As discussed in the previous article, “A Quiet Revolution is changing Canada”, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau supports his unsettling policies and statements by claiming they are based on mysterious “intelligence information” which unfortunately he cannot disclose to the public, because it is confidential. An exception to his referencing confidential intelligence evidence occurred when the intelligence information was about the Chinese intervention in Canadian elections. Trudeau dismissed the intelligence on this as “misinformation”. He did so because he did not want a public inquiry demanded by the public which might disclose his own connections to the Beijing government.
However, Trudeau uses the confidentiality of intelligence information to support and/or evade responsibility for many of his actions. It is important, therefore, that we determine exactly what is meant by “intelligence evidence”.
Evidence gathered by intelligence agencies is fraught with credibility issues as well as interpretation challenges. It is also well known that intelligence agencies are not above producing their own lies to suit the issue of the day. In the absence of direct physical evidence, it is not always useful to rely solely on “intelligence” which can be highly suspect. Without knowing the source and substance of the “evidence”, there is no way to test or appraise its veracity.
Also, when it comes to the intelligence game, governments and their agencies are adept liars, and are the principal producers of false evidence and misinformation, manipulation, and deception. It is a large part of how foreign and domestic affairs have always been conducted. Psy-Ops (Psychological Operations) and other intelligence operations depend more on manipulation of the narrative than on gadgets and gizmos made so popular by James Bond’s 007 exploits! Indeed, a good part of intelligence work is more psychological in nature. Learning how to lie, as well as detecting the lies, are the hallmarks of a good intelligence officer.
Of course, without hard evidence one can only speculate about the evidence, but under the circumstances, informed speculation by intelligence is often the only option available. In accepting it, we must recognize that much of it rests on “evidence” supplied by the intelligence agencies to disseminate their preferred narrative on an issue.
Therefore, Trudeau’s statements, that his actions are based on “intelligence information” and his assertion that we “trust him” about it is the equivalent of Lucy telling Charlie Brown to “trust her” that she won’t throw the football away from him again.
The bottom line is that Canada cannot control the “evidence” coming from foreign sources or even from our own intelligence agencies. This intelligence evidence might be useful for Trudeau to use for public consumption, but it might also be that Trudeau, himself, is being played by intelligence agencies which have their own agendas to promote.
Canadians should not place their trust on Trudeau’s claims of intelligence sources as both he and the intelligence are unreliable.