Canadian Intelligence officer facing espionage charges

[LChoy]

Didn't see a thread on this. Very interesting story with the RCMP taking a Canadian Intelligence Officer in for allegedly passing secrets to the Russians.

Paging CP's resident military expert, for comment

What may be the biggest spy scandal in Canada in more than half a century exploded Monday after SLt. Delisle was charged with passing secrets to a “foreign entity” under Canada’s Information Security Act. It’s the first charge of its kind ever laid and one where the maximum penalty is the toughest possible under this country’s justice system: life in prison.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle2305116/

A senior defence official told CBC News that Delisle worked for a unit called HMCS Trinity, an intelligence facility at the naval dockyard in Halifax. It tracks vessels entering and exiting Canadian waters via satellites, drones and underwater devices. The centre is a multinational base with access to secret data from NATO countries.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...x-hearing.html

The case against the Bedford, N.S., man stretches back to July 2007 and includes allegations he passed on classified information while posted in Ottawa and Kingston as well as Halifax. The most recent activity, according to court documents, occurred last Friday when Mounties and military police arrested him.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/...cret-site?bn=1

[Locke]

Wait. About the Canadian military? What could the Russians possibly want to know? Especially from 2007.

[burn_this_city]

From what I've read it's likely about the Artic dispute.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Locke

Wait. About the Canadian military? What could the Russians possibly want to know? Especially from 2007.

Delisle worked for a unit called HMCS Trinity, an intelligence facility at the naval dockyard in Halifax. It tracks vessels entering and exiting Canadian waters via satellites, drones and underwater devices. The centre is a multinational base with access to secret data from NATO countries.

[Ozy_Flame]

If anything it was Russia trying to get at NATO military information. I'm pretty sure Russia is aware of any Canadian presence / strength in the Arctic. And they will continue to get more ballsy as the ice melts, looking to underwater stakes.

Dr. Rob Huebert of the CMSS program at the University of Calgary gave a speech at Big Rock Brewery a couple of months ago. Canada's greatest challenges in the arctic stem from Russia, China and Norway in terms of underwater land claims. The U.S. is also a concern as well as the Northwest Passage opens up.

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Dr. Rob Huebert of the CMSS program at the University of Calgary gave a speech at Big Rock Brewery a couple of months ago. Canada's greatest challenges in the arctic stem from Russia, China and Norway in terms of underwater land claims. The U.S. is also a concern as well as the Northwest Passage opens up.

How so? I am curious.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

Didn't see a thread on this. Very interesting story with the RCMP taking a Canadian Intelligence Officer in for allegedly passing secrets to the Russians.

Paging CP's resident military expert, for comment

This is a block buster story, a unit like HMCS Trinity would know about all of NATO's ship movements, and that includes dum dum dah submarine deployments and patrol paterns.

Basically if that's the theory, because the Russians are already pretty aware of the technical aspects of NATO equipment, then knowing patrol paterns and deployments gives you a powerful advantage.

For the most part, especially with the American's ship deployments are pretty well public knowleged, patrols are tracked through satellite, but that changes if I'm right.

If the Russian's get patrol patterns (Because again, even the American remaining missile boats can't keep deployments a secret, but if the Russian's know when they're leaving and where they're going to patrol, they can track and target and destroy a missile boat if the crap hits the fan and that puts a big hole in American detterance ability.

I don't know how much more information that he would have, but its unlikely that the Russians would rish a fairly highly placed spy on getting things out like computer specs on a frigate.

Its more then likely that this trial will be closed and locked down.

If Canada's CSIS counter espionage was behind this arrest, its more then likely that a deal has been cut in exchange for information on his controller.

Even with the destruction of the KGB, the Russians are still the varsity club of the spy game.

[Locke]

Nice tags.

[Northendzone]

he really passed them information on how to make a double double.......

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Locke

Wait. About the Canadian military? What could the Russians possibly want to know? Especially from 2007.

Maybe the guy is a rap star and they want tips for their hockey players.

[LChoy]

I can see how McKay acted quickly to assure our allies. With the place that the person was working in, it is a huge treasure trove of information for the Russians to get access to. He's a relatively low ranking officer though, so not sure if that limits the materials he has access to

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

I can see how McKay acted quickly to assure our allies. With the place that the person was working in, it is a huge treasure trove of information for the Russians to get access to. He's a relatively low ranking officer though, so not sure if that limits the materials he has access to

Rank doesn't limit access to sensitive materials. This guy was an analyst, and by all accounts a good one, he would have access to everything.

I had a very high security clearance at a fairly junior rank because of the things that I not only needed access to, but because of the information that passed my eyes on the way up the ranks.

[Knut]

^ He's a spy. Stop passes secrets to VLAD.

[nik-]

I assume if found guilty he's executed?

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler

How so? I am curious.

While China is not an Arctic littoral state, it will have significant clout with its Arctic demands from the eight Arctic states, particularly Russia, using its economic power to maximize its returns on arctic trade and exploration. They continually push for a seat on the Arctic Council, have research stations on both poles, are are investing in snowbreakers for further Northern exploration.

With regards to ice breakers, the Chinese have an easier time allocating $300 million to new ships than the U.S. could, especially since they have far more cash reserves and don't have to answer to the general public with regards to military spending. This is in addition to a growing naval force that now includes aircraft carriers (one for now, but more on the way).

And lets not forget that 70% of China's energy consumption comes from coal power; almost 10% of coal is found in the Arctic.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by nik-

I assume if found guilty he's executed?

Treason used to be a death penalty offense.

Canada retained the right to execution for Military Crimes up until 1998. Those crimes included Treason