The Anti-terrorism Act

THREAT OVERVIEW: THREATS TO CANADIAN INTERESTS

TERRORISM 

• Terrorism remains the most significant threat to Canada's national security. As Canada continues to play an active role in the global war on terror, it will increasingly face threats from transnational terrorist organizations.
• Canada's role in counter-terrorism, including its well-publicized intelligence and law enforcement efforts and the deployment of Canadian Forces to Afghanistan, make it a high-profile target. As such, safeguarding against the possibility of a terrorist attack occurring in, or originating from, Canada is the highest national security priority.
• Terrorist capabilities and methods – including their use of technology – continue to evolve, requiring governments and security forces to maintain constant awareness, engage in thorough threat analysis, and approach the threat in an integrated manner.
• The possibility of terrorist attacks perpetrated in Canada by extremist groups that are inspired by al-Qaeda cannot be discounted in the current threat environment.
• Recent events have shown that virtually no part of the world is immune from the threat of extremism. Morocco, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have recently experienced attacks perpetrated by extremist groups. The bombings in London, Bali, Madrid, Sharm el Sheik and Beslan were among the most spectacular attacks, but by no means the only ones.  The car bomb attempts outside of a London nightclub and at the Glasgow airport in Scotland in 2007 indicate that the threat is ongoing.
• The fact that the bombers in the London and in the Madrid terrorist attacks were national citizens in both respective countries highlights the reality that extremists are willing to undertake attacks against the country in which they were born and raised.
• Extremism remains a global threat and more such attacks are expected. Other attempts to commit terrorist actions by groups in the United Kingdom, France and Italy have been thwarted prior to taking place. Evidence of planning for attacks around the world and in our own country continues to be uncovered and, while we have a good sense of what many extremists and potential terrorists are doing, there are likely many who have escaped detection.
• Emerging terrorist threats and tactics have become more lethal; intelligence failures could have catastrophic results. Despite terrorists' demonstrated preference for conventional explosive devices, it is conceivable that a weapon of mass destruction (chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear) could be acquired and used by a terrorist group.
• Potential targets include food sources and water supplies, heavily populated urban centres, and infrastructure critical to government and economic activity.
• Measures taken to prevent a terrorist attack in Canada include measures to combat terrorist financing, such as the listing of terrorist entities, and the arrest of alleged terrorists. Responding to this menace remains the Government's top security challenge and substantial resources will continue to be devoted to this area.

WEAPONS PROLIFERATION

• The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by a growing number of states continues to pose a significant threat to international peace and stability and to Canada's own security. Canada is a signatory to several international agreements and treaties which are committed to prohibiting the development and transfer of such weapons. Intelligence resources must also continue to be devoted to this threat.

ORGANIZED CRIME

• In addition, threats to Canada's national security continue to emanate from international criminal organizations that undermine the integrity of public and private institutions.

FOREIGN ESPIONAGE

• Other threats originate from countries that dedicate significant resources to espionage aimed at acquiring information to meet their military, political and economic intelligence requirements through covert means. Foreign governments continue to manipulate and influence expatriate communities in Canada in an effort to gain valuable information.

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

• As well, public and private sectors in countries around the world are becoming increasingly dependent on computer-based networks to conduct their business and provide services to the public. The tools and techniques being developed to attack and exploit computer-based networks evolve continually.
• The potential for physical interference or cyberattacks against Canada's critical infrastructure remains an area of concern. A large segment of Canada's critical infrastructure is directly linked with similar infrastructures globally, and with the United States in particular.
• The August 2003 blackout in eastern Canada and the northeast United States demonstrated the economic, physical, and psychological impacts resulting from a critical infrastructure failure. The effects of a terrorist attack on the critical infrastructure of Canada, or an associated country, could have profound repercussions.

 
Updated to April 1, 2008.