MILNEWS.ca: Inbox Highlights, 25 April 2018

 

• #TorontoAttack
• “Continues to be no national security threat in Toronto van attack: Wynne”
• ” Investigators turn attention to motive as Toronto van attack suspect charged with 10 counts of murder”
• “Suspect in Toronto van attack publicly embraced misogynist ideology”
• “Wynne calls possible link between van rampage suspect and mysogynistic group ‘very disturbing’ “
• “Attaque à Toronto: une majorité de femmes parmi les victimes”
• “Who is Alek Minassian, the man accused in the van rampage?”
• “Toronto van attack suspect was student, ex-military recruit”
• “Number cited in cryptic Facebook post matches Alek Minassian’s military ID: Source”
• “What is ‘incel’? Explaining the cryptic Facebook message allegedly left by Toronto attacker”
• “Toronto has joined other cities struck by vehicle attacks — what can it learn from them?”
• “Terrorist? Misogynist? Labelling the Toronto van attacker a pointless exercise: Robyn Urback”
• “Russian Woman Injured in Toronto Van Attack Being Treated in Hospital – Embassy” (RUS media)
• “G7 Toronto: les ministres de la Sécurité ont appelé à un monde plus pacifique et plus sûr”
• On replacing the CF-18 …
• “Dassault & Airbus Team-Up – What Does it Mean for the CF-18 Replacement”
• “Airbus and Dassault to team up on combat fighter” – “Airbus, Dassault to team up for new fighter jet project” – “Airbus and Dassault join forces to build next fighter aircraft” – “Airbus Details Franco-German Fighter Deal With U.K. Role at Risk”
• Wanted:  “INDEPENDENT 3rd PARTY REVIEW … This requirement is for Public Services and Procurement Canada for the provision of Independent third party reviews of various procurement documents and processes relating to the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) …”
• Wanted:  “Environmental Investigations Stony Point First Nations, Ontario … The Department of National Defence (DND) requires multi-year Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment (HHERA), and/or Risk Management services to facilitate development and implementation of: a Clearance and Remediation Plan for the clearance of Unexploded Explosive Ordnance (UXO); remediation of Areas of Environmental Concern (AECs); and infrastructure removal at the former Camp Ipperwash at Stony Point, Ontario (the Site), as per the terms of the Ipperwash Final Settlement Agreement between the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point and Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (the Final Settlement Agreement) …”
• “Canada faces capability gap in space surveillance” – “Quantum radar: Canada joins race to develop technology”
• “New Commander for Canadian Special Operations Forces Command”
• Col. Ted’s take on the latest twist in the #MLI mission:  “A different sort of self inflicted wound: Canada’s helicopter follies”
• “Canadian Rangers use ihuma to help train Arctic Operations Advisors”
• “More LGBTQ people will be compensated in ‘gay purge’ lawsuit settlement — The deal will affect members of the military and government agencies who were fired because of their sexual orientation …”
• #CHN pissed @ #CAN Senate
• ” ‘This is irresponsible’: Canada under fire after its Senate passes measure opposing Beijing’s actions in South China Sea” – “Canadian Senate needs better understanding of China’s sovereignty” (CHN military media)
• And from #SYR …
• “Russia Widens EW War, ‘Disabling’ EC-130s In Syria” – “Why Syria may be the most aggressive electronic warfare environment on Earth”
• “Canadian Korean War veterans warily watch historic leaders’ summit”
• “North Korea’s nuclear test site has collapsed … and that may be why Kim Jong-un suspended tests”
• “Skepticism, Optimism Color Analysts’ Response to Kim’s Suspension of N. Korea’s Nuclear, Weapons Testing”
• “Belgian King Returns (WW 1) Field Gun to Canada”

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MILNEWS.ca: Inbox Highlights, 24 April 2018

