Dec. 15, 2006: Triumvirate, RCMP, Security

Abdullah Almalki accuses Ottawa of aiding Syrian officials , Dec. 13, 06, via www.nationalnewswatch.com

www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/12/13/almalki-inquiry.html

Abdullah Almalki accused Canadian officials Tuesday of having a larger hand in his imprisonment and alleged torture in Syria than they did in the Maher Arar affair. [....]

Why, they're all good, peaceful lads; all pray at ...........


Triumvirate

Memory Lane: Frost Hits the Rhubarb Aug. 8, 2005

frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2005_08_07_frosthitstherhubarb_archive.html

Abdullah Almalki, a Syrian-born Canadian who toiled in the Ottawa high-tech industry and spent time in Afghanistan, Toronto truck driver Ahmad Abou El-Maati, and Maher Arar -- All claimed to have been tortured. Jim Bronskill, CNEWS, Aug. 9, 05

[. . . . ] El-Maati drew RCMP attention after customs officials who searched his truck discovered a map of Ottawa featuring government and nuclear research facilities.

He left for Syria in 2001 and was promptly jailed. He too has since returned to Canada. [....]

Arar report missed the mark - re: Arar and RCMP , via nationalnewswatch.com , Dec. 13, 06

www.torontosun.com/Comment/Commentary
/2006/12/13/2770449-sun.html

Note: there is more on newsbeat1. More later.


Also, RCMP - related
Memory Lane: Aug. 7 - Aug. 13, 2005
Frost Hits the Rhubarb: Aug. 2005 - Aug. 13, 2005
Governance and the Guardians: The RCMP -- excerpts

Check both Aug. 10, 2005 and Aug. 11, 2005
The Common Thread in the Politicization of the National Police Force?
[August 10, 05] Governance and the Guardians: The RCMP

While you're at it, check:

August 8, 2005
CP Ships, China Shipping, CMA-CGA of France, Montreal Gateway Terminals, Navitrak, NA: Visa-free Labour Mobility

August 13, 2005
Updated & PM does NOT choose the obvious candidate to chair security panel [re: Paul Martin, ex-PM]

Caveat: This is intended to expose the appointee process and it is not intended as casting aspersions on the appointee, Senator Kolber, whose name I found on digging further. (I had left it out of my original post in 2005.)

An excerpt from that Aug. 13, 2005 post:

Ex-senator has 'no experience' to lead new security panel -- Paul Martin should have given the job to Colin Kenny, head of the Senate's national security and defence committee who has been warning this government about the perilous state of national security for a long time, not some "top Liberal fundraiser" whose knowledge may be inadequate on national security . . . or is that the intent? We wouldn't want someone who actually KNOWS what should be done. Deputy PM and responsible for Canada's security Anne McLellan KNOWS that as chairman of this security panel, Canadians need a LIKEABLE, confidence inspiring LIBERAL FUNDRAISER and ex-Senator who was "chairman of the standing committee on banking, trade and commerce."!

www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.ht
ml?id=aaa864d8-0d8c-4ea5-8b3f-722621c9cb94

This is no longer online. It was an article by Nicholas Kohler, National Post, Aug. 13, 05

That gets my dander up, considering how important security is, to say nothing of the citizenry's confidence in ... well, whatever has gone wrong ... so I searched. -- Search: liberal fundraiser ex senator chairman of the standing committee on banking trade and commerce



McLellan appoints team of experts to advise on national security -- "Mr. Kolber sat in the Senate from 1983 to 2004, serving as chairman of the standing committee on banking, trade and commerce. He also sat on a number of corporate boards, and ran a trust company established by late business mogul Sam Bronfman for 30 years.", posted by Ytzhak

bc.indymedia.org/newswire/index.php?limit_start=3810

A copy: University of Toronto, Aug. 13, 2005 -- or here


Ex-senator has 'no experience' to lead new security panel
www.canada.com/search/story.html?id=
aaa864d8-0d8c-4ea5-8b3f-722621c9cb94

Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan has appointed a collection of academics, security administrators and business professionals to advise her on national security matters.
While most are acknowledged experts on air, marine and border security and trade, the choice for chairman raised at least one eyebrow yesterday.
Colin Kenny ... chuckled ... Ms. [Minister of Security, Anne] McLellan's new advisory council on national security would be led by ex-senator and top Liberal party fundraiser Leo Kolber.
...but Leo has no experience in this area at all," Sen. Kenny said in an interview.
Mr. Kolber sat in the Senate from 1983 to 2004, serving as chairman of the standing committee on banking, trade and commerce.
He also sat on a number of corporate boards, and for 30 years ran a trust company established by late business mogul Sam Bronfman. [Background to advise the Deputy PM McLellan on national security matters? It may make eminent good sense, but it boggles the mind of the layman, that one who puts the 'common' in commonweal.]
[....] that Mr. Kolber's business dealings south of the border [....]
The 12 council members, including ex-RCMP Commissioner Norman Inkster, former Canadian Air Transport Security Authority chief Brian Flemming and University of Toronto national security professor Wesley Wark, will work on a volunteer basis.
... "reflect a diversity of relevant expertise and experience, also also taking into account regional representation."
... appointed to two-year terms, but can be re-appointed. They will be expected to handle sensitive information "appropriately," [....]
Sen. Kenny expressed concern that, with so few meetings scheduled, the council may end up being an "honorific showpiece."

Sic transit common sense.

Just an added thought, is it any wonder those who would gain/regain control so desire an alternate internet, something run by the UN and/or their network, that would eliminate a useful search for information? Think about the implications. Already, much of the mainstream media must be onside, for survival, if nothing else. What happens if the private citizen has no way of finding information, considering that entering certain private network(s) requires a tracking ID, which, presumably would allow those who control to prevent further searches. Give me that old time paper ... religion ... and a good librarian, in addition to the internet.

Bless the librarians and hard copies. Never let them go.