WRITER PROFILE
A former Crown Prosecutor in Alberta, Scott Newark was named as the first non-police officer to serve as the Executive Director of the Canadian Police Association in Ottawa. After 9-11 he became Ontario’s Special Security Advisor on Counter Terrorism and authored that Province’s Security Perimeter Strategy. He is a border and transit security advisor to governments in Canada, most recently as the Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of Public Safety. He holds memberships in Borderpol, the North American Advisory Board to the International Association of Airport and Seaport Police, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Aviation Security Committee, and is Vice Chair/Operations of the National Security Group.
Articles by this writer
Canada’s criminal justice system is in urgent need of comprehensive, substantive, informed and multi-jurisdictional reform. Thanks to the ‘revolving door’ of repeat offenders playing Canada’s current criminal justice system, the general public has been arriving at the same conclusion – reform is urgently needed.
On April 27th, the Bill C-233 received Royal Assent. This is the final step in the legislative process to put into law a number of pragmatic and effective changes to Canada’s Criminal Code bail laws which will help enhance the protection of victims of domestic and intimate partner violence.
Bill C-26 is an important and complicated piece of legislation that will finally address a core cyber security vulnerability by requiring certain protective actions to be taken. These background notes will provide useful details for FrontLine readers.
As a general description of the Government’s intended policy agenda going forward, the following Throne Speech extracts are of potential relevance to Safety & Security readers.
It has been five years since ‘The Three Amigos’ (leaders of Canada, U.S. and Mexico) last held a face-to-face meeting. What should this week's meeting in Washington cover?
Cases like this highlight a pressing need for Canada to modernize its Extradition Act and the Treaties under it. The questions are piling up, and a review is clearly warranted.
A repeat offender commits armed robbery while on bail. Despite previous convictions and a firearms prohibition order, our system released him early from his latest offence. He has now violated that release and taken off. Revolving door indeed.
An analysis federal plans and main estimates for the following: Public Safety Canada; RCMP; CBSA; CSC; Justice, CCG; Indigenous Services; Women and Gender Equality; GAC / International Development; Transport Canada; and DND.
There has been considerable controversy over Bill C-21, which was introduced in February 2021. Let’s take a look.
The question of constitutionality of the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement is an important border security and public safety issue that will profoundly impact Canada.
The question of constitutionality of the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement is an important border security and public safety issue that will profoundly impact Canada.
Alberta's recent Court of Appeal ruling on searches of travellers' electronic devices creates an important, though short, window of opportunity to effect policy reform and bring the federal Customs Act up to date with the new technologies being faced at the borders. There is a a strong case for continuing the search authorization, but Parliament must act within a year.
Electronic Monitoring can be used to effectively monitor some offenders as an alternative to custody while still protecting the safety of communities.
Public Safety and Security issues are on the verge of getting out of hand. The issues identified in this article require the attention and action of the ruling government and opposition MPs to ensure Canadians' safety and security are appropriately protected.
Out-of-date enforcement mandates and insufficient staffing in Canada have led to alarming failures. Whatever the election outcome, addressing continuing policy gaps at the border should get priority soon. Many of these are longstanding issues.
Both the Budget and Bill C-97 contain several items of potential real consequence for matters of public safety and security, border security, and immigration screening and enforcement. It is important that there be public awareness of these issues.
Independence, transparency, and de-politicization are achievable improvements that can be made in the wake of the SNC-Lavalin case. Scott Newark examines and itemizes changes the government can implement to prevent similar scandals from erupting.
Given the facts and the undeniable public interest in getting fentanyl and dealers off the streets, the Crown should appeal this ruling, but has decided not to. Which is more alarming? Read on.
Operational and policy reforms are essential for the protection of the Canadian public when Canadian jihadis are caught and detained abroad.
Canadians were rightly outraged recently when disturbing news was revealed by the grief-sticken father of a brutally murdered young girl. The Government needs to learn from this case and take specific and substantive actions outlined here.
In response to the increase in asylum seekers, CBSA has substantially increased its targets for actual removals of non-citizens who have been ordered removed/deported from Canada.
Minister Blair has received his well-defined mandate, and can recommend actions that, if taken, will immediately deliver on his mandate related to Borders, Guns, Gangs and Drugs.
In addition to a requirement of consent from the criminal for transfer, Canadian law has created a literal incentive for non-citizen criminal deportees to commit new crimes to prevent their removal from Canada.
The new US northern border strategy fails to mention previous and ongoing joint border security initiatives with Canada, writes Scott Newark. Does this signal a more unilateral process in the offing?
Canadians remain understandably shocked at the savagery of the van attack in Toronto. How will the prosecution unfold? What lessons are to be learned? What preventative actions need to be taken for the future?
The recent collapse of negotiations between the Government of Canada and lawyers for suspected terrorist Abousfian Abdelrazik, highlights the urgency with which Canada needs to develop an effective strategy to clarify how its national security enforcement and intelligence officials deal with foreign governments relating to Canadians, or persons linked to Canada, who are involved in terrorism-related investigations.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Brenda Lucki has just been announced as the new RCMP Commissioner at a time when the RCMP needs leadership and not just management – there is an important difference.
We have just confirmed that the case in which a man was acquitted of sexual assault in part because he was unaware his actions were criminal will be appealed by the Ontario AG's Office. This critically important issue is still before the Courts and that the Government of Ontario is defending our secular rule of law.
Despite potential plans to return to Algeria to find a wife, Mohammed Harkat (detained in 2002 as a security risk by Canadian authorities) has not been deported due to fears for his safety. Instead, he is out on bail, seeking looser restrictions.
Bill C-22 creates, for the first time, a special Parliamentary Committee with a specific national security review mandate. This important accomplishment could be a valuable tool, the following issues merit substantive examination.
