Thanks to the latest WikiLeaks spill of thousands of documents from the Central Intelligence Agency, it is clear that spies and hackers can view private information stored on home computers, cell phones, and use internet-connected televisions as surveillance devices.
The CIA can do this with sophisticated software tools with names like ElderPiggy and AngerQuake. That’s deep snooping without breaking into your home. Privacy rights are just gonzo. The surveillance state is marching arm in arm with authoritarian rule. It’s a trend that suits US President Donald Trump. But in Canada too? You bet. A ruling last November by a Federal Court judge confirms it.
The court found that for 10 years the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) spied on people who posed no threat to ‘national security.’ It retained the data illegally, using it to gain “specific, intimate insights into the lifestyle and personal choices of individuals.”
If the CIA now has enhanced spying capabilities, can Canadian police agencies be far behind? Canada is allied with the USA in the “Five Eyes” intelligence network, so it’s reasonable to assume that Canadian cops are up to the same dirty business.
Remember, Liberal Justin Trudeau refused to rescind law C-51, Conservative Stephen Harper’s odious code of intrusion. Instead, the Liberal Party promised to establish “independent oversight” of security agencies – whatever that means. Now it seems Justin is in no hurry to implement that pledge, however ineffectual it may prove to be.