We social animals come together for a variety of reasons; often, if not always, it is due to words spoken by a catalyst person or group of people. Indeed, with a minor tweak (and perhaps a twerk-heavy Dubstep remix) Dylan’s classic lyric could in 2025 go “Come gather round people and put down your phones…”  And then a paradox emerges: how did the social tool of a cell phone become synonymous with a sense of being adrift in an isolated life? Even an old grandfather clock ticks and tocks with more visceral power than a steady stream of Tik-Tok videos, the likes of which lull to sleep even the most fervid of imaginations. How did the tool of digital technology come so widely to be seen as a set of shackles, a harness of creativity and connection alike?

Herein lies a paradox: we’re social animals, but not all socialization is created equal.  One sphere, that of online video gaming, at first blush seems immune to this blanket anomie.  Gamers, presumably, are having a field day with the whole planet as possible participants in their adventures.  In recent decades even the most shy or buttoned-down young people found expressive prowess in the realm of video games.

Silence in the Halls of Gaming

A stark lifeless reality seems to have descended on, of all places, the nacho-fuelled realm of online gaming: the internet presently is awash in articles like that of L. Winkie discussing a “lack of conviviality in multiplayer lobbies, and most of them bear titles that gesture toward an elemental wound in the culture.”

Such realms of honor and duty abound in online gaming—team play populated by knights, gremlins, ogres, special ops, and flight simulators.  Fictionalized realms that translate the performative nature of human interactions from the mundane to the magical. For some, the truest way of experiencing social solidarity occurs in these simulacra.  While the body is stationary the mind conquers vast vistas along with comrades of the same ilk. Some even say that the gaming realm is uniquely situated to open the most reticent of introverts to a realm of healthy human contact and conversation. “I think [games like World of Warcraft] can affect one’s willingness to open up to someone. You don’t have to deal with the layer of bodies. You don’t have to worry about the physical barrier. All of that is stripped away when you’re speaking through a video game,” Although mediated by a gaming console or computer, people of any age or earthly ability share a game, with rules, and converse socially—it’s about as sci fi a setup as anyone would have imagined a half century ago. Yet, when games are played in silence it’s almost akin to merely playing with oneself.

Be it Backgammon or Fortnite, this paradoxical empirical reality has emerged in the online gaming sphere: silence holds sway. While game forests are still full of druid avatars and prowling gremlins the in-game chat, that glue of social good times ranging from hippie prayer circles to fraternity reunion gatherings, has fallen by the wayside. All that’s left is the game itself, played in taciturn silence. “The complex social contract, the acquaintances waiting to be forged into brotherhood—is nowhere to be found. The chat box that used to chirp with shitposts, gossip, and hyperlocal banter is conspicuously barren. If you do partner up with someone for an adventure, words are rarely exchanged. When the final boss is toppled, everyone leaves the group and dissolves into the ether.”

Studies and anecdotes conclude, then, that people are literally just there to play the game, not to interact in any meaningful human manner. The result seems a bit like automated checkout kiosks or AI chatbots suggesting improved dish-doing methods. Instead of being replaced by mindless automaton robots, have we just become more like computers? To be fair, since time immemorial, people have played games. Mahjong and backgammon boards date back millennia, for instance. Beginning in the 1970s computers entered the fray.  A tennis-like game called Pong somewhat swept the nation and, since then, concentric circles of youths have learned to wile away their free time drafted into the intense and competitive world of sports—gaming, in other words. While in any gaming effort the great majority of their effort goes into conquering this or that villain or achieving one of a myriad of preordained missions, it’s in that extra non-competitive percentile of awareness that parents and onlookers tended to notice that the raw humanity of daily discourse would seep in. Pets, bills, girlfriends or boyfriends, current events, or any matter of external cultural concerns were grist for the mill.  With the rise of the internet that become part of the mic-d up gaming chat system. And yet now, apparently, the woodland of non-productive gaming discussion has gone eerily quiet, maybe too quiet. It’s a bit akin to a woodland that falls silent while a stealthy cougar patrols through, its thoughtful mincing footfalls barely making an impression on the mossy forest floor. What is stalking and silencing gamers who once heckled and hazed one another in a manner most jocular – what has brought on this muteness?

It’s a question, alas, not yet to be answered. The one certainty we have is, as reported in Slate Magazine, gamers are not chatting much anymore. My brother offered a suggestion that as a great majority of online gamers have, er, aged out of teenage tomfoolery and into the sometimes-sordid but oft-serious realm of adulthood and parenthood, such men have grown into a life for which their pubescent jocularity lacks a vocabulary. While holding a digital rifle or golf club is as simple as swinging for the fences, the feeling of nuzzling an infant in swaddling clothes or holding a marriage together with twine is ever-so much more difficult to explain in the brief intervals between setting up a perfect putt or ducking for cover in the face of enemy fire. Another opinion would be that amidst the din of irrational toxicity about all manner of current events and political machinations the requisite sense of openness and understanding foundational to discourse in any social setting has eroded such that gamers collectively think “why bother” when it comes to opening their mouth about that which is relevant to the task at hand. No industrial sweatshop boss could expect more!

Yet, so long as we at AU remember to try and enlist in courses that we prefer, we at least will be able to converse gladly about what we are studying!

Reference

Winkie, L. (2024). ‘Silent But Deadly’. Slate. Retrieved from https://slate.com/culture/2024/12/video-games-world-warcraft-multiplayer-call-duty-halo.html

Contrary to most of the coverage on the Hogue Report, which has been critical and criticizes it for understating the threat of FI, we should not forget that the Foreign Interference Commission had a separate set of findings that were classified and only meant for top officials in government and policing and public safety stakeholders (and is sealed for 99 years). The publicly available version of the Hogue Report speaks to threat of FI as it pertains to our elections and how government has responded to those threats. Parts of what was heard during the public hearings were omitted from the public report, with the omissions being attributed to the rigid terms of reference that were set out for this public inquiry and did not allow for an in-depth study of FI.

Much of the testimony offered during the public hearings that was left out of the Hogue Report should be described as takeaways that were more than the Foreign Interference Commission had accounted for. For instance, the critiques offered up by former CSIS Director Richard Fadden and former RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson, criticizing the Commission’s understanding of foreign interference, and countering most of the claims that government officials made during Stages 1 and 2, caught everyone by surprise. Yet, those who have not been following the Foreign Interference Commission for the entirety of its proceedings are unlikely to be aware of such instances.

The Lead up to the 51 Recommendations

On the day of the release of the Hogue Report, Commissioner Hogue stated how FI went far beyond the Foreign Interference Commission’s mandate and that it was too comprehensive and robust of an issue for the Commission to explore in the short period of time that it had. Although different segments of the population would have preferred if the Hogue Report would have been more specific in calling out certain countries involved in FI or detailing the full extent of transnational repression, the report highlights different FI tactics and delivers on its terms of reference. Overall, the Hogue Report offers important explanations and key conclusions about our democratic institutions and different aspects of Canadian life before getting into the 51 recommendations.

Some of the more important explanations focus on explaining why information has not always been shared with Parliamentarians, such as “parliamentary privilege” allowing Parliamentarians to speak in the House of Commons and making it impossible to prosecute them for whatever is said within. There was also a breakdown of the different kinds of intelligence that different stakeholders collect (foreign, security, criminal) and the ways they collect it (human sources, signals, open sources), but also why intelligence cannot always be used as evidence in criminal proceedings if a legal threshold is not met.

