An Intelligent Look At Terrorism With Phil Gurski

A lot of us feel good when we put the recycling bin out on garbage day, confident we are helping the environment.  But did you know that organised crime is a big part of this industry?  Could terrorist groups get involved too?  Borealis talks with Virginia Comolli, author of a new paper "Plastic for Profit: tracing illicit plastic waste flows, supply chains and actors".Virginia Comolli is the research manager for the GI-TOC programme ‘Anticipating and disrupting environmental crime in the globalized economy’, which focuses on South East Asia and central and East Africa. Before joining the GI-TOC, she was head of the Conflict, Security and Development programme at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Secur

Shark attacks are terrifying; on that I think we all agree.  So are sharks therefore 'terrorists'?  If a Michigan state attorney can charge a 15-year old school shooter who 'terrified' his classmates with terrorism where does this all end? Borealis looks at the worrisome recent tendency to attach the 'terrorism' label to lots of events which have nothing to do with terrorism.About the host Phil Gurski:Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►

Terrorism is no laughing matter but on the other hand it has been said it helps to laugh at what frightens you.  There are lots of spy and intrigue novels, but what is it like to make them look and sound real if the author has no background in national security?  Borealis talks to Terry Fallis, award-winning Canadian writer and author of the bestselling Operation Angus.A two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, Terry Fallis is the author of eight national bestselling novels including his latest, Operation Angus, all published by McClelland & Stewart. The Best Laid Plans was the winner of the Leacock Medal for Humour in 2008, and CBC’s Canada Reads in 2011. It was adapted as a six-part CBC- Television miniseries, and a stage musical. The High Road was a Leacock Medal finalist in 2011. Up and Down was the winner of the 2013 Ontario Library Association Evergreen Award and was a finalist for the 2013 Leacock Medal. Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting

In the aftermath of 9/11 all the attention seemed to migrate to counter terrorism. That was a big change in the intelligence world where countering foreign spies had been the #1 task for decades.  How has this shift affected the way intelligence services operate?  Borealis has a discussion with veteran CSIS investigator Dan StantonDan Stanton served for thirty-two years with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, including twelve years as an Executive Manager in operations. Mr. Stanton had a lengthy career in counterintelligence, counter-proliferation, and counterterrorism, with recognized expertise in human source recruitment, handling, validation, and training. A graduate of Queens University, he has an Honours B.A. in History and Philosophy.Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic anal

15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers were Saudi. A Saudi Air Force pilot who had joined AQ killed 3 US servicemen in Florida in December 2019. The Saudi Crown Prince orders the assassination of those he does not like. Borealis asks the question: is Saudi Arabia a desirable partner for the West when it comes to CT?Mentioned articles:►Survivors of the Pensacola terror attack speak out►Bin Salman has blood on his hands that refuses to be washed away►The Saudi Connection: Inside the 9/11 Case That Divided the F.B.I.About the host Phil Gurski:Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - ht

We see public safety and national security as largely federal or national responsibilities.  And yet most of us are more connected with local officials - mayors and councilors.  What role do they play in this?  Borealis talks with Port Coquitlam (BC) Mayor Brad West about Chinese interference and influence peddling in Canada and other issues.► Read: 'I wanted to see that room empty': Mayor slams attendees of Chinese-funded receptionBrad lives in Port Coquitlam with his wife Blaire. In 2017, the couple welcomed their first child, Liam and in 2021, their family welcomed a second son, Owen. Becoming a Dad motivates Brad every day to make Port Coquitlam a place future generations will be proud to call home. He is a graduate of the University of Victoria, St. Francis Xavier University and most recently completed a program in Leadership at Harvard University.Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (S

In the wake of another mass school shooting in the US - this time in a city near Detroit - a 15-year old teen has been charged, among other things, with 'terrorism'.  The rationale?  He 'terrorised' the student population.  Is this a good move?  Borealis looks at the ever-expanding use of terrorism in very unnecessary ways.Mentioned articles:►Gurski: Why 'terrorism' shouldn't be in Canada's Criminal Code►The hypocrisy of America’s terror debate►Parents of Michigan school shooting suspect are charged with involuntary manslaughterAbout the host Phil Gurski:Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil&apo

Quick Hits #180 - Why is that some academics dislike practitioners?  There are some who think practitioners have nothing to offer and should actually be ignored?  Borealis looks at the problem from the perspective of a (former) intelligence practitioner.► Read  Carleton criminology department cuts ties with police, prisonsAbout the host Phil Gurski:Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/p

Canada is part of what is called the '5 eyes' intelligence sharing club (Australia, New Zealand, UK and US are other four members).  How important is this?  How is Canada viewed in this arrangement?  Borealis talks with NSA veteran linguist Mark Ericson on these matters.Mark Ericson was a Japanese language analyst and foreign affairs officer with the National Security Agency who retired in 2017 after 37 years with NSA. Raised by missionary parents in Japan, he obtained his PhD in Japanese history from the University of Hawaii and taught at the university level before taking a position with NSA in 1980. Early in his career there, he became the first NSA language analyst to be seconded to the Canadian Communications Security Establishment (CSE). Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic

