Canada-Israel "Public Security" Agreement kept George Galloway out

[MikeWB]

Canada-Israel "Public Security" Agreement kept George Galloway out

British MP George Galloway barred from Canada under the Canada Israel "Public Security" Agreement

by Michel Chossudovsky

Global Research, March 26, 2009

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php? ... &aid=12913

British MP George Galloway was refused entry to Canada on the pretext that he supported Hamas, which is categorized by the Canadian government as a "terrorist organization."

Contrary to what has been reported in the media, this was not a unilateral decision by the government of Canada.

In all likelihood, the decision was taken in close consultation with Israel under the terms of a farreaching agreement on "public security" signed in Tel Aviv on March 23 2008. The "Declaration of Intent" establishes a framework of bilateral cooperation between Canada and Israel in the area of "Public Security". The agreement has not been the object of debate in the Canadian parliament, nor has it received media coverage.

Under the proposed agreement, the Deputy Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada is in liason with his Israeli counterpart the Director General of Public Security for the Government of the State of Israel. Together they chair a joint Management Committee.

The terms reference of the Canada-Israel "Declaration" are extremely broad. They include issues of immigration and ethnic profiling, the management of borders, intelligence and the exchange of information, emergency preparedness, correctional services, prisons, law enforcement  and counter-terrorism.  The agreement allows for officials from the State of Israel, to play a role in Canadian "public security" including border security and immigration.

The important question is whether Israeli officials were present in Canada and whether they were assisting their Canadian  counterparts with regard to the decision to bar George Galloway.

The article below provides detailed information on the nature of this Canadian-Israeli project.

Also see text of agreement in ANNEX,

Michel Chossudovsky, March 26, 2009 ==

The Canada-Israel "Public Security" Agreement

Ottawa & Tel Aviv collaborate in counter-terrorism & Homeland security

by Michel Chossudovsky

Global Research, April 2, 2008

Canada and Israel have signed a far-reaching public security cooperation agreement.

The agreement, described as a "Partnership", involves a "Declaration of Intent" by the two governments. The Declaration was signed in Tel Aviv on March 23:

"Today, the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety Canada and Avi Dicter, Minister of Public Security of the Government of the State of Israel, signed a Declaration of Intent to enhance cooperation in the area of public safety.

"The Government of Canada is committed to enhancing the security of Canadians – both through our actions at home and with our international partners." said Minister Day. "Today's declaration demonstrates the longstanding cooperation between Canada and Israel on public safety issues, and we welcome this increased cooperation in order to improve our countries' capacity to protect our citizens."

This declaration will allow Canada and Israel to better enhance cooperation in the areas of organized crime, emergency management, crime prevention, and other related public safety concerns. The declaration seeks to establish a more structured framework for the continued cooperation on public safety issues between Canada and Israel.

"The Declaration of Intent is an opportunity for Canada and Israel to strengthen their commitment to safeguarding their citizens and respective national interests from common threats," said Minister Dicter." (http://www.ps-sp.gc.ca/app_support/xml/ps_news_e.xml)

Terms of Reference of the Partnership

Israel's Ministry of Public Security carries out public security, law enforcement activities. It is also in charge of the operation of Israel's prisons, which are in large part used to detain Palestinians.

Canada's Ministry of Public Safety, established in 2003, is a copy and paste version of US Homeland Security. Public Safety Canada has a close bilateral relationship with US Homeland Security.

Public Safety Canada works closely with several government agencies including the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Correctional Service Canada (CSC) and The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Officials from these agencies have no doubt been consulted regarding the terms of reference of the Israel-Canada declaration.

The terms reference of the Canada-Israel Declaration are extremely broad. They include issues of immigration and ethnic profiling, the management of borders, intelligence and the exchange of information, emergency preparedness, correctional services, prisons, law enforcement  and counter-terrorism.

The Declaration of Intent involves the setting up of a close bilateral cooperation arrangement at the ministerial level. A management committee has been set up under the helm of  the Deputy Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada, and the Director General of Public Security of the State of Israel.

