An Intelligent Look At Terrorism With Phil Gurski

The debate over the events of Jan 6 in Washington continues.  Was it terrorism?  A riot?  A coup?  Well, a Canadian Member of Parliament has decided it was most definitely terrorism.  Is that OK?  Do we want the government to tell us how to think?  Borealis weighs in on this trend.► Check out my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present 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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil

A doctor in Turkey has been charged with terrorism for embarrassing the government over true COVID figures.  How is that terrorism?  Borealis looks at how many are widening the scope of the term terrorism to ridiculous ends.► Buy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present 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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/►Email - borealisrisk@gmail.com

Episode 81 - France has suffered a disproportionate number of terrorist attacks, mostly Islamist in nature, in the 2010s and 2020s when compared to other Western nations.  Why is this?  Borealis is joined by Alexandre Rodde, a French terrorism researcher and trainer for that country's law enforcement to discuss the situation in France.About my guest Alexandre Rodde:Alexandre is a security consultant, specialized in terrorism and mass shootings issues. His work includes risk assessment, threat monitoring, and research on national security subjects.►Find out more about my guest Alexandre RoddeAbout 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 r

Every major Western power has a foreign intelligence service that collects information on the intents and capabilities of foreign states. Except Canada.  We do allow CSIS to collect FI as it is called, but in a very constrained way - why? In this Quick Hits episode, Borealis looks at  a recent court ruling and comments on this silliness.► Buy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present 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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/boreal

The 2008 film Ironman starts in Afghanistan where the main character, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr), ends up wounded by shrapnel from one of the weapons his company made.  How well does the movie portray the military deployment to Afghanistan and does it show why we should not see counter terrorism as primarily a problem for the army/air force to solve. ►Watch video version on YouTube►See also, Lessons on Terrorism | How Captain Marvel badly uses the word '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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Check Phil's latest book ''When Rel

QAnon has been shown to not be very good at predictions. Trump lost the election, there is no satanic pedophile cult in the White House, etc. So will it now turn violent... or disappear.  Borealis speculates on where this all goes and how much attention we need to pay to it.► Buy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present 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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-89424

The federal government has added 13 groups to its list of terror groups, including five ISIS affiliates, and a handful of far-right extremist groups, including the Proud Boys.The move comes after parliament voted to call on the government to add the Proud Boys to the list in the wake of its involvement in the Jan. 6 events at the U.S. Capitol.But what does the terror designation actually do?Author and former CSIS terrorism analyst Phil Gurski joins Dave Breakenridge to discuss the purpose of Canada’s terror group list, where it can be helpful in dealing with extremist groups, but where politics can muddy the process.► Buy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present 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

Episode 80 - The race between codemakers and codebreakers is an ancient one.  Success in breaking the enemy's codes often turns defeat into victory on the battlefield.  Borealis sits down with former Canadian cryptologist Richard Brisson to talk about this fascinating field.About my guest Richard Brisson:Richard Brisson is a graduate from the University of Ottawa (B.Sc. Math-Physics in 1978 and M.Sc. Systems Science in 1980). Upon graduation, he was hired by the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC) from which he retired in 2011. Over the last 25 years, he has been collecting vintage cryptographic and clandestine artifacts dating up to and including the Cold War.►Find out more about my guest Richard BrissonAbout 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

Religion can inspire heights of magnificence and depths of violence.  Each faith has a wide range of interpretations from 'normative' to 'extreme'. 'Extreme' does not mean violent, but extreme views can endanger the public. Borealis looks at extreme views that may not be violent but which still can an effect on public safety.► Buy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present 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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://

20 years ago the Canadian government decided to list the Iranian group MeK as a terrorist group.  Ten years later a different government elected to 'delist'  it.  Why?  Had it changed its ways?  If not, what does this say about the whole process?  Borealis comes out against the whole process of listings, calling it more or less useless.► Buy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present 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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.c

So, the Canadian government just listed 13 more groups to its terrorist entities list, including the Proud Boys, 3 Al Qaida affiliates and 5 ISIS franchises.  To what end?  Borealis weighs in on the usefulness or lack thereof of this process.► Buy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present 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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/►Email - borealisrisk@gmail.co

