CSIS fights to block release of Tommy Douglas file

Toronto Star ^ | Feb.10, 2010 | joan bryden

[headsonpikes]

Canada’s spy agency is pulling out all the stops to block the release of decades-old intelligence on socialist icon Tommy Douglas.

In an affidavit filed in Federal Court, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service argues that full disclosure of the file on Douglas could endanger the lives of confidential informants and jeopardize the agency’s ability to conduct secret surveillance.

Indeed, CSIS suggests its very raison d’être would be imperilled by releasing the information compiled on the one-time Saskatchewan premier and federal NDP leader, widely revered as the father of medicare....

[headsonpikes]

I would like to see his commie links revealed, personally. I heckled the man at two campaign rallies in the '60s - he can't be dead enough to suit me.

Never forget that he enabled that even worse sonofab*tch Trudeau!

[headsonpikes]

For your lists!

[fanfan]

Thanks for the ping, headsonpikes.

[Para-Ord.45]

” His links to the peace movement and Communist Party members were of particular interest.”

[Ticonderoga34]

Interesting trivia fact. Tommy Douglas is the grandfather of Kiefer Sutherland.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I suspect that there would be relevant information, not about his personal contacts with the Soviet Union, but of those in his inner circle, which was the typical Soviet way of doing business.

They were very aware of the need to “insulate” “politicals” friendly to socialism and the Soviet Union, so that they could disavow an aide who was a communist, and maybe politically survive. So the aide would act as liaison.

Importantly, Soviet espionage had some peculiar ways of doing business. During and after WWII, they had extensively penetrated the US government, but when exposed, they lost many agents and handlers. So after then, they headquartered intelligence operations in adjacent countries to the “country of interest”.

That is, the “US Interest Section” was located in the Russian embassy in Canada, for example. Canadian and Mexican espionage was likely headquartered in the US. (Yes, Mexico was of importance, because Stalin’s nemesis, Trotsky, lived there until a KGB agent assassinated him.)

One of the last, blatant attempts to surround a “political” with agents was with Ron Dellums, Democrat congressman from Oakland. The Soviets offered him any number of black communist staffers, so crudely that even the Democrat party said “no”.

So in the case of this Canadian, what to look for are American leftists who would travel from the US to Canada to consult with one or more of his aides.

[Clive]

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