The
Heritage Front AffairA report to the Solicitor General of Canada
The
Heritage Front Affair
The targeting of the white supremacist movement, since the establishment
of CSIS, has been reviewed continuously since 1985. The individual targets
have changed, and the scope of the investigations has narrowed and then
recently expanded again. Over the years, a considerable number of people
in positions of authority, both in government and the judiciary, have known
of and approved the Service's operations in this area.
The list of those who have scrutinized the targeting of individuals in
the white supremacist movement since the creation of CSIS includes: seven
Solicitors General; four Inspectors General; twelve members of the Security
Intelligence Review Committee; and four Directors of CSIS. In addition,
judges of the Federal Court have granted warrant powers to the Service
to investigate in this area.
In this section of our report, we examine how the Service targeted the
individuals in the white supremacist movement. We review:
CSIS has never issued a targeting authorization specifically against
the Heritage Front per se.
CSIS began to investigate members of the white supremacist movement from
the creation of the new civilian agency, although targeting took place
earlier, under the RCMP Security Service.
The most significant change to the targeting process during the period
was that the scope of the investigation narrowed. Recent targeting certificates,
however, show that the Service has again expanded its information collection
efforts to include those who participate in acts of serious political violence.
The Targeting Approval and Review Committee (TARC) minutes of February
1988 state that "although no concrete acts of violence have taken
place yet, it is seriously believed that these organizations have the capacity
to perform such actions."
After five years of investigating the extreme right, CSIS concluded in
the 1990-91 TARC submission, that the "investigations since 1985
have documented the violence and petty criminal activity by skinheads and
others but nothing that could be considered a threat to the security of
Canada." CSIS continued to investigate the extent to which the
extreme-right constitutes a threat, by "focusing on the leadership".
Targeting the "extreme right" in 1990-91 took place
under sections 12, 2(b)[1] and 2(c)[2]
of the CSIS Act. In 1991-92, targeting was only under 2(c). Counter-terrorism
investigations are, of course, under 2(c), "political violence".
The 1990-91 targeting submission defined the extreme right "as
racists, fascists and anti-semites who are prepared to use violence to
achieve their political objectives."
The leaders were said to:
"plan and direct the advancement of a white-supremacist philosophy
which includes the use of serious violence as a tactic to achieve their
stated political objective."
CSIS' aim was to provide preemptive intelligence of the
"leaders capabilities in gaining support for their extremist
political doctrine in 1990 and beyond. Financing, offshore direction and
support as well as the connections to other groups will be included as
objectives of our investigation."
The Service also sought to develop human sources close to the extreme-right
in order to ascertain the white supremacist strategy. CSIS sought to differentiate
its investigation from criminal investigations.
In March 1991, TARC added a significant condition:
"The range of investigative techniques to be deployed under
this authorization will be subject to consultation with the Minister."
From this point on, the Service was required to send an aide-mÈmoire
to the Solicitor General - prior to implementing the TARC Certificate.
The 1992-93 submission to TARC against the white supremacists was approved,
pursuant to s.2 (c) of the CSIS Act. The rationale was:
The Service stated that the racists had taken "a more pro-active
stance to further their political objectives." Proof for the statement
was "the increasing presence of hate literature and racist hotlines,
as well as a number of high profile criminal cases."
In what appeared to be a return to broader and more preemptive information
collection, TARC approved an authorization against "Serious Violence
Associated with Racist and Anti-Semitic incidents". The investigation
collected information on racist and anti-semitic
"incidents that have the potential to manifest themselves into
acts of politically motivated violence. Occurrences, that involve circumstances
reasonably suspected of having a politically motivated intent, will be
the subject of Service enquiries with local authorities."
The 1993 TARC submission highlighted two developments:
The Service added
"We continue to differentiate hate crimes and incidents of racially
motivated violence from activities which are directed by the white supremacist
leadership in pursuit of their political objectives."[4]
As in the previous year, the submission expressed concern about the
links forged within and between the Canadian white supremacists and their
foreign counterparts.
The 1993 submission acknowledged that the Heritage Front had become "the
most prominent white supremacist organization in the country,"
prominent enough to inspire the creation of a counter group called "Anti-Racist
Action". The latter was "allegedly preparing to use violence
and 'direct action' tactics to counter the white supremacists."
The most recent TARC Certificate sought to show the stronger links between
incidents of racial violence and the political objectives of the white
supremacists.
"The supremacists, said the Service, have demonstrated an ability
to plan and direct groups to carry out acts of violence on behalf of their
ideals. More importantly, they had shown a propensity for violence and
are prepared to resort to violence to achieve their political objective
of establishing a whites-only 'Aryan' homeland."[5]
1 Threats to the Security of Canada, Section 2(b) of the CSIS
Act:
"foreign influenced activities within or relating to Canada
that are detrimental to the interests of Canada and are clandestine or
deceptive or involve a threat to any person."
2 Threats to the Security of Canada, Section 2(c) of the CSIS
Act:
"activities within or relating to Canada directed toward or
in support of the threat or use of acts of serious violence against persons
or property for the purpose of achieving a political objective within Canada
or a foreign state,"
3
4
5 Criminal Incidents cited: - clashes between anti-racists and
the Heritage Front in Ottawa (May 93) and Toronto (June 93); - Wolfgang
Droege and several supporters charged with assault, armed robbery, kidnapping
and forceable confinement; and - both George Burdi and Eric Fischer face
criminal charges.