Other explanations include how collaboration across different levels of government is challenging because other levels of government do not have the infrastructure or capacity to process and store classified information,  yet the government is seeking to build information-sharing networks and has offered communications systems for provinces and territories up to the secret level. There was also a focus on the importance of a healthy media ecosystem and its importance in building citizen resilience to FI, how it is necessary for government to assist media organizations as they recalibrate around today’s digital landscape, and on the need for tools that verify whether digital content is fabricated or altered.

Some of key conclusions relate to how government often takes too long to act on key issues, coordination between various stakeholders has not been “optimal”, getting information to certain decision-makers has not been effective as it has needed to be, and government has proven itself to be a poor communicator and insufficiently transparent when it comes to FI. A few of the more surprising conclusions relate to the critique of Canada’s intelligence-sharing system and how it is broken and in need of a complete overhaul, including the RCMP needing to ensure more specialized training for officers on national security investigations, and that it was essential to intensify “inter-cooperation” efforts with every level of government, including Indigenous governments,  to successfully counter FI.

Four Criticisms Levied at The Hogue Report

Much of the criticism that has been levied towards the Hogue Report relates to positions taken by the Foreign Interference Commission on possibly compromised Parliamentarians, the absence of linking foreign interference activities to organized criminal groups, and the report’s usage of marginalizing language that diminished the threat of FI.

The biggest criticism related to the Hogue Report has to do with how it states that there is no evidence that there were “traitors” in Parliament, nor was there evidence to suggest that that our institutions have ever been seriously affected by FI. Additionally, Justice Hogue went on record to clarify that the NSICOP report that spoke of compromised Parliamentarians did not identify anyone by name. The problem with those suggestions is that they seem to disregard the fact that federal party leaders who had read the underacted NSICOP report have gone on record to state that the activities of some Parliamentarians did amount to treason. Additionally, it was also suggested during Stage 2 of the public hearings that elected officials who were identified as having engaged in troublesome behaviors were being asked to “step away” or “retire” from political life instead of policing stakeholders getting involved, as it was not in the public interest to stain public office.

A second criticism of the Hogue Report related to transnational repression and how the Foreign Interference Commission set up panels featuring ethnic Canadians who were leaders in their communities and who testified to being victims of such repression but ultimately felt that the information provided was outside the Commission’s terms of reference. Then there was specific testimony related to transnational repression offered up by policing and public safety stakeholders during Stage 1 and Stage 2, including detailed information sought by lawyers when questioning top officials on such repression and links to organized crime. At that point in time, all of it was relevant to the Foreign Interference Commission’s inquiry, but something changed as the Hogue Report states that transnational repression was determined to be outside of the Commission’s terms of reference.

A third criticism of the Hogue Report has to do with how it challenges the Right Honorable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assertion that the RCMP had evidence to suggest the killing of an ethnic Canadian was the result of a foreign government coordinating with organized criminal groups. That suggestion was made in the House of Commons, it was echoed to the media, and it was also mentioned during Stage 2. However, the Hogue Report states that “no definitive link to a foreign state could be proven”, nor was there any reference to organized criminal activities.

A fourth criticism of the Hogue Report is because it states that there were “a small number of isolated cases where foreign interference may have had some impact,”, but that the outcome of any of the elections was not swayed due to FI. And while that is entirely true, the Hogue Report seems to overlook testimony offered up by top CSIS officials that the issue of FI in electoral processes has been observed by CSIS for over 25 years, and that Canada has always been ill-equipped to address the issue.

My own criticism for the Foreign Interference Commission, which I feel has otherwise been stellar and delivered beyond what top officials had accounted for, stems from the belief that tech giants like Google, Meta, and X (formerly Twitter) should have been called to provide testimony on what they are doing to combat the misuse of their platforms. Much of the discussions regarding tech giants and their efforts to combat the misuse of their platforms made it seem as if they were either “wittingly or semi-wittingly” implicated in FI. From my interactions with some of those tech giants, every one of them was all-in on combating the misuse of their platforms.

An Op-ed by the Honourable Erin O’Toole

Former Conservative Party of Canada leader, the Honourable Erin O’Toole wrote an op-ed about how the most dangerous misconception about foreign interference in our democracy is the idea that it can be simplified into a discussion on traitors and treason – at least in this modern era. Additionally, Mr. O’Toole wrote how the Foreign Interference Commission was never about finding traitors or uncovering acts of treason, rather it was about examining the conduct of political leaders and their senior advisors over the past few years to determine if we were rising to meet this threat to our democracy. Additionally, Mr. O’Toole suggests that Canada has no meaningful enforcement against FI and no systemic way of tracking the financial ties of politicians to foreign entities, and that FI is only increasing.

What requires reflecting upon is that Mr. O’Toole decided against speaking on the issue of FI in the immediate aftermath of the election as not to undermine the integrity of our institutions. When he did address the matter some nine months after, it resulted in headlines and labels of being an “election denier”, “racist”, and more. The information landscape only changed after Canadians affected  by FI began to speak up after the intelligence leaks to the Globe and Mail happened. And this is what resulted in the creation of the Foreign Interference Commission. If it were not for that person(s) breaking the law by sharing confidential information, Mr. O’Toole may have been forced to carry the burden of those derogatory labels like “election denier” and “racist” despite not being either.

Aftermath of the Foreign Interference Commission

Seeing how the Foreign Interference Commission has concluded, there still exists an unexplored RCMP-angle that relates to testimony that was offered up by RCMP Commissioners Michael Duheme, Mark Flynn, and Brigitte Gauvin, about how none of them were personally aware of FI and that they learned about it from external sources. Such acknowledgments require exploring the RCMP’s approach to succession planning and whether the current process results in institutional knowledge erosion and organizational memory loss from those succession gaps.

What matters are things like the extent that new RCMP Commissioners get briefed on files related to the highest levels of national security, if at all. Whether there are limitations on what RCMP Commissioners are entitled to know, based on “need to know” scenarios. For instance, if former RCMP Commissioners William Elliot (2007-2011) or Bob Paulson (2011-2017) had been aware of FI, how does the RCMP account for knowledge attrition with the arrival of new RCMP Commissioners. Additionally, for an officer that moves up the rank and reaches the level of commissioner, what does the RCMP’s existing knowledge transfer mechanism look like if that officer has limited exposure to certain high-level investigations, that is, they are experienced dealing with transnational criminal files but not national security?

Having covered the entirety of the Foreign Interference Commission, my position regarding the FI is that a Canadian high school hacker in Ottawa came across FI activities back in the Fall of 2008. That high school hacker was me and my cyber activities related to FI is something I have been questioned about by persons in the policing and public safety ecosystem. And as it relates to my eight-page submission in response to the Foreign Interference Commission’s call for public feedback, my response focused on hacking policing stakeholders and organized criminal groups, but I did not mention hacking related to uncovering FI as a high schooler.

As such, I have reached out to the RCMP to inquire whether they could connect me with the three Commissioners, explaining how I wanted to explore the possibility that the “recently uncovered” FI was something that the RCMP may have been aware of pre-2010s, in at least Ottawa, and to cross-reference that with how the RCMP does “succession planning”. Depending on what that response looks like, it should make for a one-of-a-kind report. And while we wait to hear back from the RCMP, an earlier freedom-of-information request for access to a report on how the RCMP handles human sources that was submitted by the RCMP to NSIRA is going to take another 150 days before it is made available to us for review. So, until then, we wait.

