the political transition in Yemen.
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Event
You Should Have Stayed Home
You Should Have Stayed Home (aka #G20Romp) is a play about Tommy Taylor's experience over 48 hours at the 2010 G20 weekend in Toronto. 
November 20-23, 2013
8pm
Arts Court Theatre
2 Daly Avenue, suite 240
Ottawa
More information Tickets
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Documentary
Stream Unmanned: America's Drone Wars for free
Robert Greenwald's newest full-length feature is now available to stream for free. The documentary will only be available to stream online for a limited time. Sign up now and you will be redirected to stream the film for free.
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Take action
Tell Harper: No Secret Spying!
Openmedia.ca - According to online surveillance expert Ron Deibert, a secretive Canadian government agency is collecting our sensitive private information, giving them  the power to "pinpoint not only who you are, but with whom you meet, with what frequency and duration, and at which locations." We need to use this moment-when privacy issues are in the spotlight-to get answers. Call on the government to stop this secretive spying scheme, and to tell Canadians exactly what's going on. We deserve to know.
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What is the News Digest?
The News Digest is ICLMG's weekly publication of news articles, events, calls to action and much more regarding national security, anti-terrorism, civil liberties and other issues related to the mandate and concerns of ICLMG and its member organizations. The ICLMG is a national coalition of thirty-eight Canadian civil society organizations that was established in the aftermath of the September, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
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