CIA activities in Canada

It has been traditionally believed that any U.S. Central Intelligence Agency activity in Canada would be undertaken with the "general consent" of the Canadian government, and through the 1950s information was freely given to the CIA in return for information from the United States.[1][2] However, traditionally Canada has refused to voice any anger even when it was clear that the CIA was operating without authorisation.[3]

Proponents have noted that Canada was vital to CIA operations as it "physically occupied the territory between the United States and the Soviet Union.[4] However, on May 28, 1975 Solicitor General Warren Allmand directed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to begin investigating the levels of CIA involvement in Canadian affairs.[5]

Canada continues to cooperate with the CIA today, allowing ghost planes to land and refuel in Canada, en route to delivering prisoners to suspected CIA black sites.[6] The Canadian counterpart of the CIA is the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and its agency heavily cooperates with the CIA.

  1. ^ Vienneau, David. Toronto Star, "No secrets hidden from CIA in 1950s, former official says", April 14, 1986
  2. ^ Canadian Institute of International Affairs, "International Journal, 1972"
  3. ^ Sawatsky, John. "Men in the Shadows: The RCMP Security Service", 1980. p. 5
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference mount was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Buncher, Judith F. "The CIA and the Security Debate", 1976
  6. ^ "Declassified memos show 74 CIA air landings in Canada". USA TODAY. 23 February 2006. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2024.