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Former public safety minister Bill Blair expressed that he was “not advised” for several weeks after the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) indicated it had informed his chief of staff about the need to seek authorization for investigating an Ontario Liberal insider back in March 2021.
The timeline surrounding the investigation into Michael Chan, a former provincial Liberal cabinet minister, has raised questions. According to CSIS testimony, the warrant application intended to monitor Chan remained with Blair’s chief of staff, Zita Astravas, for over a month before receiving Blair’s approval, which came shortly before the 2021 federal election.
Chan, who is still an influential figure within Liberal networks in Ontario, has faced ongoing scrutiny due to alleged connections with the Chinese consulate in Toronto and individuals associated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Canada—allegations he has consistently denied, as detailed in various media reports.
The fact that CSIS sought to surveil a notable politician is an uncommon occurrence that necessitates endorsement not just from federal judges but also from senior CSIS officials and the public safety minister, who is now Blair, the current minister of defence.
As a federal inquiry into foreign interference unfolds, it has yet to clarify the reasons behind the prolonged delay in this case.
In a statement to Global News, Blair reflected, “While it was appropriate for my staff and CSIS to ensure submissions were correct and complete before it was brought to me, my expectation was and always had been that warrant applications be dealt with properly and promptly.”
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Astravas, currently employed at Wellington Advocates, a lobbying firm, has not yet responded to inquiries via text or email regarding this matter.
Last week, during the ongoing foreign interference commission, Justice Marie-Josée Hogue heard that CSIS had briefed Astravas about the warrant in early March and had delivered the warrant shortly after. Michelle Tessier, the former deputy director of operations at CSIS, noted that the agency’s headquarters and agents felt “frustrated” by what they viewed as a delay in receiving approval for the surveillance of Chan, who now serves as the deputy mayor of Markham, Ontario.
Chan has not commented on the situation as of Tuesday. He is currently pursuing legal action against CSIS regarding the leaked information along with two journalists, including one who previously worked for Global News.
Typically, CSIS aims for a 10-day period between sending a warrant for the public safety minister’s approval and receiving a decision. The reasons for this case taking considerably longer remain unclear. Former CSIS director David Vigneault testified that he was not troubled by the delay and that when he finally brought it to Blair’s attention, it was approved that same day.
Stephanie Carvin, a former CSIS analyst and current educator at Carleton University, emphasized the extensive groundwork needed for a warrant application, especially given that politicians, alongside media and religious institutions, are considered “sensitive” targets for surveillance.
“Everyone remembers the lessons of the 1970s and, you know, the searching of politicians and journalists…,” Carvin stated, alluding to the historical overreach of the RCMP’s intelligence activities that ultimately led to the establishment of CSIS. She pointed out that there’s little desire to return to such practices.
Carvin added that for CSIS to initiate a preliminary investigation into a politician’s actions, it would involve significant backing from top officials, potentially including the director. Active surveillance would demand both high-level endorsements and substantial resources.
“The service only has so many resources… It’s not easy to get a warrant, and just because you have a warrant doesn’t mean it’s easy to collect that information,” she explained, stressing the legal and practical considerations that would go into a decision of this magnitude.
Source
globalnews.ca