Whispering in the Wind (WITW 60) January 14, 2015
I’m having chilling thoughts about the recent “terrorism”
activity in Canada, Australia and now, France.
Not to discount the importance of the horrific, murderous events in
Canada and Australia but the attacks in Paris have shown countries like Canada that
they are facing a much more dangerous situation than what was thought two and
one half months ago. From my perspective
the march in Paris last Sunday just about tells it all. An estimated million and a half people (along
with 40 political leaders in locked arms) marched in the streets of Paris to
express solidarity, freedom and anger.
The jihadist terrorist group known as ISIS responded to the march in
Paris by naming France, Australia and Canada as specific targets for further
carnage and disruption.
Canadians,
On Edge!
On October 20 Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent was run
down in Quebec by a man who apparently embraced radical Islam. Two days later at the National War Memorial
in Ottawa, Corporal Nathan Cirillo was shot dead by a deranged Islamic extremist. Both extremists were apparently persons of
interest to Canada’s spy agency (CISIS), the authority that judges who poses a
threat to Canada’s security. In Canada
there are apparently 100 persons of particular interest to CISIS and have been judged
to be extreme supporters of Islam and sympathetic to the Islamic State of Iraq
and Syria movement, the ISIS movement.
Mr. Harper’s government is considering further legislative measures to stop
terrorism initiatives in Canada and elsewhere.
To date there have been three arrests made under existing laws where the
charges relate to planned terrorism activities.
To say the least, the Canadian public is on edge.
The
Politics of Terrorism
The definition of “terrorism” is pretty straight forward
and “is the use of violence or the threat of violence, especially against
civilians, in the pursuit of political goals”.
Put another way it’s not only about killing, it’s about politics. In Canada, Prime Minister Harper used the
parliamentary process and his “majority” government to fight the ISIS terrorism
threats by engaging Canadian forces in an air war against the ISIS movement in
Iraq. After a six month trial the
engagement will be reviewed by the prime minister’s “majority” government Reports on the success of the short term Canadian
mission in Iraq is mixed, if not disappointing.
On the other hand the ISIS mission in Canada (the murders in Quebec and
Ottawa) has to be viewed as totally disruptive to the Canadian psyche –
creating a heightened level of anxiety amongst a good number of Canadians – in
some cases, animosity against extreme religious groups that have flourished in
Canada’s tolerant, pluralistic society.
It’s been 45 years since Canada experienced a similar crisis referred to
as the 1970 October Crisis – when troops were placed on Quebec streets to deal
with the kidnapping and murder episodesl perpetrated by the FLQ terrorist group
– the prime minister at the time of the October Crisis was the abrasive,
autocrat Pierre Eliot Trudeau.
Churchill
Said: Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste!
Canada is facing an election in 2015 with the exact date
still open for decision by the prime minister.
In my view, the election campaign will be about strong leadership at a
time of crisis. Mr. Harper has selected international terrorism to be the
crisis to focus on and that likely means an early general election – striking
while the iron is hot. There are many
other crises to consider: collapsed oil
prices; a sputtering economy; pipelines; the low Canadian dollar; environmental
impacts on resource development; nation building with the Aboriginal peoples;
the Duffy criminal trial and the collapse of the Senate – the list could go on
and on. The bottom line is that Mr.
Harper wants to win another “majority” government and that means any issue
where he has failed will be translated into the need for strong, decisive
leadership in a time of crisis.
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