Canadian Gov't Responds To Spying Revelations By Saying It's All A Lie And Calling Glenn Greenwald A 'Porn Spy'
from the wtf? dept
We've seen various government officials act in all sorts of bizarre ways after revelations of illegal spying on their own people (and foreigners), but none may be quite as bizarre as the response from the Canadian government, following the release late last night from the CBC (with help from Glenn Greenwald) that they're spying on public WiFi connections. That report had plenty of detail, including an internal presentation from the Canadian electronic spying agency, CSEC. In the Canadian Parliament today, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's parliamentary secretary, Paul Calandra, decided to respond to all of this by by insisting it's all a lie and then flat out insulting both the CBC and Glenn Greenwald.Mr. Speaker, last night the CBC aired a misleading report on Canada's signals intelligence agency, Communications Security Establishment Canada. These documents were stolen by former NSA contractor, Edward Snowden and sold to the CBC by Glenn Greenwald. Canada's signals intelligence agency has been clear that the CBC story is incorrect, yet the CBC went ahead and published it anyway.Okay. Where to start? First off, the whole idea that Greenwald "sold" the documents to the CBC is just ridiculous. Every so often we've seen others raise this kind if idiotic argument and it's just silly. Greenwald -- like any other freelance journalist -- gets paid to do journalism. No one is paying him for the documents. They're paying him to work as a journalist, which, you know, is what he does. The attempt to portray it as selling the documents is just a completely bogus smear.
Here are the facts: Before the story aired, CSEC made clear that nothing in the stolen documents showed that Canadians' communications were targeted, collected, or used, nor that travellers' movements were tracked.
In addition, CSEC's activities are regularly reviewed by an independent watchdog who has consistently found it has followed the law.
Why is furthering porn-spy Glenn Greenwald's agenda and lining his Brazilian bank account more important than maintaining the public broadcaster's journalistic integrity?
Second, for all the CSEC's denials, note that Calandra makes no effort whatsoever to explain what's in the actual (fairly damning) document that the CBC published. Instead, he's playing games with words -- games that you should be quite used to if you've followed the infamous NSA dictionary. Note that he says that none of Canadians' "communications were targeted, collected, or used." There are a few problems with that. No one's talking about their communications here, but rather details of their locations and the kinds of devices they were using, which is exactly what's shown in the powerpoint presentation.
Next, the fact that the CSEC's activities are regularly reviewed is somewhat meaningless. Was this program reviewed? By whom? What did they find? As we've seen in the US, the claims of independent oversight of the NSA turned out to not mean very much once people looked at the details.
And then... there's that last paragraph. First of all, what is a "porn spy" anyway, and how is Glenn Greenwald one of them? The word makes no sense at all. When government officials are talking gibberish, it does not bode well for them. Maybe he's trying to repeat the smear from a former US government official who bizarrely called Snowden an espionage pornographer, which made no sense, but makes at least marginally more sense than a "porn spy." And, yes, Glenn Greenwald lives in Brazil. Saying "Brazilian bank account" makes it seem, again, as if there's something nefarious going on here, rather than a well-known, accomplished and celebrated freelance reporter who happens to live in Brazil, doing some work for the CBC.
If this is the Harper government's official "response" to these revelations, they're just asking for trouble. This is so over-the-top silly and defensive, without even remotely responding to the actual issues, that it suggests that Harper has no legitimate response, knows that more is probably on the way, and has resorted to throwing out nonsensical insults at reporters.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: canada, csec, ed snowden, glenn greenwald, paul calandra, porn spy, stephen harper, surveillance, wifi
Companies: cbc
Reader Comments
The First Word
“That's not exactly what the independent third party (the Commissioner of CSEC) said. The Commissioner's last annual report is available here. Flip over to page 20, where he discussed his "Review of certain foreign intelligence activities".
So no, the Commissioner did not say that everything CSEC has done was legal. What he said was that everything they did was legal, except for those things which maybe weren't legal and which they conveniently did not keep complete records on.
Now, admittedly that's not the most damning thing he could have said. He doesn't make it sound like there was any massive scandal. But it's still a lie to say that his report found CSEC always behaved lawfully.
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
A squirrel!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Paul Calandra
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: What is a porn spy?
I'm lucky she doesn't work for The Clapper or else she'd know exactly what I've been peeking while she's sleeping!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
He is a puppet and if you notice, nothing but strawman and personal attacks.
"It's inaccurate" oh that's a great argument!
Where's the convincing proof? None.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
So which is it?
Face it, we all know what it is about, setting up for the war of the 1% against the rest. The police state to actively oppress speech and to turn democracy into permanent oligarchy and enslavement of the majority.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
CSEC Morons
If you're claiming the underlying documents are false, good luck with that.
