Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T23:02:15.575Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Terrorism in Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Daniel Kollek
Daniel Kollek*
Affiliation:
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
*
Department of Emergency Medicine, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, Ontario, L8L 2×2, Canada, E-mail: kollek@execulink.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper reviews terrorism in Canada, assessing the incidence and nature of terrorist activity, the potential targets of terrorist attacks, risk factors to Canadian nationals and institutions, and the responses of the Canadian government in dealing with the threat and the effectiveness of those responses.

Despite the fact that there have been no recent high-profile terrorist events in Canada, this country has a serious terrorism problem, the key manifestation of which is the multitude of terrorist organizations that have designated Canada as a base of operations. In addition, Canadians have been attacked overseas and Canadian organizations, both local and abroad, are potential targets of terrorist activity. Canadian attempts to deal with terrorism through foreign and domestic policy have been ineffective, primarily because the policies have been poorly enforced. Until recently, terrorist organizations legally could raise funds in Canada, in direct contravention of international treaties signed by Canada. It is possible that the ineffectiveness in enforcing the anti-terrorism legislation stems from hope that placating terrorist organizations, and the countries that support them, will prevent Canada from becoming a target. Unfortunately evidence from other countries has shown this strategy to be ineffective.

Keywords

Canadachemical biological nuclear radiationenforcementlegislationorganizationspreparednessterrorism
Type
Special Reports
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 18 , Special Issue 2: Terrorism-I: Country Reports , June 2003 , pp. 71 - 79
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Canadian Centre for Foreign Policy and Development: The New Face of Terrorism – Report from the Round Table, 26 October 2001, ISBN #E2–432/2001E-in 0–662–31308–8.Google Scholar
2. Canadian Security and Intelligence Service Act R.S., 1985, c. C-23, article 2C.Google Scholar
3. Canadian Security Intelligence Service: Operational Programs – Counter Terrorism, Revised 09 August 2002, available at www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/eng/ooperat/ct_e.html. Accessed on 03 March 2003, pp 5–14.Google Scholar
4. U.S. State Department: Patterns of Global Terrorism: U.S. State Department: Washington, DC, May 2002.Google Scholar
5. National Post. 06 July 2002 Page A1.Google Scholar
6. Canadian Security Intelligence Service: Report # 2000/04, International Terrorism: The Threat to Canada, 3 May 2000. Available at www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/eng/miscdocs/200004_e.html. Accessed on 03 March 2003, pp 6–10.Google Scholar
7. Kinsella, W: Unholy Alliances, Terrorist Extremists, Front Companies with a Libyan Connection in Canada. Lester Publishing, 1992.Google Scholar
8. Canadian Business Magazine, 17 March 2003, pp 30–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Canadian Security and Intelligence Services: Counter-Terrorism Report to the Special Senate Committee on Security and Intelligence 1999; Revised 09 August 2002, Available at www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/eng/operat/ct_e. Accessed 03 March 2003.Google Scholar
10. National Post. 15 December 2001. p A1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: notes from Address by the Honourable David Kilgour, Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) to a Symposium marking the launch of Canada on 11 September: Impact and Responses “A bedrock of strength and an affront to a nation: Uncovering Canada post-911”. Calgary, Alberta, 18 September 2002.Google Scholar
12. Cameron, G, Pate, J, McCauley, D, DeFazio, L: WMD Terrorism Chronology: Incidents Involving Sub-National Actors in Chemical, Biological, Radiologic and Nuclear Materials. Monterey Institute for International Studies, Centre for Non-proliferation Studies; 1999.Google Scholar
13. Pate, J, Ackerman, G, McLeod, K: 2000 WMD Terrorism Chronology: Incidents Involving Sub-National Actors in Chemical, Biological, Radiologic and Nuclear Materials. Monterey Institute for International Studies, Centre for Non-proliferation studies; Available at http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/npr/vol107/72/wmdchr72.htm. Accessed 10 April 2003.Google Scholar