In my experience, we humans view the world in two different categories: fellow humans, to be loved and interacted with; and tools, to be used to help us.  Sometimes the boundaries between these two categories can become blurred: humans can become tools, with horrific results; and, sometimes, tools can become humans, with equally bad consequences.  The catch is that tools are only humans in our minds; they are not humans in actuality.  This is becoming a problem with AI.  Because we’re so easily attached to things, and because AI is a relatively recent tool that we’re only just discovering, it’s becoming all to easy for us to forget sometimes that whatever is behind that screen, thinking up those things that it spits out in the chat box, isn’t real.  There isn’t a human back there, interacting with you and thinking about you.  It’s just all computer programming.

It’s all in the name: nothing Artificial can be truly Intelligent.  What AI does is take real human knowledge that it’s been programmed to retrieve and spit it back at us in reorganized ways.  In many ways, AI isn’t that much different from what we used to call “computer generated”, but now, suddenly with the new name of AI, it’s as though it’s become a completely new thing—and a thing with thoughts and emotions to boot.  I’m going to be blunt: just because a computer types out something before our eyes that ends with an exclamation mark and an emoji, that doesn’t make it a human that is enjoying “talking” with you.

We need to step back and listen to a word of warning.  We’ve all heard the doom-and-gloom predictions about AI taking over the world, but I don’t think that it can do that on its own.  What I do think could happen, would be that humans would let AI take over, because we’ve deluded ourselves into thinking that AI is a person.  It is not, and it can never feel love, sorrow, happiness, or any of the emotions that define us as people.  It can’t even make logical decisions: those are just programmed into it.  A computer doesn’t make decisions, rather, it retrieves information that humans have fed it.  AI can’t even be rightly called “it”: AI is just a system.

A friend of mine is a teacher at a private school and frequently has to deal with students who cheat by writing papers with AI.  Checking over these papers for signs of computer generation has become a time-consuming process for teachers like him, but I’ve been told that it can be even more difficult for students; ironically, it takes longer, so I’ve been told, to create and alter an AI essay than it does to handwrite one!  And I don’t think I need to add which of those two options actually uses a human brain.

So let’s take a moment to remind ourselves: tools are not humans.  You can care for them (though you shouldn’t), but ultimately, they will not care for you, because they are incapable of it.  Loveable Star Trek androids and Star Wars droids aside, machines just don’t work that way, and if we start loving and trusting computer programs, we will live to regret it.  Maybe AI will take over the world; but if it does, it will be our fault.

Just before Prime Minister Trudeau’s speech was set to begin, there was a targeted disinformation attack conducted through YouTube’s advertising services. More specifically, bad actors were targeting Minister Chrystia Freeland with AI-generated images of Minister Freeland in handcuffs, with ridiculous text stamped over those images and with real-looking logos at the bottom, including the CBC News logo. Then, clicking on the image would spoof an identical-looking website of the Toronto Star. These attack ads continued to persist for more than three weeks, expanding to include other political party leaders in Canada.

Looking into the YouTube attack ads only required a quick toggle for me to figure out how easy it was to exploit and weaponize digital advertising. Then tracking the disinformation attacks that were happening over X (formerly Twitter), X was taking down AI-generated disinformation attack posts that were being made by verified accounts, but bad actors had managed to identify a grey area loophole. Countless bot accounts were posting screenshots of those same posts (by verified accounts) that X had taken down, effectively reposting those images.

Both the attacks that were taking place over YouTube and X were disinformation attacks, but how many Canadians were likely to be aware of go-to strategies and capable of seeing the disinformation attacks for the garbage that they were? That question and others like it made it worth connecting with Google (owners of YouTube) as well as with the Canadian Security Establishment (CSE), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and even checking-in with those targeted by disinformation attack ads.

The Story Behind the Disinformation Ads

As it related to the disinformation attacks targeting Minister Chrystia Freeland, there were at least five different photos portraying Minister Freeland being taken away in handcuffs (in court and in public settings), with at least 6 different advertising accounts being manipulated to appear responsible for running these ads: “TravelTrekkify”, “LufaTech”, “BerinaTravel”, “GossipFad”, “TravelJetSets”, and even “CBC News” with their logo.

All the photos had messages that read, “Chrystia Freeland – Is this the end of her career? A scandal that shocked the entire Canadian nation.”, “The real reason behind Freeland’s resignation.”, “She didn’t notice that the camera was filming.”, “She thought it was safe to say what she thought.”, “The nation of Canada was surprised.”, and “Good news for Canadians.”. Specific to the fake “CBC News” ad, there was only a photo of Minister Freeland and no text in the image, but beneath the image was the CBC News logo and two lines reading, “The nation of Canada was surprised. The real reason behind Freeland’s resignation.”, and in the sponsored section beneath that ad, it showed “Sponsored · CBC News”. Then clicking the image would spoof an identical-looking website of the Toronto Star – it was scary how good it was.

One of the great things about Google ads, though, is that each ad features a transparency center that allows users to look over the advertising history for advertisers whose ads appear over Google’s different platforms. Clicking on the “My Ad Center” option for those AI-generated images, it only took two seconds to figure out the “how” behind the disinformation attack.

Clicking on the “My Ad Center” section, there was a disclaimer about how Google had “verified” the identity of the advertiser, “AirCruise B.V.” who was in “Netherlands”. Every single one of the disinformation attack ads targeting Minister Freeland that I clicked on went back to this company in the Netherlands. The only variation between them related to the “topic” category for the ad, “travel booking services”, “legal”, “clothing”, and “gardening”. Clicking on the option to “See more ads this advertiser has shown using Google” showed a bunch of fake looking ads about random things related to business, cartoons, fashion, traveling and nutrition, used to build up their “trust score”, with an occasional “surprise” every few hundred fake ads.

What came as the biggest surprise was the discovery of additional disinformation attack ads that targeted non-elected public figures like Wayne Gretzky, and even Brazilian public figures were targeted, with those ads reading in Portuguese. Those disinformation attack ads that targeted the likes of Wayne Gretzky as well as the ones that were done in less advanced countries seemed to be beta tests to determine how YouTube would respond, in preparation for the disinformation attack ads that would eventually take place during Canadian elections.

Google Leading the Fight Against Deepfake Technology

Google’s press office responded to my query about the disinformation attack ads targeting Minister Freeland by stating that those and other similar ads were removed and that they had suspended “AirCruise B.V.” Additionally, Google was looking deeper into this specific ad vulnerability, and it should be safe to assume that Canadians are not going to have to worry about disinformation attack ads through Google’s ad services for the upcoming election.

Google referenced their “misrepresentation policy” that prohibits the use of manipulated media to deceive, defraud or mislead users around issues related to politics, social issues, or matters of public concern, and ads that use a public figures likeness to deceive people are permanently suspended. Also prohibited are advertisers concealing or mistaking information about their business, product or service, nor is it permitted to imply affiliation with or endorsement by another individual, organization, product, or service without their consent.

Google detailed how they have been investing heavily into detection and enforcement programs to counter deep fakes ads through image recognition technology and having models to detect public figure depictions in videos. Google suggested they literally had a team of thousands working around the clock to create and enforce their policies at scale. The driving force behind nearly all the enforcement successes was Gemini (Google’s AI), which is how they were able to block billions of ads, many before a person ever sees them. Google also cited their recent “Ads Safety Report”, highlighting how Google has removed over 5.5 billion ads (slightly up from last year), restricted over 6.9 billion ads and suspended over 12.7 million advertiser accounts (double from last year).