Senior Israeli and Canadian officials respectively from Israel's Ministry of Public Security and from various Canadian federal departments and agencies (including the RCMP, CSIS and CBSA), which are under the jurisdiction of Stockwell Day's ministry  would carry out "an approved program of work".

The programme would be implemented by a Senior Coordinator from each country, namely, the Assistant Deputy Minister (Strategic Policy) for Canada's Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and the Deputy Director General of Israel's Ministry of Public Security of the State of Israel;

Nature of the Agreement

FULL TEXT of AGREEMENT
http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/media/nr/ ... 1-eng.aspx

Public Safety Canada March 23, 2008

Declaration of Intent Between the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada and the Ministry of Public Security of the Government of the State of Israel

The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada and the Ministry of Public Security of the Government of the State of Israel, declare their intent:

1. To prioritize and manage cooperation in the following areas within the responsibility of the Ministries:

1. Border management and security, including biometric applications;

2. Correctional services and prisons;

3. Crime prevention;

4. Critical infrastructure protection;

5. Emergency management;

6. Illegal immigration;

7. Law enforcement cooperation;

8. Money laundering;

9. Organized crime;

10. Terrorist financing; and

11. Trafficking in persons.

2. To achieve the following objectives:

1. Build on their shared commitment to facilitate and enhance cooperation to protect their respective countries' population, assets and interests from common threats;

2. Integrate and coordinate of the identification, prioritization, and implementation of cooperative efforts between themselves in the area of public safety;

3. Manage the delivery of approved cooperative activities within the scope of this Declaration;

4. Establish of clear lines of communication and points of contact between themselves as part of an ongoing process of dialogue and partnership in pursuing common goals;

5. Share knowledge, experience, expertise, information, research, and best practices;

6. Identify and share public safety concerns on the basis of threats, risk assessments, priorities, vulnerabilities, and consequences; and

7. Facilitate technical exchange cooperation, including education, training, and exercises.

3. To establish a Management Committee that would:

1. Be comprised of the Deputy Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada, and the Director General of Public Security for the Government of the State of Israel;

2. Meet annually and as needed to develop and approve a program of work, consistent with the scope and objectives of this Declaration, for that upcoming year;

3. Evaluate and approve progress and results of activities carried out under this Declaration from the previous year;

4. Identify officials from the Ministry of Public Security of the Government of the State of Israel and from the department and agencies for which the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada is responsible, to carry out, within specific timeframes, each of the items in the approved program of work;

5. Be supported by a Senior Coordinator, namely, the Assistant Deputy Minister (Strategic Policy) for the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness of Canada, and the Deputy Director General for the Ministry of Public Security of the Government of the State of Israel; and

6. Have the Senior Coordinators ensure the delivery of the approved program of work and recommend new activities for the Committee's approval.

4. To bear respectively the costs that they each incur for performing, managing, and administering its activities under this Declaration;

5. To ensure the appropriate protection of all information, knowledge, expertise, etc. that is exchanged between them against any unauthorized access, alteration, publication, or dissemination; and

6. To protect any information, knowledge, expertise, etc. that is exchanged between them against disclosure to any third party with the same degree of care as they each exercise with their own information, knowledge, expertise, etc. of a similar nature;

It is understood that:

This Declaration is not intended to duplicate or supersede any existing arrangements between any departments and/or agencies of the Government of Canada and the Government of Israel; and

This Declaration is not intended to create legally binding obligations, under either domestic or international law.

Signed in duplicate at Tel Aviv, this 23rd day of March, 2008, which corresponds to the 16th day of Adar b'5768, in the English, French, and Hebrew languages with all texts being equally valid.

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS OF CANADA

FOR THE MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL
LS: Now the next question is, when did Kevin Rudd had a visit from Mr. Avi Dicter, Minister of Public Security of the Government of the State of Israel, or when are you going to have a visit from Mr. Dicter, in order to sign a similar agreement?