Topic: Canada’s little-known spy agency comes out into the open

[milnews.ca]

I am NOT a lawyer but I did pick up a couple of bits of legalistic ufi over the years: see OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS, specifically Section 9 (Prohibitions) in the Radiocommunications Act. Generally, listening, for no purpose other than private interest, to any unencrypted signal is OK - sharing what one hears, for whatever purpose, no matter how noble, is less than OK.

Good point - even reporters who hear something on a police scanner (technically) cannot just write the story from that content and broadcast the story.

[57Chevy]

Good point - even reporters who hear something on a police scanner (technically) cannot just write the story from that content and broadcast the story.

Is is not true that reporters don't have to disclose anything
as to where and by whom or by what means they obtain their information.

Good stories are usually filled with information from a number of sources.
Some of which may be considered a trade secret 

[George Wallace]

Is is not true that reporters don't have to disclose anything
as to where and by whom or by what means they obtain their information.

Good stories are usually filled with information from a number of sources.
Some of which may be considered a trade secret 

Why sure, of course, etc.  They can also face jail time if they are subpoenaed by the Court to provide that information and they refuse.   

[easy2use22]

There's always people trying to take credit for the work of others, specifically in the SigInt community. Since the sources are always classified, its hard to call them out on it.

I have extreme admiration for CF IntelBranch. You'd be surprised, they're much more secretive than SIGNT, no kidding and swear to God.

[Journeyman]

.....no kidding and swear to God.

Well that makes it all the more official. I think the Global Warming thread could benefit from this sort of credible insight.   

[CDN Aviator]

I have extreme admiration for CF IntelBranch. You'd be surprised, they're much more secretive than SIGNT, no kidding and swear to God.

If you want to talk SIGINT, it is not the responsability of the CF Int branch.

[dapaterson]

If you want to talk SIGINT, it is not the responsability of the CF Int branch.

Which explains why it's useful, timely and trusted.

[Nerf herder]

I have extreme admiration for CF IntelBranch. You'd be surprised, they're much more secretive than SIGNT, no kidding and swear to God.

Well now that cements it. From now on if anyone uses that to end their argument then it has to be true. Maybe we should put that in the Guidelines as well.

Are you for real?

[Beadwindow 7]

Actually, listening is NOT the part that is illegal.  It is what you do with what you listened to that could become illegal.  It is illegal to produce any "intelligence product" (ie. files, reports, etc.) on any material gathered through these means on Canadians domestically.

And this of course is nothing new. If memory serves correctly, Military EW assets were present during the Oka crisis, and intercepted quite a bit, but could not legally pass a lot of the information on to other organisations for criminal prosecution.

[Mike5]

Re: the original topic of the thread -- growth at CSE and jobs:
- In his Letter to the Editor of the Ottawa Citizen, December 21, 2010, John Adams states that "the consortium, led by Plenary and PCL, will create 4,000 to 5,000 jobs in the Ottawa area... "  I gather this refers to temporary jobs created during the construction phase?
- Would anyone have any insight as to whether there would be a role for PRes personnel to work directly with CSE?

Thanks in advance for any informed comment,

[PanaEng]

Re: the original topic of the thread -- growth at CSE and jobs:
- In his Letter to the Editor of the Ottawa Citizen, December 21, 2010, John Adams states that "the consortium, led by Plenary and PCL, will create 4,000 to 5,000 jobs in the Ottawa area... "  I gather this refers to temporary jobs created during the construction phase?
- Would anyone have any insight as to whether there would be a role for PRes personnel to work directly with CSE?

Thanks in advance for any informed comment,

yes, those would be construction jobs only - maybe some maintenance.

PRes working for CSE: Highly unlikely.
 Although, there may be CF positions that work closely with CSE and some of those may be Class B.
You may, however, be an employee of CSE and be in the PRes.
(if you can be posted to CFS Leitrim, you may work with CSE some times - but I know very little about it, total supposition there)
(someone with more direct knowledge may or may not add to this    )

And Happy New Year! everyone.

cheers,
Frank

[milnews.ca]

Is is not true that reporters don't have to disclose anything as to where and by whom or by what means they obtain their information.

Depends on the lawyer you talk to.  I'm guessing it would be difficult to prove the ONLY source of info for a particular story was a scanner transmission.

Good stories are usually filled with information from a number of sources.  Some of which may be considered a trade secret 

Not much trade secret there - most such stories would initially be sourced via 1)  a call to the agency dispatching the person making the transmission, 2)  a call to a neighbour of the address, asking "Hey, I'm from ABCD News - are there cop cars near your place?  What's up?", or 3)  a visit by a reporter to the scene.

[milnews.ca]

Bumped with the latest....

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today the following changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service:

( .... )

John L. Adams, currently Chief of the Communications Security Establishment Canada, becomes Senior Advisor to the Privy Council Office and is named as Skelton-Clark Fellow to the Queen’s University School of Policy Studies, effective January 30, 2012.

John Forster, currently Associate Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, becomes Chief of the Communications Security Establishment Canada, effective January 30, 2012 ....

Biographies here.