These morons at the NSA, CSEC and GCHQ honestly think that everyone else is as dumb as they are.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
"Iphone porn spy. Spy on a cell phone by locating it, tracking it, as well as having access to SMS messages, contact lists, and call history."
but for someone to know about this app I'm thinking his wife or kids are being naughty .. just sayin.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
(i'm certain you had to do a lot of -um- research on the film in question... over and over... *snicker*)
of course, the truth of the matter is a little more prosaic than that; but better to spew hateful nonsense...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Surveillance. The Movie.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Surveillance. The Movie.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
That's not exactly what the independent third party (the Commissioner of CSEC) said. The Commissioner's last annual report is available here. Flip over to page 20, where he discussed his "Review of certain foreign intelligence activities".
So no, the Commissioner did not say that everything CSEC has done was legal. What he said was that everything they did was legal, except for those things which maybe weren't legal and which they conveniently did not keep complete records on.
Now, admittedly that's not the most damning thing he could have said. He doesn't make it sound like there was any massive scandal. But it's still a lie to say that his report found CSEC always behaved lawfully.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: CSEC oversight
"Of course, even if a commissioner did discover something seriously amiss at the electronic eavesdropping agency, there is a chance Canadians would never know.
Here's how the system works:
Suppose the commissioner's oversight sleuths discover that CSEC is illegally intercepting phone calls and hacking into the computers of certain Canadians.
The oversight commissioner is required to report his discovery in a top secret report to the defence minister.
That happens to be the same minister responsible for CSEC, and from whom the agency gets its government direction.
It is also the minister who would be at the centre of any CSEC scandal if news of this breach leaked out.
If the minister refuses to expose his own agency's wrongdoing, the oversight commissioner can try to use his annual report to Parliament to do that.
But a funny thing happens on the way to Parliament.
First, CSEC gets to censor the entire report. Then it goes back to the same defence minister.
The minister is required to present the sanitized version of the report to Parliament, but has no obligation to mention it is not exactly as originally written."
~Alison@Creekside
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Although that disreputable business venture ended years ago, all that kind of stuff comes out once a person make enemies. And it becomes a useful tool to rub in someone's face again and again ....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Porn
"First of all, what is a "porn spy" anyway, and how is Glenn Greenwald one of them? The word makes no sense at all. When government officials are talking gibberish, it does not bode well for them."
Gibberish to some, no doubt, but understood by people who "get the joke."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
All I'm getting from your statement is "Flargga blargha.. I'm a honmophobic idiot of massive proportions.. Blarghha Flarggha"
YMMV
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
and not just his face, if he's into homo porn and all..
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Who gives a shit about porn, anyway?
Anyone who's afraid of it, or thinks it's bad, or disapproves, is a lying hypocritical asshole. They're stupid. They're ignorant. They're worthless. They may be immediately dismissed, with prejudice.
As should be the case here. Calandra is clearly just making this nonsense up as he goes, lying, lying, lying -- and doing it badly -- in order to pretend faux outrage.
Calandra KNOWS he's lying. He's been ordered to, and like the good little obedient cowardly toady he is, he's carrying out his orders.
He's just not doing it very well.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Who gives a shit about porn, anyway?
More than you might realize:
VHS tapes vs. (competitor): VHS (adopted by porn industry)
BluRay vs. HD-DVD: BluRay (adopted by porn industry)
I want to say the same was true with original DVD, but can't quite remember the details.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
First thing they do is jump up and claim they're legal following that with getting a few political puppets to go to bat for them. If this follows the usual with in just a few days this idiot will be exposed to be the lying toady he is demonstrating with this speech response.
The Canadian citizens will not just realize but know beyond a doubt that their government lies to them on a regular basis and that government is not to be trusted by the average Joe, the same as the American public has figured out.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Porn? Whatever.
If the people mismanaging Canada think that slinging mud at a single person is going to distract me from the fact that they're helping to build an Orwellian surveillance state, they're sorely mistaken.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
'cause it isn't character assassination at all...
GIVEN the -what?- 1% we 'know' of what is being DONE TO US, with OUR MONEY, in secret by 'our' gummint; does ANYONE doubt that there are plans on a shelf to assassinate snowden, greenwald, et al ? ? ?
does anyone doubt there are all kinds of chatter among the boys in black -in MANY countries- to figure out what they can do to shut these truth tellers the fuck up ? ! ? ! ?
does anyone doubt that ALL of these people -plus many others that don't get mentioned- are susceptible to being spied on REGARDLESS of 'laws'; that they are the subject of 'dirty tricks', endless harassment, and nasty whisper campaigns ? ? ?
i don't know who they are kidding, i think even the vast number of sheeple who are just now hearing about these abuses of our rights and untold surveillance, will not buy this horseshit they are peddling with respect to the TRUE journalists who are reporting on these issues...
too late: lying about and smearing truly COURAGEOUS journalists/citizens like snowden, manning, greenwald, et al, only makes me HATE those fuckers all the more for it...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
♫ ♩ ♬ ♪
I spy all night and I lie all day.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: ♫ ♩ ♬ ♪
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
perhaps
If the documents are that important, publish each and every one of them free of charge, online - that would be free speech. Charging to write stories AND INTENTIONALLY HOLDING BACK DOCUMENTS FOR FUTURE PROFIT seems like profiteering and not reporting.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
That implies they actually still have evidence that might be useful in discovery motions.. If they keep saying it was stolen they can deny knowing what was in it and that they have it still.
