Everywhere you turn you come across an ‘expert’. This happens in national security as well. But are these people REALLY experts? Borealis takes issue with the term and provides some background on his experience in national security to provide followers with context. About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development ...
Apr 02, 2021•11 min
Chris Lewis served as a police officer for 36 years and ended up as the Commissioner of the OPP. Now he acts as a national security analyst on Canadian television. Phil Gurski talks to him about his career and about ‘experts’ in the media. About my guest Chris Lewis: Chris D. Lewis became Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on August 1, 2010 assuming leadership of one of North America’s largest deployed police services. As Commissioner, he oversaw front-line policing, traffic and...
Mar 31, 2021•33 min•Season 4Ep. 86
Two more mass shootings recently took place in the US - one in Atlanta and one in Georgia - making 103 since Jan 1 of this year. The motives for either are unclear according to police, and yet some are already labeling both terrorism: white nationalist in the first case and Islamist in the second. Borealis takes issue with this constant 'instant analysis'. About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security...
Mar 30, 2021•12 min
Have you heard of the term 'gaslighting'? Did you know it comes from a 1944 Ingrid Bergman film. Discover how a movie about a manipulative husband gave us a new word to describe information control in the 2020s. About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analys...
Mar 26, 2021•11 min
La France vient de promulguer une loi pour protéger la laïcité et combattre le séparatisme, mais certains y voient une loi contre l’Islam. Quel est l’ampleur de la menace extrémiste en France et que prévoir pour les années à venir? Phil Gurski discute avec Alexandre Rodde, chercheur Français et consultant en sécurité intérieure. About my guest Alexandre Rodde: Alexandre is a security consultant specialised in terrorism and mass shootings. His work includes risk assessment, threat monitoring, and...
Mar 24, 2021•26 min•Season 4Ep. 85
A recent Norwegian series called Wisting looked at a serial killer and a joint FBI/local police investigation. Borealis reviews the series looking at two main issues: the link between serial killing and terrorism, and what happens when multinational forces have to collaborate to solve a case. About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’...
Mar 23, 2021•11 min
About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation. ►Subscribe - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/subscribe/ ►Webs...
Mar 20, 2021•4 min
In the 2016 Marvel film Captain America: Winter Soldier the evil HYDRA has created a super (bad) soldier called the Winter Soldier who kills a bunch of people. But is he a terrorist? Borealis looks at the film from a security intelligence perspective Intelligence Veteran Reacts | Marvel's Iron Man (2008) and the "War on Terrorism" ; Intelligence Veteran Reacts | Captain Marvel (2019) and Lessons on Terrorism ; Intelligence Veteran Reacts | Extremism and Radicalisation: Is JOKER a Terrorist? ; Co...
Mar 19, 2021•11 min
A small group of reactionary terrorists known as the Black Clad took over the Old Bailey Courthouse, taking several hostages including a school field trip. Wonder Woman storms the building, uses the Lasso of Hestia to compel one of the terrorists to tell her their plans. She then takes out the terrorists and neutralizes the bomb. Is that realistic? About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Econom...
Mar 18, 2021•4 min
Phil Gurski and Destiny discuss the RCMP 'entrapment' of B.C. couple in the Canada Day Bomb Plot and the differences between entrapment laws in Canada vs the USA. ►Follow Destiny on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC554eY5jNUfDq3yDOJYirOQ When it comes to talking about terrorism it is not enough to limit the discussion to specific terrorist groups or terrorist acts. Things are much more complicated than that. Terrorism does not occur in a vacuum: it exists in a context (or better: multi...
Mar 18, 2021•8 min
Most societies treat young offenders separately from adults when it comes to crime in general. But what about terrorism? Is terrorism so different that we need to treat young terrorists as adults? Borealis is joined by Australian practitioner Peta Lowe to discuss these issues and more. About my guest Peta Lowe: Peta Lowe is a Principal Consultant with Phronesis Consulting and Training. She is the former Director, Countering Violent Extremism for Juvenile Justice in the NSW Department of Justice....
Mar 17, 2021•44 min•Season 4Ep. 84
When the Cold War ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 the West declared ‘victory‘ and downed tools on Russia. Recent events have shown that decision to be premature. Borealis cautions against jumping to conclusions about intelligence requirements and priorities. About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Profession...
Mar 16, 2021•11 min
Join me on YouTube Live Mondays and Thursdays at 8 PM EST. I will discuss the latest terrorism and national security news of the day and answer your questions! About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) f...
Mar 15, 2021•4 min
Join me on YouTube Live every week day at 8 PM EST. I will discuss the latest terrorism and national security news of the day and answer your questions! About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 200...
