Episode #127 - What was it like to work as a spy in Canada? Artwork

Canadian Intelligence Eh

Everywhere you look these days terrorism and violent extremism dominate the headlines. Whether you follow what is happening in Afghanistan or Iraq, or in the West writ large, we are inundated with news of attacks by groups and individuals fighting for a 'cause'.In a world of multiple voices and opinions it can be very hard to know where to turn. One choice is to look to those who actually worked in counterterrorism in the national security world. In these half-hour podcasts 30-year Canadian intelligence veteran Phil Gurski is joined by a fascinating array of individuals with something meaningful to say about these issues as they provide insight into what they mean and what we need to do about them.

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Canadian Intelligence Eh

Episode #127 - What was it like to work as a spy in Canada?

February 16, 2022 • Phil Gurski / Andrew Kirsch • Season 5 • Episode 127

Movies about spies are a dime a dozen - think James Bond. But what is working in intelligence really like? Borealis is joined by Andrew Kirsch, author of a new book "I was never here"

Andrew Kirsch served as an intelligence officer with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) for just under a decade. He held roles as a policy analyst and a field investigator, ultimately leading the special operations security team running covert warranted operations. Today, Kirsch runs a security consulting firm, assisting organizations and individuals identify threats and vulnerabilities and implement strategies to mitigate their risk. He was appointed to the Ontario Expert Panel on Cyber Security in 2020, advising the government on strengthening cyber security practices in the broader public sector. He is a public speaker and trainer on issues of national and cyber security. His book – I Was Never Here: My True Canadian Spy Story of Coffees, Code Names and Covert Operations in the Age of Terrorism will be released March 1 st, 2022 and is available for pre-order wherever you buy your books.

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - borealisrisk@gmail.com