Denial.. It's the first step in becoming a politician/idiot/shrill
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
It's amusing to watch you guys get all caught up in word games but ignoring the point, score one for me I guess, you can't seem to reply so I suspect I am right.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
Your so-called 'word games'? Yeah, those are VERY important in court. It's like saying 'murder' and 'manslaughter' are the same thing, it's just a word game.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Paul is a chicken shit
see the videos and now he and his party knowing they borke the law wont even come on air
its time to toss all these spying traitors into prison....
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
THIS WILL DRIVE THE HARPER NUTS SPREAD THE WORD
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I think he's being even sneakier there...
Not that he didn't say; "No communications were/are being targeted, collected, or used."
He said that nothing in those specific documents showed that this was the case. He isn't even denying that CSEC are targeting, collecting or using the communications of Canadians.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
My (true) American friends, if you weren't of it..
Be happy that Harper's Sect aren't the ones reigning the USA. Harper despises the US, that latest visit to Israel comprising of chiefs of illegal terrorist organizations like the JIDF and a delegation bigger than when our last real "Canada-first" government (Liberals, from 93 to 2005) visited China. Not for any reason. It's like if the Tea Party on steroids were ruling us right now. Got elected like Hitler too, used petty and a few non petty bad things that the Libs did in the early 2000's, promised "transparency" and "accountability" and got in with a minority government with like 31% of votes, and when in 2011 a lot of people made the error of voting en masse for the NDP (which I respect a lot, they never had federal power..) and some robocaller shenanigans by the conservatives put them in Majority, they just push omnibus bills changing 35 000 canadian laws at once and we get to discover what they changed later on.
Just ask our Veterans right now. This disaster is sure to end in 2015, but it will take forever to undo the damage, wow, sure sounds like what Obama said about Bush's 8 years when first elected.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
meaning of term
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: meaning of term
I'm aware of that, but the term still makes no sense. Porn spy? WTF is that?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: meaning of term
Or maybe like a lot of insults (both today and historically) it's not always perfectly clear what precisely the term means (often by design) even if it's not too difficult to figure out what it's alluding to in general.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: meaning of term
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: meaning of term
That and its being sold and held back in the same manner as a strip tease. if its news release it, dont sell it to the highest bidder or only in the champagne room.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: meaning of term
Yes, because journalism is one of those jobs you get paid for. Do you think journalists should work for free?
"That and its being sold and held back in the same manner as a strip tease. if its news release it, dont sell it to the highest bidder or only in the champagne room."
Are you being deliberately obtuse or do you actually not know what's been happening with these docs? Greenwald works for the The Guardian and they're publishing stories he writes for them. He is not the only one with the docs and not the only one writing stories based on their contents.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: meaning of term
It is all very serious stuff.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: meaning of term
... and nobody cares. Well, okay, if they're an anti-porn crusader (that's more about the hypocrisy than anything else).
But what, exactly is a "porn spy"?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
So who exactly is Paul Calandra, anyway?
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Paul+Calandra+court+documents+point+family+dispute+over+money+assets/93 69408/story.html
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Porn?
Snowden is a hero!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Porn?
yes, you just have to ask him, he will tell you !!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Lining his Brazilian bank account?!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
if that is the case, that is sad, if its not going to get any better that is,
no one cares now, its not last weeks news its LAST years news, no one knows or cares about Snowden or Greenwald..
and it does not get any better !~!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
You lose!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
sàn gỗ
i don't know who they are kidding, i think even the vast number of sheeple who are just now hearing about these abuses of our rights and untold surveillance, will not buy this horseshit they are peddling with respect to the TRUE journalists who are reporting on these issues...
too late: lying about and smearing truly COURAGEOUS journalists/citizens like snowden, m
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
The REAL truth about Glenn Greenwald...
A Direct Timeline of Glenn Greenwald, His Front Group and the Fugitive Edward Snowden
Glenn Greenwald Promotes Racist, Anti-Government Hate Group
Did the British Have Good Reason to Detain Greenwald's Partner in Crime?
President Obama Slays Edward Snowden's "Whistleblower" Myth
Blackmail Backfires: Glenn Greenwald Steps Deeper in His Own Petard
Glenn Greenwald Accuses Edward Snowden of Treason!
Greenwald Backtracks: I Did Not Have Working Relations With that Man... (in February Like I Told You I Did)
Glenn Greenwald Cheerleads for Russian State-controlled Media
I could go on and on, but you can read the rest of the articles via the links I've provided.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: The REAL truth about Glenn Greenwald...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: The REAL truth about Glenn Greenwald...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: The REAL truth about Glenn Greenwald...
Seriously!?
You're a disgrace to your screen-name.
With delusions of grandeur.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]