Former Official Claims CSIS is Frustrated by Minister’s Slow Approval of Wiretap on Ontario Politician

September 30, 2024 TruthUSA

It took six weeks for then-Public Safety Minister Bill Blair to approve electronic surveillance of an Ontario politician, causing frustration within the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), as revealed by the Foreign Interference Commission.

Officials from CSIS testified at the Foreign Interference Commission on Sept. 27, expressing that the delay was uncommon.

Former CSIS deputy director Michelle Tessier mentioned, “We wondered what was going on, there was frustration with the delay.” She noted that judicial authorizations are typically approved within 10 days by the minister. Blair, now the defense minister, stated in April during the inquiry that he had approved the warrant three hours after receiving it on his desk.

CSIS submits affidavits to the federal court when seeking intrusive surveillance powers, and the process involves multiple consultation and approval stages.

The specific subject of the warrant application was not explicitly stated by CSIS officials in the hearing. However, information from past intelligence leaks and comments made by Blair to the inquiry indicate that the subject was the current Markham deputy mayor and former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister Michael Chan.

As part of the release of multiple intelligence leaks last year, The Globe and Mail reported that Blair took four months to approve an electronic and entry warrant against Chan before the 2021 elections.

The Globe had previously reported on Chan’s close interactions with the Chinese consulate and CSIS’s warnings about him to the Ontario provincial government. Chan has not responded to inquiries from The Epoch Times. He told the Globe that “CSIS has never discussed their concerns with me but continues to unjustifiably harass, intimidate, threaten, and frighten my friends and acquaintances.”

Blair had reacted to The Globe article by stating that the reporting was inaccurate. He clarified that all warrants during his tenure had been signed promptly and no warrant had taken as long as four months for approval.

Blair was questioned about the Globe reporting and the warrant on Chan during his testimony at the inquiry in April.

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