In 2023, Google blocked or removed 206.5 million ads that violated their misrepresentation policy, 273.4 million advertisements for violating their financial services policy, and over 1 billion advertisements for violating their policy against abusing the ad network, including some that promoted malware. As it relates to elections, Google had verified more than 5,000 new election advertisers and removed more than 7.3 million election ads that came from advertisers who did not complete verification. Additionally, Google was the first tech company to launch a new disclosure requirement for election ads containing synthetic content to account for advertisers who may leverage the power and opportunity of AI, that such content was labelled and transparent. So, Google was all-in on ensuring that its services were not getting misused, especially for election interference purposes.

The CSE, Global Affairs Canada, and Those Targeted

Despite that the CSE has been involved in a national-wide advertising campaigns to raise awareness regarding multi-layered disinformation attacks and other scams, it is not responsible for monitoring Canadian social media for online disinformation as it is not a part of their mandate. Rather, the CSE Act prohibits the CSE from directing its activities at Canadians or at anyone in Canada, and those responding reported that it was focused on monitoring global trends and drawing attention to emerging cyber threats. However, I believe that those prohibitions are likely to change seeing how the Foreign Interference Commission has suggested Canada needs to actively monitor all sources of open-source information (OSINT) for disinformation, which is occurring year-round.

As it related to the “screen capture” loophole over X, that disinformation attack-style was shared with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and it seemed to be one that was not on anyone’s radar. Additionally, GAC confirmed that they would be interested in providing more insight into their Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) which works to counter foreign interference – for an upcoming issue.

The Toronto Star responded by stating that it knew bad actors were spoofing their websites, but it had been going on over the past year or so, and that other mainstream outlets like the CBC and Globe were also affected, but these media outlets were powerless to do anything about it. The CBC responded by stating it was aware of an increase in spoofs targeting the CBC and CBC-employees over social media platforms and websites, and that they are working to curb this alarming trend to remove the disinformation ads.

Beta-Testing Disinformation

What if the first round of AI-generated “get rich quick” video ads over YouTube that featured AI-generated versions of Canadian media personalities were meant to serve as beta-tests for bad actors to conduct disinformation attacks during elections, aka foreign interference? What if there are similar beta tests being conducted at this moment in less advanced countries that are out of sight for GAC’s RRM, and unlikely to be on anyone’s radar?

The end-goal of all these disinformation YouTube ads may simply be to get a vulnerable person to click on the ad and then to get them to share their personal information, but it is certain to be a go-to strategy to undermine the upcoming provincial and federal elections. And maybe the dis/misinformation attacks that should scare Canadians the most are the ones occurring over X, the resharing of AI-generated photos (dis/misinformation) of posts that X takes down, in the form of screenshots.

If AI Can Create Problems, then AI Can Solve Problems.

A techie friend of mine who works for Shopify once explained how all major tech companies have adopted anti-crime and anti-fraud methodologies that make it practically impossible for criminals to exploit digital services and platforms. None of the methodologies came as a surprise, but what shocked me was a stat he referenced about how nearly every cyber exploitation could be traced back to someone on the “inside”.

For example, Shopify assigns specific code teams to work on specific “links” in the “chain” and no team is aware of the “full chain”, to reduce the likelihood of exploitations. So, when Shopify experienced a “breach” many years ago, the combination of their AI-powered systems and their forensic teams saw everything fixed before a person could blink. Within seconds, the “breach” was patched. Within minutes, the “red alert” reached those who needed to know. Within the hour, there was a list of coders that had worked on the “link”. Within the day, key information was shared with police about the digital footprints of everything.

All the big tech giants have long been involved in the war on cybercrime by leveraging AI-powered tools and cyber forensic teams to prevent the exploitation and misuse of their digital services and platforms, and all will cooperate with policing stakeholders regarding all criminal matters. Despite that most Canadians are unlikely to be aware of those successes, or how they are made possible, these efforts have proven to be extremely successful at helping police stay ahead of criminals that attempt to exploit technology for criminal purposes.

One example of AI-powered benevolence can be seen with how all the major gaming consoles leverage AI to monitor the conversations (text and voice) that take place in online gaming settings between “gamers”. That AI-powered monitoring system was able to help identify a terror attack in the making, and police were able to get ahead and eliminate the threat to public safety.

Another example of AI-powered benevolence can be seen with how all the major cloud storage services leverage AI to scan every photo and video that gets uploaded to the cloud and they can identify files associated with crimes like human trafficking, drug and weapon trafficking, and major violence. That AI-powered monitoring system was also able to identify accounts that uploaded photos and videos of child pornography, and police were able to bust a large pedophile ring.

What should matter most when it comes to today’s AI should be that today’s AI is the dumbest version of AI that will ever exist, still more capable than humans. Eventually, we will get to a point where AI is so sophisticated that it will be impossible to misuse digital services and platforms, making for a much safer world. In the meantime, for upcoming elections across Canada, and the world for that matter, the good guys have two less disinformation attack-styles to worry about. As for hostile state actors, The Voice Magazine might just be behind the “bat symbol” in the sky.

The Voice Magazine

On a personal note, Hailey grew up in a small town in the interior of BC, where her life was split between her grandparents, her dad, and, when she wasn’t working in the Lower Mainland, her mom.”

She continued, “I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, learning from their experiences and ways of life. When my mom was home, our time together was cherished, but I understood the sacrifice her job called for in order to ensure a roof over mine and my brother’s heads. After moving to Surrey to be with my mom at 16 years old I learned the many lessons needed to become a responsible adult. Now, at 19, I live with my boyfriend, who also attends Athabasca University. Our life here feels like a blend of new adventures and familiar comforts.”

Hailey let us know a bit more about her educational journey. Post-graduation, “while my exact plans after graduation aren’t set in stone, I know I want to work with youth.”  She continued, “My goal is to give the kind of help and support I wish I had gotten during difficult times. Whether through counseling or mentorship, I strive to make a positive impact on young lives, helping them navigate challenges and develop the tools to thrive emotionally and mentally.”

She had some great study advice for fellow students. “What helps me stay on track while studying is writing down my study plans and making sure to include breaks for stress relief and mental health. Having a clear plan keeps me organized, and taking regular breaks helps me recharge my battery, making it easier to stay focused.”

She also had some insight for new learners. “For new students, I recommend making a study plan with clear goals and deadlines. This helps you stay on track and avoid rushing at the last minute. Take regular breaks to take care of your mental health and avoid burnout. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from teachers or friends when you need it. Having support is crucial. Lastly, be patient with yourself. Learning takes time, and it’s okay not to have everything figured out right away. Focus on growing, and let your interests guide the way.”

When she is not studying, Hailey enjoys journaling, noting it helps her “reflect on my thoughts throughout each day, as well as reading in order to temporarily escape the stresses of the real world.”  She explained, “I love spending time outdoors, whether it’s going for walks or exploring nature. Having fun with my friends, boyfriend, and my dog is something I value, as it brings joy and balance to my life. These activities help me stay connected and recharge outside of my studies.”

She also enjoys reading, letting us know that the author H.D. Carlton has made an impact on her life. “Her books are both dark and deeply emotional, with a unique blend of romance, suspense, and personal growth. The complex characters she creates, specifically their struggles and vulnerabilities, made me think about how love isn’t always easy or perfect, it’s often messy and challenging. Carlton’s storytelling changed the way I view relationships, showing that love can be powerful and transformative, even when it involves pain and healing. Her work has made me appreciate the depth of real, raw connections between people.”

The Voice Magazine asked who in her life had the biggest impact on her desire to learn, and Hailey credited her mother. “She works as a paramedic, which means she has to keep learning all the time in order to help people. Watching her juggle her tough job while still caring for others showed me how important learning is. She always told me to ask questions, be curious, and keep improving myself. Her example made me realize that learning is something you can always do to make a difference, and that has stuck with me.”  Best of luck, Hailey!

At times, in an online learning environment, it can feel like you are all alone, but across the nation and around the globe, students just like you are also pursuing their Athabasca University (AU) studies!  Each week, The Voice Magazine will be bringing you some of these stories. If you would like to be featured next, do not hesitate to get in touch!

“One colleague, as I introduced myself to a new Registry employee who asked “and what do you do here?” interrupted to say “you don’t ask Alvin Finkel what he does at Athabasca University. Alvin Finkel IS Athabasca University.”

He then began to detail key points of his career at AU. He was the first historian hired by Athabasca University, the eleventh professor overall, and he developed many of the history department’s offered courses, many of which are still taught to this day. Throughout his career, Dr. Finkel was afforded opportunities to co-author and author textbooks, where he found great success. Dr. Finkel estimates to have sold 150,000 copies of his textbooks.

When asked to describe himself in the context of his career, Dr. Finkel said “Activist Scholar”, noting that his work has been more focused on the ordinary peoples, not the “big cheese guys” and has always been politically involved to an extent as a result. In this interview, when asked how to refer to him, he said “just call me Alvin.”

Living History: Alvin Finkel’s Early Life and Influences

Raised in an immigrant family in Manitoba, Alvin’s parents and grandparents fled Eastern Europe from areas which were once parts of Poland and Russia, now within Ukraine’s modern borders, to escape the Holocaust. Alvin added that the communities that his family came from had all perished at the hands of Nazis, including his father’s whole village and the Jewish community within the city his mother was born in.

Poverty was a major influence on Alvin’s childhood.  Although the war ended, religious discrimination against Jews didn’t. Alvin’s father struggled greatly to break into fields paying good wages due to religious discrimination (something Alvin noted, that Catholics within Winnipeg also faced at the time). However, after a union was formed, Alvin’s father began making a fair wage and his family’s quality of life improved vastly.  Alvin explained that the living history of his family was what got him started on his path as a historian.

300,000 Years In The Making: Alvin Finkel’s Latest Work

Adages such as “knowledge is sacred” and “those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it” often overlook the many barriers to learning that the average person faces, such as jargon needlessly complicating academic literature (amongst others). In Alvin’s latest publication, Humans: The 300,000 Struggle for Equality, he took care to create “jargon-free scholarly material”—similar to a textbook, but much easier to understand. When asked about the ideal reader, he replied that his ideal reader is a person with some education and would like to have a big picture of where humanity came from and where we can go.

A worth-while effort, both contributing to the sum of human knowledge and also garnering acclaim, Dr. Finkel’s novel has been very well-received: it was named one of Indigo’s 2024 Best Books of the Year, despite being released in mid-September. Touted as an exploration of global history within a positive lens, many readers, myself included, view Humans: The 300,000 Struggle for Equality as a refreshing breath of positivity in a turbulent economic and geopolitical climate.

Humans: The 300,000 Struggle for Equality is available for purchase online and in-person at Indigo-brand bookstores throughout Canada, many Edmonton-area independent bookstores. It can also be purchased on Amazon as an e-book or physical copy.

Dr. Alvin Finkel will be speaking about his life experiences and his novel in further detail with the AUSU Speak Series on January 21st from 5pm to 7pm MST.

The Voice Magazine recently had a chance to chat with Octavio Gouveia, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology student, currently living in Toronto, Ontario.  He stated, “I acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional lands of the Indigenous peoples of this area.”

On a personal note, Octavio is “a Brazilian-Canadian living in Toronto.”  He continued, “Although I have studied psychology and early childhood education in the past, I decided to pursue psychology in Canada to stay updated and to experience education at a Canadian university.”

He has some big plans post-graduation.  “After I complete my studies, I plan to apply my knowledge to support others, especially those with unique challenges like myself.”

Octavio had some great study tips for fellow AU learners.  “I study best in a structured environment with minimal distractions.  Setting specific goals keeps me motivated, and I often break my study sessions into manageable chunks.  I also find that using visual aids helps me absorb information better.”

He also had some good advice for new students and/or prospective students.  “Embrace your uniqueness, and don’t be afraid to advocate for your needs.  I wish I had known earlier that it’s okay to ask for accommodations.  Your differences can be a strength, so use them to your advantage.”

When he is not studying, he enjoys “watching TV shows and movies, reading, and having fun with [his] kids.”  He continued, “These activities help me relax and connect with my family.”

Octavio also enjoys reading, sharing several books that have made an impact on his life.  “One author who has significantly impacted my life is Brené Brown, mainly through her book Daring Greatly.  In this book, she explores the concepts of vulnerability and courage, emphasizing that embracing our imperfections is essential for living a fulfilling life.  Her insights helped me understand the importance of authenticity and connection, especially as someone navigating challenges related to my identity and experiences.”

He continued, “Additionally, Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking influenced my decision-making perspective.  Gladwell’s exploration of intuitive judgments and our quick assessments have helped me appreciate the complexity of human behaviour.  It encourages me to trust my instincts while being aware of how these snap judgments can impact my interactions with others.  These authors have provided me with valuable tools to navigate my personal and academic journey.”

As for the one person who has had the greatest influence on his desire to learn?  “I draw inspiration primarily from myself and my determination to overcome challenges.  As someone who navigates life with AuDHD, I have faced misunderstandings related to my condition.  Each challenge motivates me to prove that nothing can stand in the way of my success.”

And his experience with online learning so far?  “My experience with online learning has been quite positive.  I appreciate its flexibility, but I sometimes miss the interpersonal interactions in a physical classroom.  However, I find that online resources can be invaluable and accessible.”

The Voice Magazine also asked Octavio what his first project would be if he were the new president of AU.  He stated, “I would prioritize initiatives that enhance support for neurodiverse students and those from the LGBTQIA+ community, ensuring that resources are available to help everyone succeed.”

We also asked which famous person, past or present, he would like to have lunch with, and why, and he chose singer Michael Jackson.  “I would enjoy discussing how his experiences can relate to resilience and overcoming challenges,” he explained.

As for his most memorable lesson learned in life?  “My most valuable lesson is that resilience is key to overcoming obstacles.”  And his proudest moment?  “My proudest moment was successfully navigating a challenging situation that allowed me to advocate for myself and others with similar experiences.”

On a final note, Octavio added, “I am proud of my identity as an autistic person with ADHD and as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.  My experiences have shaped who I am and drive my commitment to helping others who face similar challenges.”  Best of luck, Octavio!

At times, in an online learning environment, it can feel like you are all alone, but across the nation and around the globe, students just like you are also pursuing their Athabasca University (AU) studies!  Each week, The Voice Magazine will be bringing you some of these stories.  If you would like to be featured next, do not hesitate to get in touch!

The Voice Magazine recently had a chance to chat with Christine Sabourin (she/her), a 35-year old Bachelor of Arts in Psychology student from Cornwall, Ontario—“with roots from an even smaller township of Monkland, Ontario,” (where she spent her “formative years”).

She added, “I acknowledge and am grateful to live, learn, play, and work on the traditional territory of the Audenosaunee, Mohawk, Haudenosaunee, and Huron-Wendat.  This Territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties.”

Christine also mentioned, “I am passionate about being part of a diverse society where everyone can belong and have the right to exist.  I am an artist who likes to explore new ways to create, an avid P!nk fan, a skateboard enthusiast, and a nature/animal lover.  Psychology has been a fascination for me from a young age and I am proud to be further pursuing this interest at the academic level.”

As for her future plans?  “My plans are currently undetermined.  My greatest desire is to make a difference in this world and make the world a better place.  I would love to infuse my skills and knowledge in youth, the world of skateboarding, and those who feel unseen and unheard.  To let them know they have a place and belong,” she explained.

She also had some study tips for fellow AU students.  “My study habits vary.  At times I need absolute silence and other times I need noise.  I have been learning to pace myself, which has been an asset.  I enjoy being by the river or our local conservation area when the weather permits.  I set out goals as to what I want to accomplish or what needs to be completed.  I highlight the text in color-coded format during my readings to categorize the information.  I also make notes/or transcribe the applicable highlighted sections as much as possible, sometimes I fall short in this practice.  When I receive a good grade that helps to keep me motivated.  Seeing the work payoff is rewarding.  Sometimes I use external rewards, whether it is a treat, a trip to a skatepark, or if I reach this grade I can purchase a particular big ticket item.”

In addition, she had some great advice for new and/or prospective students.  “The advice I would give new students/or prospective students is time management skills are everything.  The process of learning can be taxing but it also can be enjoyed.  Investing in the joys of learning will help relieve some pressures.  I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with your learning style and using strategies that support the way you learn.  If pacing helps, pace on.  Try new methods of learning if you are not seeing the desired results, or tweak existing ones.  Ask for help, this is a hard one.  I struggle with this all the time, but anytime I have it has been beneficial.”

When this busy student is not studying, she is creating art “and going to events where [she] displays and sells [her] work through [her] small business Meraxic Creations.”  She continued, “I mostly work with mixed media, pyrography, and upcycled skateboarding products.  I love to create and do not limit myself to these mediums, the sky is the limit.  I enjoy being in nature, skateboarding, puzzles, and listening to music/going to concerts.”

As for her experience with online learning so far?  “The experience so far has been good.  It is challenging for me as I am more of an auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learner.  My most challenging aspect is the freedom to chip away at the course, mostly I love it as I can make it work with life obligations and work.  However, the inner procrastinator battles to delay the course progression.  Being no due dates, or professors in a class to guide, set and remind you of the expectations or due dates can be tough.  The accountability of course completion is fully on the student.  On the bright side, I see how this develops greater autonomy and character, which I am grateful for.”

Her most memorable AU course so far has been SOCI 301: Social Statistics.  “Being a person who does not enjoy math and requiring a math credit, my thought was let’s get this credit out of the way.  Looking through the options I figured okay, these other courses would probably be easier but this one, SOCI 301, would serve me best, not knowing what I was getting myself into.  I proceeded with enrollment and fees.  I then had a session with one of our guidance counselors, informing them of this they asked me why I would start my university career with the hardest course.  They kindly let me know that I could withdraw and suggested that I do so and start with an easier course to ease me in and get the feel.  I investigated this option as I realized the mistake I had made.  As I paid with a credit card there was a large amount that was not refundable.  For me, this was too much of a loss to bear, and thought I would have to grind it out.  I began the course and soon was like oh no what have I done at this point I was fully invested and there was no turning back.  I surprised myself, fully immersing myself in ensuring that I get through this with the hopes of never needing to do math again; I utilized the tutor service before submitting my assignments and further worked on them before submitting them, and one by one, they came back with 100%.  I could not believe it.  With the tests, I finished the course with an A.  Although the process was challenging, I got through.  It was an amazing boost in confidence, and I am still in awe of this experience.  It reinforces the saying, ‘We can do hard things.’”

Christine also had positive things to say about communication with her course tutors.  “Communication with tutors has been great thus far.  They have been responsive and helpful, they will provide their guidelines in what they are able and not able to assist with and provide resources to gain assistance with what they are unable to do as it conflicts with objectivity in grading.  For example, the use of Write Site in an English course.”

The Voice Magazine asked Christine what her first project would be if she were the new president of AU and she mentioned that she “would develop a Skateboarding Program.”  She explained, “With the sport reaching new heights and being inducted into the Olympics we can start new trends, new mindsets, and take the field by storm.  To build an elite program propelling talented skaters into the professional world would be groundbreaking.  To see skate teams competing like other sports at the post-secondary level would be revolutionary, while motivating a demographic that is often overlooked or cast aside.  I would also implement a research aspect diving into the benefits and effects this activity has on mental health, from the lens of community, personal development, and growth.”

We also asked which famous person, past or present, she would like to have lunch with, and why and she chose singer P!nk.  “I am a die-hard fan and have idolized P!nk since I was about 9 years old when she first came out.  I have been fortunate to experience her live in various venues over the years.  She is an inspiration, an anchor, a do-er, with vocals like no other; a true bad-ass.  There are so many conversations I would like to have with her and the opportunity to express my gratitude for the impact she made in my life.”

As a final note, we asked Christine about her most valuable lesson learned in life.  She stated, “The most valuable lesson I have learned in life thus far is that others will project their insecurities, limitations, and negativity onto you as though it’s about you, when in reality it’s about them.  It’s about their self-limiting beliefs, their incapacity to want to see you do better than them, and their excuses as to why it cannot be done to keep you small or to disempower you.  With the right people and support it is amazing what one can accomplish, don’t give up and keep working towards accomplishing your dreams.”

And her proudest moment?  “My proudest moment in my life would probably be August 21, 2010 when I was able to have my picture taken with P!nk.  I had spent five hours in the pouring rain in Niagara Falls, as she walked by me entering the event I asked if I could get a picture where she replied, ‘Ya, for sure,’ came back, and put her arm around me.  As I was trying to give my point-and-shoot camera to someone as I was there alone, she said, ‘Here I can do it, I am really good at this’ without hesitation I gave her my camera and is she ever good at it, I have the greatest picture and memory a fan could ask for!”  Best of luck, Christine!

At times, in an online learning environment, it can feel like you are all alone, but across the nation and around the globe, students just like you are also pursuing their Athabasca University (AU) studies!  Each week, The Voice Magazine will be bringing you some of these stories.  If you would like to be featured next, do not hesitate to get in touch!

One of the primary mainstays of The Voice Magazine has always been our student interviews.  Being able to provide a connection to other students is invaluable when you’re taking education at a distance, because it can feel so alone.  This particular Minds We Meet, from April 19th, was reader recommended and is great because Christine goes into depth and really gives us a sense of who she is and what she’s about.  Knowing that this person is a fellow AU student can serve as inspiration for the rest of us, so I’m happy to include it as part of the Best Of.

2024-2029 AU Strategic Plan Discussion

Athabasca University (AU) ‘s current five-year strategic plan highlights three core values: access, opportunity, and community, with a slogan of “a university like no other”.  However, the student council revealed a wide range of perspectives with mixed feelings on the plan.