Canadian parliamentarians recently voted unanimously to name the Proud Boys a terrorist group.  What does this mean?  Is it necessary?  Borealis discusses the usefulness or lack thereof of the 'terrorist listing' process in Canada.Read MPs agree to call on feds to declare Proud Boys a terrorist entity on CTV NewsBuy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present 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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn

We are all used to hearing how the FBIs, CSISs and GCHQs of this world monitor online activity to help keep us safe and protect critical infrastructure.  What, then, is the role of the private sector?  Borealis sits down with Chris Parsons of Canada's Citizen Lab to have a chat on these issues.In this episode:► What is the Citizen Lab and how did it come about;►"Canada does not have a ‘Huawei problem’ per se";► Where are digital threats headed and what can the average Canadian do .About my guest Christopher Parsons:Dr. Christopher Parsons is a Senior Research Associate with the Citizen Lab, at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto. His research focuses on third-party access to telecommunications data, data privacy, data security, and national security.►Find out more about my guest Christopher ParsonAbout 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 Tech

Everywhere you read these days you see references to right wing terrorism as the predominant threat to the West. This flies in the face of all the data which shows that at least on a worldwide basis Islamist terrorists kill and wound people, most of whom are Muslims, at orders of magnitude greater than right wing actors. Borealis weighs in on this shift in attention and argues that it is wrong.►Buy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present (2021, Phil Gurski)►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/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.►Websi

While Canada has not been menaced by terrorism like some countries it is not immune.  A new book on terrorism in that land over the past 150 years - The Peaceable Kingdom: A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the present - is now out!  Borealis takes you behind the scenes of this book.►Buy my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present (2021, Phil Gurski)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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn

Many in the so-called right-wing extremist (RWE) are confused now that Trump is no longer the 'oil' that greases their movements.  QAnon, the Proud Boys and others are registering disappointment and anger at their lack of success. Whither the far-right? Borealis looks at what may be next for RWE.My new book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present is now available for pre-order! Get your copy today!Mentionned articles:► Biden's inauguration sows doubt among QAnon conspiracy theorists on CBC► Quebec QAnon followers question beliefs after Trump leaves office on The Ottawa Citizen► Proud Boys give up support of ‘weak’ Donald Trump on The TimesAbout 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 Secur

Many people use the word terrorism to refer to all kinds of things.  Not all these uses are good ones.  Borealis looks at the 2019 film Captain Marvel to see how the word is deployed badly.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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Check Phil's latest book ''When Religion Kills'' - https://amzn.to/2ALdpoG►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/►Email - borealisrisk@gmail.com

What is the role of respect for human rights in counterterrorism? Borealis talks to UK practitioner Tom Parker on what we have done well and what not so well.In this episode:►The obstacles been in getting consensus on defining terrorism in international law;►How can we do counter-terrorism better by taking human rights into account in a more systematic way?►Targeted killing seems to have become a favourite counter-terrorism strategy – should it be?►Respect for human rights is the key to defeating terrorism.  Can we get there?About my guest Tom Parker:Tom Parker has spent the past three years as a European Union-sponsored adviser to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in Baghdad, Iraq, prior to which he served as a Counter-Terrorism Strategist at the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) and as the Adviser on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism to the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF), where he co-authored the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Preven

The 30 Years' War was one in which Christians on one side slaughtered Christians on the other.  The massacres were perpetrated based on difference in religious interpretation.  Today of course we talk a lot about religious terrorism, especially of the Islamist variety. What about Christian extremism, both violent and non-violent? Borealis looks at this brand of terrorism and the links between Christians and the far right.My new book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present is now available for pre-order! Get your copy today!Mentionned articles:►Erasmus’s teachings are still pertinent today on The Economist►Proud Boys find refuge — and money — on Christian fundraising website on The National Post►Henry Hildebrandt: From religious firebrand to COVID-19 provocateur on The London Free PressAbout 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)

Borealis has been in business for almost 6 years, providing content on national security and public safety. Why does he do it?  In this podcast, Borealis provides some insight into why an old retired guy is dedicated to creating this material and for whom.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.►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/►Check Phil's latest book ''When Religion Kills'' - https://amzn.to/2ALdpoG►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/►Email - borealisrisk@gmail