• #TorontoAttack
• “Accused in Toronto van attack to face a 14th attempted murder charge”
• “Officer praised after taking down Toronto van attack suspect without gunfire”
• “Toronto rampage suspect referenced extremist male ‘incel’ movement”
• “Alek Minassian’s Facebook Account Praised California Mass Killer, Announced ‘Rebellion’ “
• “Alleged Toronto Van Attacker’s Facebook Profile Linked to ‘Incels,’ Praised Mass Killer”
• “Facebook post connected to van attack suspect’s profile references ‘Incel Rebellion’ “
• “Toronto Van Attack Suspect Expressed Anger at Women”
• ” Attaque à Toronto: la terreur est misogyne”
• “Defence Minister confirms Alek Minassian was briefly member of Canadian Forces”
• “Military saw no red flags for Toronto attack suspect: Sajjan”
• “Van attack looks unrelated to national security: Goodale”
• “Message from Her Majesty The Queen Following the Toronto Tragedy” (via Governor General page)
• “Statement by the Prime Minister on fatal van attack in Toronto” (PMO info-machine)
• “Richmond Hill man with similar name to deadly van attack suspect suffers harassment”
• “Toronto van attack coverage has been plagued by fake news, screw-ups and lies”
• “How The Far Right Spun The Toronto Van Attack As Islamic Terrorism” (Canadaland)
• “We search for patterns after events like Toronto attack on pedestrians, but there may be none”
• “The Toronto Attack Should Be Called Terrorism” (Spencer Fernando)
• More via Google News
• #MLI mission
• “UN says Canada needs more helicopters to fully meet its peacekeeping commitments in Mali — Canada is taking over a key role in the peacekeeping mission in Mali, but United Nations officials worry it may not be able to fully implement its mandate because it plans to send limited helicopter support …”
• #CANinIRQ
• “Canada’s planned $7m weapons shipment to Kurdish fighters stuck in limbo — Weapons were destined to be sent to Kurdish fighters but Iraq’s government has refused the arms shipments …”
• Colonel Ted on whazzup in #SYR and what it means for Canada  “The operational level of war: Russian air defences in Syria … The message for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Treasury Board President Scott Brison is: another 1970s technology, third generation fighter is NOT a suitable replacement for Canada’s old, worn out CF-18s. Canada needs a modern, capable multi role fighter-bomber that can fight, using stand-off missiles if and when appropriate in a modern, high intensity air defence environment … just the sort that Russia is providing to terrorist states in the third world.”
• “Newly Disclosed Documents on the Five Eyes Alliance and What They Tell Us about Intelligence-Sharing Agreements”
• Way Up North
• “Toxic Russian rocket splashdown in Arctic prompts outcry from Inuit who use the area for hunts — An international Inuit group is angry they weren’t informed that a rocket stage likely containing highly toxic fuel is set to splash down in Arctic waters they routinely hunt for food …”
• “US President and Finland’s president say it is necessary to strengthen security in the Arctic” – “Finnish President Spoke With Trump About Arctic , Office Says”
• “Russia in the Arctic : Friend or Foe?”
• “China’s Arctic Ambitions in Alaska”
• “Areas of (no) conflict in the Arctic”
• What’s Canada Buying?
• “Canada’s Defense Department Is Funding a Quantum Radar System”
• “Royal Canadian Navy getting new miniature maritime drone this summer …”
• Wanted:  “Wildland Fire Fighting Vehicles”
• Wanted:  “Inflatable Aircraft Maintenance Shelter”
• Meanwhile, with #CHN … 
• “Chinese navy conducts live fire exercise in East China Sea: Xinhua”
• “Chinese Navy’s Liaoning carrier group conducts first ‘combat exercise’ in Western Pacific”
• “China’s aircraft carrier formation takes drills to East China Sea” (CHN mil media)

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MILNEWS.ca: Inbox Highlights, 17 April 2018