Quick Hits #179 - Joining a listed terrorist entity  is illegal.  And yet hundreds of Canadians have done so and some are now home... but have not been charged.  What should we do with these cases?  See also:►Canadian woman freed from ISIS detention camp reunites with daughter in Canada►Second Chance: Jailed Kazakh Islamic State Widow 'Optimistic' About Future►Listed Terrorist EntitiesAbout the host Phil Gurski:Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter -

With so much written about terrorism these days it is easy to forget that there is actual counter terrorism work to be done.  Identifying terrorists, following them, interviewing them, stopping them - this is real CT work.  Borealis talks with veteran FBI agent Brig Barker about his years helping to prevent terrorist attacks.Brig Barker is a proven counterterrorism agent/supervisor/senior level manager, with numerous extended deployments to the Middle East and Africa. 26 years of U.S. government and military operational experience working in both domestic and overseas environments. Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's l

What is the world of CVE (Countering Violent Extremism) all about?  Many acronyms, many mandates, many claims.  What is the reality of all this?  Borealis is joined by Mike King.Mike King,  a social psychologist working on violent extremism, radicalization, & CVE.  Director of Research at Edmonton's Organization for the Prevention of Violence and an Adjunct Professor at University of Toronto .Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitt

The facts are that most terrorist attacks in the world are carried out by Muslims and most victims are Muslim.  Why, then, are many in the Islamic world in denial about these facts?  Borealis is joined by UK activist  and Sufi Muslim Ahmed Patel to talk about these issues.Ahmed Patel, the brother-in-law of the London 7/7 bomber Mohammed Siddique, is an excellent example of a British Muslim who stood up against religious radicalization. From an outside observer’s perspective, it would appear that people like Patel are authentic actors in the field of prevention work and should therefore be included to a greater extent in British (non-) governmental PVE approaches. Find out more about Ahmed.Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 200

Quick Hits #178 - Conspiracy theories are as old as time and most are utterly ridiculous.  Those who suscribe to them are for the most part harmless.  On rare occasions, a person will decide to act on them in a violent way.  How serious is this threat?  Borealis looks at the infamous 'Q' of QAnon to delve into this issue.See also:►Are end-of-Earthers and conspiracy theorists that dangerous?►America’s QAnon problem is infecting Canada. What should we do about it?►Years After Being Debunked, Interest in Pizzagate Is Rising—AgainAbout the host Phil Gurski:Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The

There are so many voices out there when it comes to terrorism and what it all means.  This makes it hard to know whom to talk and listen to.  Borealis has a great talk with James Dorsey, senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.James M. Dorsey is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, a syndicated columnist and the author of the blog, The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer. Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom''

Quick Hits #177 - An ongoing UK inquiry into the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack in which 22 died and hundreds were  injured is raising serious questions about what UK intelligence knew and when regarding this ISIS-inspired plot.  Is the ensuing criticism fair?  Borealis provides a former insider's perspective on how counter terrorism actually works.About the host Phil Gurski:Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►

The movement of money around the world is dizzying.  Not surprisingly, bad actors use these platforms to finance their operations.  So what is being done about it?  Borealis has an in-depth conversation with former RCMP officer and money laundering/terrorist financing specialist Archie Alafriz.Archie Alafriz is a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who served most of his career in the National Security Program. He is a threat finance (AML/CFT) specialist and a published author. He is a senior fellow at the Global Peace Institute (UK) and sits on the Board of Directors of IOSI Global.Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Ch

How is the 'war on terrorism' going?  What are we doing well?  Not well?  What are our moral obligations to those suffering under terrorist rule?  Borealis President Phil Gurski talks with Conor to talk about this and more - have a listen! ►Watch Conor on YoutubePhil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/►Email - borealisrisk@gmail.com

Quick Hits #176 - Terrorists like to portray themselves as masterminds of violence. Some are pretty dumb.See also:►Top 10 Worst Terrorist Group Names►Top 10 Worst Right-Wing Extremism Group NamesAbout the host Phil Gurski:Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/►Email - borealisrisk@gmail.com

Canada is a big county and when it comes to security there are multiple levels of jurisdiction: municipal, provincial, first nations and federal.  How do all the players get along in the national security sandbox?  Borealis has a fascinating discussion with Canadian Senator Vern White, former RCMP and Chief of Police in Durham and OttawaSenator White has worked with the RCMP, moving through the ranks from Constable to Assistant Commissioner. He has served in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario and spent almost 19 years in the three northern territories. He was Chief of Police for the Durham Region as well as the City of Ottawa. Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired