Briefing Materials for CSIS' Appearance Before the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights

Table of Contents

  1. Key Messages

Issues Related to the Study

  1. Workplace Culture and Diversity & Inclusion
  2. Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremism
  3. Religiously Motivated Violent Extremism
  4. Canadian Extremist Travellers
  5. Afghanistan
  6. Freedom Convoy 22
  7. CSIS Screening

General Issues

  1. Duty of candour and accountability
  2. Modernizing CSIS Authorities
  3. Intelligence and Evidence
  4. Foreign Interference in Canada – General

Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights

November 28, 2022
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Key Messages

Impacts of islamophobia on the threat landscape

Duty of Candour

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement

Increasing diversity and inclusivity in outreach

Engagement with Heritage Canada and transparency

Specific stakeholder engagements

Online Safety

Workplace Culture and Diversity & Inclusion

Key Messages

Workplace Climate

Promotion of diversity and inclusion

Actions taken

Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremism (IMVE)

Issue: What is ideologically motivated violent extremism? What is CSIS’ role and assessment of this threat?

Key Messages

Threat Landscape

Rise of IMVE threat in Canada

Online threat environment

Gender-Driven IMVE

Terrorist listings

On specific groups being investigated

Religiously Motivated Violent Extremism

Issue: is CSIS still concerned about religiously motivated violent extremism?

Key Messages

Canadian Extremist Travellers

Key Messages

If pressed on children in the camps:

Afghanistan

Issue: What is CSIS’ role in supporting the humanitarian effort with regards to Afghanistan?

Key Messages

Freedom Convoy 22

CSIS mandate; s.2(c) and 2(d) definitions

Anti-authority movements and conspiracy theories

Diagolon

Background (unclassified)

The Raging Dissident initially created Diagolon in January 2021 as a fictitious country to inspire unity amongst like-minded people. Diagolon was created as a symbol of defiance against the government’s COVID-19 restrictions and mandated vaccinations. Over the past year, Diagolon has expanded from an online presence to a real-world network and promotes extreme anti-government narratives centered on a range of grievances.

Protests and funding

FC22 and way forward

CSIS Screening

Issue: What is CSIS’ security screening mandate? What are the different screening authorities under the CSIS Act? What is CSIS’ role in advising Government on security assessments?

Key Messages

Government security screening mandate

Possible recourse action when a clearance is denied or revoked

If pressed on specific complaints:

Duty of candour and accountability

Key Messages

Modernizing CSIS Authorities

Issue: What changes are necessary to CSIS’ authorities, and why?

Key messages

Intelligence and Evidence

Key Messages

Foreign Interference in Canada - General

Issue: What is CSIS’ understanding of this threat?

Key Messages

General Election 44 (2021) & 43 (2019)

Foreign Interference Manifestations

Democratic institutions

Communities

Media

Disinformation campaigns

Hotlines

Page details

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