Vice-President Community and Wellness (VPCW) Olivia Shepherd questioned the tangible impact of slogans like “access like no other” in light of current challenges, such as high tuition fees and inadequate resources for community-building.  “We’re paying an insane amount of money to teach ourselves through a textbook,” she said, emphasizing the disconnect between the university’s claims of accessibility and students’ lived experiences.

Councillor Faustina Arsenault describes the strategic plan as an “ad” meant to persuade rather than deliver real change, highlighting systemic issues like delays in accommodations and limited institutional support.  She emphasizes “Just because you can do it at 24/7 anytime of the day.  It doesn’t mean you’re accessible.  I’m sorry.”

Vice-President Finance and Administration (VPFA) Diana Ramirez echoed VPCW Olivia Shepherd’s frustration, describing her own struggles navigating AU’s online education.  However, she mentioned she had met the president of AU in person.  “He really cares about students.  His vision really shows in this strategic plan,” Diana said.

Councillor and Indigenous Circle Voice Neenah Brown expressed profound disappointment in the strategic plan.  She questioned its authenticity, describing it as overly “wordy” and she said, “I’ve yet to see any action”, calling for concrete measures to support Indigenous students.  VPCW Olivia Shepherd also pointed out that “the Cree language courses have been closed for four years with no sign of them reopening” and inadequate awareness of existing ethical and cultural space.  These shortcomings, she argued, undermine AU’s commitment to indigenization and inclusivity.

Throughout the discussion, student leaders repeatedly called for greater accountability and transparency from AU’s administration.  Vice-President External (VPEX) Chimaraoke Akuchie stated, “Each year, we get a strategic plan, but there’s no way to track what’s been implemented”.  Both VPCW Olivia Shepherd and VPEX Chimaraoke Akuchie proposed setting up meetings with senior leadership to demand timelines and measurable outcomes for the strategic plan’s initiatives.

Despite the critiques, President Jan Lehmann ended this discussion with a positive acknowledgement.  “The spirit is there!” she said, she endorsed the administration’s efforts to invest in financial aid and technological improvements.  She called on the council to remain optimistic and support the university’s efforts, even as they continue to advocate for meaningful changes.

AUSU Financial Support

President Jan Lehmann highlighted the launch of the President’s Task Force on Financial Support for Students, which aims to improve AU’s accessibility and responsiveness to financial support.

The task force’s objectives include:

• Developing short-, mid-, and long-term recommendations to address financial challenges.
• Prioritizing equity, diversity, and inclusion in financial support processes.
• Producing a concise report within one month, including actionable recommendations for immediate and strategic improvements.

AUSU Tuition Advocacy

VPEX Chimaraoke Akuchie provided a detailed update on ongoing external engagements and advocacy efforts.  His report touched on workshops and preparations for the upcoming Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) Advocacy Week, discussions with educational stakeholders, and consultations with students regarding a proposed tuition increase.  VPEX Chimaraoke Akuchie expressed concerns over the proposed 2% tuition hike, emphasizing the lack of consideration for the student perspective in decision-making.

VPCW Olivia Shepherd clarified that the tuition increase proposal has not yet been formally adopted and still requires approval from the Board of Governors.  She encouraged continued advocacy, noting that the rationale provided for the increase—primarily cost recovery due to declining enrollment—places undue burden on students.  Olivia stressed the importance of pushing AU to find alternative budget solutions instead of relying on tuition hikes.

VPFA Ramirez added that inflation and salary adjustments were cited as justifications for the proposal.  She also voiced concerns about the overworked tutors and the impact this has on student support and academic relationships, and then reaffirmed AUSU’s commitment to attending upcoming meetings to advocate on behalf of students and support overburdened tutors.

VPEX Akuchie reiterated the importance of amplifying student voices, even as the likelihood of immediate change remains uncertain.  “We’ll keep on advocating and see if, one way or another, students can be heard,” VPEX Akuchie concluded.

AUSU Event & Project Highlight

VPCW Olivia Shepherd highlighted the success of a recent AUSU speaker series featuring AU’s English professor Dr. Paul Huebener, who shared insights from his recently published book.  “I don’t think there was a single person who attended who didn’t get involved in the conversation,” she noted.

VPCW Olivia Shepherd also shared progress on the Wellness Passport, a project under the Member Engagement and Communications Committee.  After overcoming design hurdles, she confirmed the initiative is nearing completion and will be ready for discussion in upcoming meetings.

Approval of Committee Appointments

The motions to appoint Annette Karien as a voting member of the awards committee and reinstate Neenah Brown as a voting member of the EDI and Finance Committees were presented and unanimously passed without discussion.

The updated Award, EDI, and Finance committee members are:

Awards Committee

Committee Chair:

• Diana Ramirez (AUSU Vice President of Finance and Administration)

Voting Members:

• Annette Karien (AUSU Councillor)
• Faustina Arsenault (AUSU Councillor)
• Melanie Rousseau (AUSU Councillor)
• Tammy Monro (AUSU Councillor)

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Committee Chair:

• Olivia Shepherd(AUSU Vice President of Community and Wellness)

Voting Members:

• Aiza Nazarmatova (AUSU Councillor)
• Annette Karien (AUSU Councillor)
• Chimaraoke Akuchie (AUSU Councillor)
• Faustina Arsenault (AUSU Councillor)
• Kari Thompson (AUSU Councillor)
• Neenah Brown (AUSU Councillor and Indigenous Circle Voice)
• Amanda Leeman (Member-at-Large)
• Amol Hirole (Member-at-Large)

Finance Committee

Committee Chair:

• Diana Ramirez (AUSU Vice President of Finance and Administration)

Voting Members:

• Annette Karien (AUSU Councillor)
• Kari Thompson (AUSU Councillor)
• Tammy Monro (AUSU Councillor)
• Neenah Brown (AUSU Councillor and Indigenous Circle Voice)
• Halen Deng (Member-at-Large)
• Nimmi Mathew (Member-at-Large)

The meeting was adjourned at 6:53 PM and the next meeting of AUSU Council will be on December 19, 2024.  If you are interested in attending the AUSU Council meeting on Zoom, or if you have any questions about the AUSU Council meeting, contact governance@ausu.org.

Imagine a scenario where a former female police officer goes public about being the victim of sexual abuse after policing and administrative powers were weaponized against her after she reported the sexual abuse to HR.  Imagine finding out that the “psychologist” who she had meetings with at the medical clinic on the University of Ottawa campus was impersonated by someone who was familiar with her employee work file.  Imagine the actual psychologist being so upset that he agrees to go on television to do an interview where he stands side-by-side with the former female police officer and goes on record to stay that he did not have any meetings with her, that he did not recognize any of the documentation, and that someone had impersonated him.  Imagine police being called in to criminally charge that psychologist for going on the record and stating that he did not have any meetings with the former female police officer, then those charges get dropped without explanation after the psychologist admitted he did meet with her but had forgotten.  A shitshow that happened in Ottawa and requires no imagination.  It is lawfare against a respected psychologist who has a long history of working with policing and public safety stakeholders and across different levels of government.

There’s also the scenario where Canadians, upset about ongoing wars around the world and the tragedies that result from them, decided  to go and protest.  A Canadian female youth was arrested and charged for protesting war and the unlawful arrests of other anti-war protestors, even though nobody was harmed and nothing was damaged. Crown prosecutors explained that she was arrested because she disturbed a community member’s cat and dog, and made them feel unsafe, after she spoke over a speakerphone.  Of course, the judge declared that the “disturbing the cat” argument would not be accepted in their court, but still decided to impose anti-democratic “release conditions” on her, banning her from communicating with the other protestors who were arrested, from using social media related to the Middle East conflict and from participating in protests related to those matters, even though she had no prior criminal history. Around the same time, another woman who was counter-protesting and decided to rip off a Muslim Canadian woman’s hijab and saw the charges of assault, mischief, and harassment simply dropped. These are more recent shitshows that happened in Ottawa and also require no imagination.