• “Forces plan rule changes as 15 per cent of Canada’s regular military unable to deploy”
• “Army to recruit Canada’s growing number of jobless medical graduates”
• “Military women relate stories of rape, sex assaults and harassment”
• En Afrique …
• “Canadian special forces from Petawawa in Africa to train troops”
• “Pardy: ‘Peacekeeping’ in Mali is but a mirage for Canada”
• “En visite à Paris, Trudeau maintient et défend sa décision d’envoyer des troupes au Mali”
• Over in #UKR …
• “German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland discussed the situation in Donbas and the possibility of deploying “blue helmets” there. The foreign ministers said this at a press conference after the talks held in Berlin on Tuesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports …” (UKR media)
• “A Farewell to ATO: Ukraine Shifts Command of Forces Serving Around Temporarily Occupied Territories” (Jamestown Fdn)
• “(Fmr Tory minister) CLEMENT: Liberals must change course on sinking approach to shipbuilding”
• “F-35 Update: It’s Still a Mess” (Best Fighter for Canada blog)
• Wanted:  “RFSO Deployed Logistics Services … To provide deployed logistics support services to HALIFAX, KINGSTON, VICTORIA, ORCA and miscellaneous classes of naval vessels assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) and Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) when deployed …”
• “Government of Canada invests in aerospace sector … the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced an investment of $49.5 million in an aerospace consortium led by Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd. Minister Bains made the announcement during Aéro-Montréal’s Aerospace Innovation Forum …” (GoC info-machine)
• “Adopt a Vet founder to be honoured by Governor General”
• “NATO Flying Training in Canada Program makes history — NATO Flying Training in Canada Program graduates its largest-ever class …” (RCAF info-machine)
• #SkripalPoisoning
• “Is Canada prepared for a chemical weapon attack like the one in the U.K.?”
• G7 statement:  “We, the G7 foreign ministers, of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, are united in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the attack that took place against Sergei and Yulia Skripal, using a nerve agent in Salisbury, United Kingdom, on March 4, 2018 …”
• “G7 ministers have no grounds to accuse Russia of involvement in Skripal case — diplomat”
• “Swiss laboratory denies Lavrov’s claims that Skripal’s poison was developed by NATO”
• Toronto Recruiting Centre Stabbing
• “Man charged in Toronto military centre stabbing acted as ‘terrorist group of one’: Crown”
• “Mentally ill man still a terrorist, Crown argues”
• “Accused in Toronto military centre stabbing was ‘terrorist group of one,’ Crown argues”
• QC Mosque Shooting
• “Alexandre Bissonnette ‘regrets’ not shooting more people in Quebec mosque attack”
• “Here Are the Far-Right Conspiracists the Quebec City Mosque Shooter Followed”
• Going back a bit …
  
• “Ottawa ditches mediation talks in $27M Abdelrazik lawsuit” – “CSIS worked to thwart diplomatic efforts to secure Abdelrazik’s release, documents suggest”
• “Canada sending home families of diplomats in Cuba after cases of ‘new type’ of brain injury” – “Are Purported ‘Sonic Attacks’ at Embassies in Havana an Elaborate Intelligence Operation?”
• “And still darker: CSE stops reporting budget breakdown” (Lux Ex Umbra blog)
• “Canadian professor chosen to write history of UK eavesdropping agency” – John Ferris (University of Calgary)
• “Troops will be needed to get Trans Mountain built, says former Alberta energy minister — Former energy minister says threat of ‘eco-terrorists’ will require Trudeau to call in the troops …”
• G7 on Syria Strikes  “We, the G7 Leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the European Union, are united in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the use of chemical weapons in the April 7 attack in Eastern Ghouta, Syria …”
• “Joint US – UK statement on malicious cyber activity carried out by Russian government — The NCSC, FBI and DHS have issued a joint Technical Alert about malicious cyber activity carried out by the Russian Government …” (UK Nat’l Cyber Security Ctr) – “Advisory: Russian state-sponsored cyber actors targeting network infrastructure devices” (UK NCSC) – “Russia Dismisses Rare US-British Warning on Hackers”