Public attention on these issues is unprecedented, and for good reason. Modern immigration and refugee systems should go beyond erecting heated tents and ignoring the truth.
With the return of Parliament on the near horizon, three security issues are sure to attract attention: the $10.5M payoff to Omar Khadr, the border issue for refugees, and Bill C-59, which merit review in FrontLine.
The Omar Khadr case is one of factual and legal complexity. Is the government's rush to payment justified?
It’s been two and a half years since Alberta RCMP officer, David Wynn, was murdered by career criminal Shawn Rehn after being granted bail. Developed to address inadequacies related to bail hearings, Bill S-217 is scheduled for a final vote this week in Parliament. People will be watching.
Expanding pre-border clearance in Canada and the United States was among the highest priority initiatives contained in the Beyond the Border (BTB) Agreement. The details of how it would be implemented were not completed until recently.
If Canada is successful in working with the new Trump administration to achieve mutual security objectives, that could well have positive influence on how economic issues unfold, including cross-border trade.
The independence of a parliamentary review committee presents a real opportunity to improve the process of national security.
After years of talk but little action, the first challenge will be to find ways to maximize domain awareness of the Arctic.
This week’s successful prevention of a terrorist attack in Ontario merits appreciation of police work, but it raises important questions.
The new Government’s consultative decision making processes is highlighting a lack of progress in many areas. This article provides a quick synopsis on some border security issues that require immediate attention.
In light of the June 12th terrorist attack in Florida, where it appears law enforcement agencies had some information regarding the killer’s support for IS, it is important to be aware of the Canadian preventive measures that could have been used if the subject was in Canada.
As the world rapidly gets more and more complicated, having a clear set of inter-agency protocols with an independent compliance assurance mechanism is a good idea. A targeted review can serve as a vehicle to effectively identify legislative, policy or funding obstacles to desired operational abilities.
Reviewing the annually published Public Accounts, illuminates number of areas where a re-allocation of funds could revitalize public funding to be beneficial and relevant to more Canadians.
The RCMP update on its internal review following the 2014 shooting of five officers in Moncton is largely silent on preventive policy issues. More can be done.
The conduct of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Canadian Security Establishment (CSE), and the effectiveness of the independent review agencies overseeing them, was front and centre in the news last week, and that's a good thing. Scott Newark puts context to the issues.
The realities of power are sinking in on both the Prime Minister and the new Cabinet Ministers who, upon appointment, were provided with quite precise…and public…mandate letters.
Bad things happen when political correctness and bureaucratic risk aversion are prioritized over public safety.
The ‘security’ and ‘public safety’ sectors differ in some ways and overlap in others. Synergies can be magnified to create an integrated national security strategy.
The new Government has made it clear that it intends to proceed with its campaign promise to bring 25K Syrian refugees from the war torn region to Canada and that it will try and do so before the end of this year. An ambitious plan but then converting political promise into government action often is.
It is a virtual certainty that Canadians can expect some changes from this new majority government on matters related to public safety and security.
Contrary to some of the criticisms levelled against it, C-51 does contain a number of internal "checks and balances" which are intended to prevent abuse by government.
The importance of recognizing and understanding threats that have multiple applications.
The case for Intelligence-led Enforcement, particularly in matters of border security.
Continued revelations of cyber hacking, cyber attacking, cyber vulnerabilities or new cyber surveillance schemes undermine our dependence on such technologies.
In assessing the economics of law enforcement and budget cuts, it is imperative to ask the right questions to avoid getting the answers wrong, thus jeopardizing security.
The threat comes from people who hold extremist and unyielding beliefs that their version of Islam calls for the submission of the world to its dictates and that killing those who oppose or resist is obligatory. We must never lose sight of this basic truth.
Getting it right in border security is essential to reduce criminal activity and improve public safety.
An exclusive FrontLine Security interview with Jean Pierre Fortin, National President of the CIU. A frank discussion of improvements and serious areas that still require effort.
One Last Thing: the right, the wrong, and the required (visible accountability).
It's more than Gadgets and Gizmos. Not deploying key new technologies means we are not keeping our citizens as secure as we should be.
When it comes to security related matters, co-ordination of activities is an essential element of success.
What is most compelling about the Canada-U.S. Border Agreement?
Can we recognize the degree of vulnerability at stake in cyber infrastructure?
A fascinating look into the full spectrum of financial issues in the security and crime investigation worlds, with particular attention to the financial consequences of how we choose to deal with crime or security.
Surveillance has always been with us. What's changed are the tactics, technologies and targets we use to identify those who may be up to no good. The use of surveillance technologies and techniques is at the core of safety and security strategies as never before.
There appears to be a resolve to implement real improvements to immigration screening that will prioritize Canadian security. Stay tuned because sensible reforms, long overdue, are coming.
Exactly who is getting into Canada and how they get to stay has been in the news recently and for good reason.
It could get us killed one day.
FrontLine's Scott Newark comments on the state of current progress on border security in Canada.
With the assistance of some friends and working associates, we have assembled a collection of international and domestic experts with first hand operational experience in the full spectrum of cyber security issues. And what a spectrum it is.
Canada lacks a strategy to secure CI.
Insights and assessments brought forward at the latest conference.
Modern maritime security is not just about guarding coastlines.
Actions north of the 49th Parallel impact security to the south.
It's time to use security technologies such as biometrics in response to new challenges.
The Canadian Border Services Agency's (CBSA) Marine Enforcement Unit, responsible for all of Nova Scotia and our busiest Atlantic seaport, doesn't have a boat. It also has to get special permission to search a ship, because getting a team out there takes extra time... and money.