As someone who also has first-hand experience with having policing and administrative powers weaponized against them, lawfare is nothing new and its origins are rooted in colonialism.  For me, lawfare was the result of ruining a high-level undercover police operation related to illegal online gambling activities (one that I also hacked in my late teens), after police failed to contain it and members of the Serbian- and Bosnian-Canadian community were harmed, including minors.  This was after an RCMP officer refused to get involved and suggested that the staff at the restaurant find a friend to assist them (which is how I got involved), and also after I escalated the matter all the way to the highest levels of federal government and oversight.  And it occurred after Ontario Civilian Policing Commission concluded their review of my complaint that they advised me was closed a year prior, and while I was interviewing for a role within the RCMP.  What is it about shitshows and Ottawa?

Thanks to my educational background and expertise, I was able to counter the lawfare abuses directed at me by a handful of street-level police officers and some more senior officers.  Then I also managed to save, arguably, one of the most popular Canadians from domestic interference/manipulation attempts, whom policing and public safety stakeholders failed.  Then I identified the exact public policies and legislative failings, the core of the “carding” issue, that enabled bad actors to weaponize the same powers they get entrusted with.  All of this was before the Ministry of the Solicitor General chose to embrace ignorance and cover for the lawfare directed against me, at the municipal level, and to de-democratize the Freedom of Information process by refusing to share what the Ontario Police College teaches police recruits to do when they get police reports wrong.  Because Serbian- and Bosnian-Canadian lives (especially minors) do not seem to matter, just like how Canadians across other lines of difference have been shown how their lives do not matter.  Not a shitshow, per se, but a democratic failing more akin to totalitarianism, certainly not part of Canada that gets advertised to people from around the world.

My experience with lawfare and a review of the public policy and legislative failings that allow the weaponizing of police powers is an article that is in the works, and it will provide more context around the systemic problem.  A far more relevant matter, however, is how lawfare is rooted in Colonialism and how today’s “democratic institutions” are having their institutional powers weaponized to go after the civil liberties and to criminalize Canadians who refuse to remain prisoners of conscious.

Lawfare in Canada: The Colonial Era, The Post-Confederation Era, and Today’s Era.

Lawfare is not exclusive to Canada, nor do our institutions rank as the biggest perpetrators of lawfare, but many Canadians may tend to believe that lawfare no longer exists.  If it does occur, then there may be the belief that we have the necessary checks and balances in places to catch these abuses and correct them.  But this would be terrible thinking because there are countless examples of recent lawfare, and many more when we look back at Canada’s history.

During the Colonial era, lawfare came in the form of a “treaty or bullet” offer, where the legal frameworks were the primary, almost singular,  tool used to delegitimate Indigenous populations. Such treaties were written using one-way language that favoured the colonizing settlers with forfeitures forced upon Indigenous tribes.  One example is the Indian Act of 1876, legislation that was written for the purposes of granting administrative powers to control and delegitimatize Indigenous communities by taking control over the “Indigenous Identity”, by restricting autonomy, seizing land, and attempting to destroy cultures and identities.

During the Post-Confederation era, lawfare expanded and resulted in major disputes between provincial and federal governments over access and control over resources.  Lawfare continued to be leveraged against Indigenous communities, Canada’s most marginalized population, by arresting and jailing members of Indigenous tribes who protested resource extracting activities on their traditional lands because of the destruction of those lands that they relied upon for food and water.  And there are countless other instances of lawfare being leveraged to criminalize and incarcerate other marginalized populations including Black Canadians.

The current era of lawfare abuses has seen a variety of ways that policing and administrative powers are weaponized, especially against protesting Canadians.  COVID-19 normalized lawfare.  People were forced to pay ridiculous fines for breaking protocols nobody would follow today.  Livelihoods were lost.  Businesses destroyed.  Families broken up over differing positions related to COVID-19.  In Quebec, the Supreme Court declined to hear a legal challenge related to the large-scale refunding of COVID-19 fines and ordered that such cases must be pursued separately.  Whereas in Manitoba, a significant number of COVID-19 fines remain unpaid, but there is no initiative to refund those who paid their fines.

Considering how the media landscape has changed, how the new norm steps away from hard thinking directed at uncomfortable truths and centers around the summarizing press releases, lawfare is unlikely to disappear any time soon.  What is evident is that civil rights and liberties are no longer guaranteed (maybe they never were), and a reminder that the institutional powers behind lawfare are vast and unchallengeable.

Criminally Charged for Upsetting Cats and Dogs During an Anti-war Protest.

A Canadian female youth was criminally charged for upsetting cats and dogs during an anti-war protest, though nobody was hurt and no property was damaged.  Go back to the start of the paragraph and reread that sentence once more.  That Canadian female youth, ethnically Arab, was arrested and criminally charged for protesting, like how many dictatorships and totalitarian regimes operate—but we are in Canada, and not somewhere on the other side of the world.  Then the court came up with some bullshit “release conditions” like she was some sort of militant hardliner. Countless Arab-Canadians have come to Canada fleeing oppression and war, over the past 157 years of Canada’s existence, but could they have ever imagined that the same abuses of authority would victimize their children for being anti-war? Probably not, because that is not the Canada that we advertise to the rest of the world when we say things like, “this is a place where people across all lines of difference would be proud to call home”.

To be clear, this young woman did not assault anyone, break anything, or make threats against anyone.  What happened to her was an egregious attempt to suppress Arab-Canadian voices from organizing anti-war protests, perhaps at the behest of elected officials pressuring policing agencies to do something.  Not a first, and unlikely to be a last, but it is very similar to how the U.S.  government responded to anti-war protestors who protested the Vietnam wars in the 1970s.

As it stands, “Legacy Media” has not mentioned the full details of the charges that she is facing.  They did not mention how the Crown prosecutor told the judge that the female youth had upset cats and dogs and how the judge responded by telling the prosecutor to drop the “disturbing cats” part of their argument.  What they do display is not the violation of any laws by anti-war protestors, but an attempt to remind society how vast and unchallengeable institutional powers can be, reverting to the lawfare tactics from the Colonial Era of Canada.

Personally, I hope that the Canadian female youth chooses to violate her release conditions by messaging and checking-in on the other protestors who were “criminally charged”, by continuing to make anti-war posts over social media, or by attending a future anti-war protest and borrowing a speakerphone to say whatever she wants to say.  Because then Canada will have seen an innocent female youth get jailed for protesting peacefully, and violating conditions that should not have been present in the first place.

One relevant campaign video that has been making rounds over social platforms references a famous quote by Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1841-1919), an attempt to describe Canada, “Canada is free, and freedom is our nationality.” That saying may still hold true for some Canadians, but it is a giant question mark when it comes to being ethnically Arab or religiously Muslim in Canada.  Because the precedent that has been set is that counter-protesting adults can take actions that strip Muslim Canadian women of their dignity, like ripping their hijabs off, and have their charges dropped, while Arab-Canadian female youths will get criminally charged for peacefully protesting ongoing wars when they manage to upset cats and dogs.