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MILNEWS.ca: Inbox Highlights, 13 April 2018

• “Latvian parliament ratifies memorandum about defense, security cooperation with Canada”
• “Latvia’s Defense Ministry reported April 13 that the Russian military will for the second time in as many weeks shut down air traffic over parts of the Baltic Sea, apparently in order to fire missiles …”
• “UK ‘Manipulating’ Yulia Skripal as Poisoning Narrative Collapses – (Canadian) Academic” – Michael J. Carley’s Publications – The Strategic Culture Foundation he’s written for frequently – Where the Strategic-Culture.org domain is registered (Spoiler:  6 letters, starts with R, ends with A)
• “Final Flight Safety Investigation Report on March 2017 Search and Rescue Technician Accident — The Department of National Defence’s Airworthiness Investigative Authority has issued the final report in relation to the fatal Search and Rescue Technician accident of March 08, 2017, near Yorkton, Saskatchewan …” (DND info-machine) – “CC130338 SAR Technician – Epilogue – Flight Safety Investigation Report” – “Rapport définitif sur l’accident qui a coûté la vie au Tech SAR Alfred Barr”
• Ooopsie, continued … “Cornwall military exercise that shook up residents involved Canadian special forces”
• “(British Columbia) is considering naming a trio of peaks west of Harrison Lake after three Fraser Valley soldiers who lost their lives while serving in Afghanistan …”
• “Veteran Family Program now available at all 32 Military Family Resource Centres across Canada” (VAC info-machine)
• “Addressing the “Fighter Gap” — When asked if a second supply ship for the Royal Canadian Navy could be ordered from Davie Shipbuilding – a move that would restore re-fueling capability to both coasts and head off job losses at the Quebec shipyard – Transport Minister Marc Garneau declared: “We cannot artificially create a need for something that doesn’t exist.” How ironic that a member of the federal cabinet should make this bold remark when there is a broad consensus that this is exactly what the Trudeau government is doing in the case of the alleged fighter capability gap …”
• Wanted:  “Sunhat … This requirement is to procure 4 754 Sunhats to be delivered to Edmonton, Alberta and 7 131 Sunhats to be delivered to Montreal, Quebec …” – What the spec documents say the hats’ll look like
• Way Up North
• “World maritime body moves to ban dirty fuels in the Arctic”
• “Northern Sea Route should be international, US admiral says”
• ” ‘Respect the Arctic environment’: Major-General Simon Hetherington” (CAN Army info-machine)
• Colonel Ted with an oustanding, short, accessible read on what Canada needs for its defence  “… Canadians pay a lot in taxes every year, but we do not get our money’s worth from our defence department because we never tell our politicians that we want efficient and effective armed forces … until it is too late. We know what we need … we know it costs money, which most of us don’t like spending. We have to bring our good common sense to bear on the issue and decide that we want to do the right things and do them right, too.”
• On the #SYR front …
• “US, Allies Mull Response to Syria’s Gas Attack”
• “Trump may have given Syrian, Russian forces too much time to prepare for attack: experts”
• “Mattis warns Trump on Syria risks”
• “Turkey to Mediate Between U.S., Russia on Syria Tensions”
• “The Biggest US Navy Task Force Since Iraq Invasion May Be Sailing Toward Syria” – “Photos show Russian navy has left Syria port ahead of possible US strike”
• “Can US Warplanes Evade Russian Air Defenses? We May Soon Find Out in Syria”
• “Russian military capabilities in event of Western strike on Syria”
• “Chemical Inspectors Set to Collect Samples in Douma, Syria”
• OK, then, which is it?
• “US says it has proof Syria carried out Douma gas attack”
• “Russian Defense Ministry: UK Is Involved In Staging Chemical Attack In Syria’s Douma” – “Briefing by official representative of Russian Defence Ministry Major General Igor Konashenkov … there are other evidences at the disposal of the Russian military department, which testify to the direct participation of Great Britain in organizing this provocation in the Eastern Ghouta …” (RUS MoD info-machine) – “Russia accuses U.K. of staging alleged chemical attack in Syria without providing evidence”
• “… The (RUS) ambassador also reminded journalists that Russian biological warfare defense specialists had travelled to the site said to have been hit, and that they did not find any evidence of a chemical attack … Russian forces on the ground could not find any victims of a chemical attack in any of the city’s hospitals …” (RUS media)
• “Russia´s Propaganda War about Syria: How Pro-Kremlin Twitter Accounts Manipulate the West”
• SYR news via Google News – SYR news via Bing News – SYR news via Yahoo News – SYR news via European Commission news aggregator
• Let’s not forget #UKR …
• “Poroshenko: ATO to transform into Joint Forces Operation on April 30”
• “More than 40 countries willing to send peacekeepers to Donbas – Poroshenko”
• “Russian Navy Preparing to Bottle up Ukrainian Shipping in Sea of Azov”
• UKR National Guard commander canned for parading Communist hammer & sickle flags during anniversary of WW2 (Radio Svoboda, in Ukrainian) – Clunky Google English translation in pro-UKR media