14. Kollek, D: “Canadian ED preparedness for a nuclear, biological or chemical event” CJEM 2003, 5(1):18–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Canadian Centre for Foreign Policy and Development, “The New Face of Terrorism – Report from the Round Table, Oct. 26/01, ISBN #E2–432/2001E-in 0–662–31308–8, pp 7–8.Google Scholar
16. Von Hippel, K Sr. Research Fellow, Centre for Defense Studies, King's College University of London: The Roots of Terrorism: Probing the Myth. The Political Quarterly Publishing Company Limited, 2002.Google Scholar
17. The Canadian Center for Foreign Policy Development: Policy Development Library, Publications – Security, Summary Note from the Thinkers Retreat on Security Challenges, Friday September 6th 2002, Available at www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/cfp-pec/library/retreat_security-en.asp. Accessed 04 February 2003.Google Scholar
18. The Canadian Center for Foreign Policy Development, Policy Development Library Publications – Canada and the Muslim World, Thinkers Retreat on Canada and the Muslim World, 20 September 2002, Available at www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/cfp-pec/library/retreat_muslim-en.asp. Accessed 04 February 2003.Google Scholar
19. As broadcast on CBC TV Wed., 11 September 2002.Google Scholar
20. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade: News release 14 December 2001, #164: Canada Reports to the United Nations Security Council on Counter-Terrorism Measures.Google Scholar
21. Law Society of Upper Canada Web site http://www.lsuc.ca/news/updates/money_laundernov2702.jsp#. Accessed 12 May 2003.Google Scholar
22. Canada Gazette online. Available at http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2002/20020622/html/REGLE1-E.html. Accessed 12 May 2003.Google Scholar
23. Toronto Star, 26 December 1999.Google Scholar
24. Toronto Star, December 2001, p 5.Google Scholar
25. Toronto Star, 24 July 2002, p A17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26. Toronto Star, 25 July 2002.Google Scholar
27. Globe & Mail, 24 July 2002, p A8.Google Scholar
28. Toronto Star, 28 November 2002, p A3.Google Scholar
29. Toronto Star, Fri., 13 December 2002, p A36.Google Scholar
30. Department of the Solicitor-General of Canada, News Release, 11 December 2002. http://www.sgc.gc.ca/publications/news/20021211_e.aspGoogle Scholar
31. National Post, 16 August 2002, p A1.Google Scholar
32. Canadian Centre for Foreign Policy and Development, “The New Face of Terrorism” – Report from the Round Table, Oct. 26/01, isbn #E2–432/2001E-in 0–662–31308–8. p 10.Google Scholar
33. Report of the Special Senate Committee on Security and Intelligence, January 1999.Google Scholar
34. Canada's International Responsibilities - International Terrorism, the Threat to Canada, Canadian Security and Intelligence Service publication, report #2000/04, 30 May 2000.Google Scholar
35. Media release, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, 15 February 2002, #16 - Canada Ratifies International Convention for Suppression of Terrorism Finances.Google Scholar
36. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade News release, 01 May 2002, #44.Google Scholar
37. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Middle East Policy Process: Canadian Policy as listed on the Web site www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/peaceprocess/keyqu-en.asp. Accessed 10 March 2003.Google Scholar
38. Hamas homepage: www.palestine-info.co.uk/hamas Accessed 11 March 2003.Google Scholar
39. Goldberg, D: Canada's vote at the General Assembly, Canadian Jewish News, 23 January http://www.cicweb.ca/canisrel/can_vote.html. Accessed 16 May 2003.Google Scholar
40. Review of Canadian Middle East Policy, Canada Israel Committee, http://www.cicweb.ca/canisrel/mideast_policy.html. Accessed 16 May 2003.Google Scholar
41. Torok, TJ et al: A Large Community Outbreak of Salmonellosis Caused by Intentional Contamination of Restaurant Salad Bars, JAMA 1997; 278(5)389–395.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
42. Kolavic, SA et al: An Outbreak of Shigella Dysenteriae Type @ Among Laboratory Workers due to Intentional Food Contamination. JAMA 1997; 278(5):396–398.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
43. Personal communication, Dr. Nathan Gotterer, Director, Shaare Zedek Hospital Emergency Department, Jerusalem, Israel.Google Scholar
44. Combatting Terrorism – How Five Foreign Countries Are Organized to Combat Terrorism, United Staes General Accounting Office, Report to Congressional Requesters, April 2000, pp 5–15.Google Scholar
45. Personal communication, Tessa Szyszkowitz, Middle Eastern correspondent for the magazine Focus, from manuscript in progress.Google Scholar
46. Borovoy, AA: Terrorism: Canada's Domestic Response. p 6.Google Scholar