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MILNEWS.ca: Inbox Highlights, 11 April 2018

• “Update on new fighter jet project to replace CF-18 fleet” – “… This requirement is for Public Services and Procurement Canada for the provision of Independent third party reviews of various procurement documents and processes relating to the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) …” (buyandsell.gc.ca) – “… This Letter of Interest (LOI) is to inform interested stakeholders that Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada, in partnership with the Department of National Defence (DND), and Public Services and Procurement Canada, as well as Canadas Regional Development Agencies, will be holding Regional Forums in select cities across Canada from April 23, 2018 to May 1, 2018 on the Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) … The Future Fighter Regional Forums will be an opportunity for Canadian industry and other stakeholders to learn more about the FFCP including potential industrial opportunities through Canadas ITB Policy including Value Proposition …” (buyandsell.gc.ca) – “Participate in regional forums to learn more about the Future Fighther Capability Project” (buyandsell.gc.ca)
• “Vice Admiral Mark Norman in uniform at court sends a message to PMO – the battle is on”
• “Feds set aside $1.6 billion for outside help with military challenges — The federal government is asking universities, companies and others to help the military with several pressing challenges, including how to better treat PTSD, increase female recruitment, monitor Canada’s waterways and defend against cyberattacks …”
• “Trial for man accused of terror attack on Toronto military recruitment centre begins” – “Ayanle Hassan Ali, accused in military centre stabbing ‘not a terrorist’: defence”
• Over in #SYR …
• “Missiles ‘will be coming’ to Syria, Trump says after Russia warns against US strike”
• ” ‘Get ready Russia’: Donald Trump warns missiles coming after Syria chemical attack”
• POTUS45 on Twitter:  “Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!”
• “Russia threatens to shoot down any US missiles fired at Syria”
• SYR news via Google News – SYR news via Bing News – SYR news via Yahoo News – SYR news via European Commission news aggregator
• “Canada rallies behind US in its incendiary anti-Russia offensive” (World Socialist Web Site)
• “Five rules for Canada’s relationship with Russia”

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MILNEWS.ca: Inbox Highlights, 6 Mar 2018

• How much is it going to cost to keep CF-18’s flying?  “… at Least $1.5 Billion”
• RCN continues to look for fixes to Cyclones replacing Sea Kings on its ships
• Welcome Asterix!
• Meanwhile, Canada’s looking to speed up already-delayed resupply ships – more
• Speaking of shipbuilding, “New Zealand frigate arrives in Canada for major upgrade”
• Good question, post Budget 2018:  “What’s happening to Canada’s defence spending?”
• Wanted:  “BLAST INJURY RESEARCH ENGINEERING SUPPORT … Defence Research and Development Canada – Suffield Research Centre is conducting a multi-year project to understand the effects of primary blast on the nervous system in order to facilitate the survivability and wellness of exposed Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel …”
• Ooopsie …  ” ‘Mistake’ leads to Canadian Forces ad on far-right website”
• Another example of why it’s not always easy to try terrorists and recruiters  “Trial of alleged ISIS recruiter Peshdary delayed indefinitely” – A bit of backstory on Awso Peshdary (via Ottawa Citizen)
• Spence Fernando on “Abdulrahman El-Bahnasawy Wanting To Enter Canada For Trudeau’s ‘ISIS Reintegration’ Program”
• “Coulda, shoulda, woulda” with Canadian peacekeeping  “Plan to send Canadian peacekeepers to Colombia fizzled due to official foot-dragging”
• We’ll see … “North Korea open to denuclearization, ready for talks with US, South says” – “Is North Korea′s red carpet a real sign of change or merely a ruse?”
• Meanwhile, “North Korea’s Yongbyon Nuclear Complex: 5 MWe Reactor is Likely Operating, New Military Encampment Established”
• Former Russian spy traded in 2010, daughter fall mysteriously and seriously ill in London – more here  Sound familiar?
• Strategy Page on how the Baltics are “growing their Guards” to help defend against the Russians
• Canadian Global Affairs Insitute Podcast:  “The Arctic Dimension”

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MILNEWS.ca: Inbox Highlights, 5 Mar 2018

• CANSOFCOM getting private-sector ISTAR help  “Special forces around the world are interested in ISR capabilities, which is often associated with on-the-ground targeting and drone surveillance during operations. Recently, there has been a growing trend in government budgets of major NATO countries and their top secret agencies, to pay for private intelligence. Outsourcing intelligence has been reflected in Canada recently, with its Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) — the most elite branch of the military signing contracts with private intelligence consultants. Canada’s special operations forces are considered to be among the world’s elite, regularly compared with American SEALs, Delta Force, and British SAS operators.  The government issued calls for nearly 1 million dollars worth of contracts to provide private intelligence advice for Canadian commandos, according to federal documents released online …”
• Remember where you read it first three weeks ago 😉  “Wanted: “CAF UAS Services – Draft RFP …”
• There’s evidence Canada got some privatized ISTAR help in Afghanistan for someone there as well — more from the blog on this here, here and here.
• Good question, transparency edition?  “How much should the Canadian public know about a $19B jet purchase? The government knows best”
• We’ll see … “Canadian ISIS plotter could test government’s rehabilitation strategy”
• Elsewhere on the internal security front, a bunch of black-dressed hooligans trashed some businesses in Hamilton, with placards saying they were “The Ungovernables” – more via Google News here.  Interestingly enough, there was a gathering of anarchists in town that weekend, too — more on anarchists elsewhere claiming to be ungovernable here.
• Commentary:  “VIP plane antics a disgrace to Canada’s military“
• About the latest ceasefire in UKR:  both Russian-backed rebels and the Ukrainians say the other side’s already broken it.
• A tiny taste of disinformation from UKR’s Russian-backed rebel media:  the rebel info-machine is sharing this piece about a “secret” base where Canadians and Americans are training Ukrainian troops.  This piece is based on this one on a Swiss news page (in French — archived PDF copy here) – Google English translation here.  Russian state-run media also highlight this “secret” base, based on the same Swiss article.  One has to wonder how “secret” it is when NATO has a publicly-posted deck about the place.
  
• OK, China, which is is:  cutting 300,000 troops or increasing 2018 defense budget by 8.1 percent?  Yeah, I know both are possible, but it’s intriguing what the Chinese military media is focusing on.
• A NATO Strategic Communications document (PDF) walking you through types of fake news.

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