Mar 14, 2021•5 min
It often helps to poke fun at people who want us to take them seriously. As a follow-up to the popular Top Ten Worst Terrorist Group names, here is Borealis' take on the Top Ten Worst Right-Wing Extremists Group Names. See also: ►Top 10 Dumbest Terrorists of all Time ► Top 10 Worst Terrorist Group Names About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University...
Mar 13, 2021•10 min
French teacher Samuel Paty was brutally killed last October after leading a discussion in his class over the so-called Muhammad cartoons: his murderer was not even a student. What is acceptable when it comes to controversial material? Join me on YouTube Live every week day at 8 PM EST. I will discuss the latest terrorism and national security news of the day and answer your questions! About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Progra...
Mar 12, 2021•6 min
Join me on YouTube Live every week day at 8 PM EST. I will discuss the latest terrorism and national security news of the day and answer your questions! About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 200...
Mar 11, 2021•4 min
The Canadian parliament just voted to label Chinese policies and actions towards Uyghur Muslims in northwestern Xinjiang province a genocide. Is this the right term? Borealis talks to Concordia University's Director of the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies to unpack these issues. About my guest Kyle Matthews Kyle is the Executive Director of the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS) at Concordia University. He joined MIGS as Lead Researcher of the...
Mar 10, 2021•26 min•Season 4Ep. 83
It seems that everyone is calling everything terrorism these days. It is almost as if the word is in the eye (brain?) of the beholder. Borealis pushes back against this uncareful use in this podcast. ► Check out my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at th...
Mar 09, 2021•10 min
A year ago today a German racist killed 9 people in Hanau because of who they were. Furthermore, 208 people have been killed by far right elements in Germany since 1990. Those numbers are horrific: what is happening elsewhere by comparison? Watch this with video on YouTube . ► Check out my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and P...
Mar 05, 2021•11 min
In the first military action undertaken by the Biden administration, the US carried out an air strike targeting Iran-backed militias in Syria. Former CSIS Analyst Phil Gurski shares his opinion on the situation. Join me on YouTube Live every week day at 8 PM EST. I will discuss the latest terrorism and national security news of the day and answer your questions! About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Se...
Mar 04, 2021•3 min
A court has found Alek Minassian guilty on 26 counts of murder and attempted murder and rejected the autism defence. The judge also rejected the assumption Minassian was an 'incel' and that this was an act of terrorism. What does this all mean? Borealis weighs in! ► Check out my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Di...
Mar 03, 2021•10 min
Why do people join white supremacist/new-Nazi movements? Why do they get out? Tony McAleer spent 15 years in the white supremacist and neo-nazi movements starting as a skinhead and evolving to leadership positions and was instrumental in ushering in the internet building one of the first white supremacist websites for Resistance Records in the mid 90’s. ►Check out The Cure for Hate by Tony McAleer About my guest Tony McAleer: Tony has been involved in Life After Hate since its inception in 2011 ...
Mar 03, 2021•32 min•Season 4Ep. 82
The release of a CIA report holding Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for the brutal death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 matters to Canadians, because the same sort of thing can happen here. We've already seen the evidence. ►Read Canada needs to act on Saudis' targeting of dissidents on The Ottawa Citizen ► Check out my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO...
Mar 03, 2021•8 min
Shamima Begum was a UK citizen who joined ISIS. Now she wants to come home but the government cancelled her citizenship. So now what? ► Check out my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI)....
Mar 03, 2021•5 min
There is a growing tendency to claim that RWE is an existential threat to the world, especially the West. Some are saying that RWE is worse than the threat posed by ISIS. Is this even remotely true? Borealis pushes back against the increased hyperbole over the terrorist reality. ► Check out my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. a...
Mar 02, 2021•11 min
No, I am not at all dismissing the seriousness of terrorism or the pain and suffering they cause but sometimes laughter (and satire) are indeed the 'best medicine'. With that in mind, I'd like to present my Top Ten Worst Terrorist Group names. I came up with the list by thinking of all the groups I have come across over the years as well as by looking at 'listed terrorist entities' concocted by various governments (Finally! An actual use for such tools!). Some of the names are, well, how to put ...
Feb 28, 2021•8 min
We hear all the time about 'intelligence failures', the most recent being the attack on the US Capitol in January. But it turns out there was advanced warning about the possibility, if not probability, of violence. Borealis looks at how such failures are anything but. ► Check out my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programm...
Feb 26, 2021•11 min
Episode 82 - Most Canadians know that we sent thousands of soldiers to Afghanistan beginning in 2002 to help fight Al Qaeda. Far fewer know we sent hundreds of police officers as well. This is the story of one of them, an RCMP officer who spent time there in 2011-12 and wrote a book about it. ►Check out Cops in Kabul by William C. Malone About my guest William C. Malone: William C. Malone is no stranger to international policing, having served in Africa and Haiti, and he relies upon those experi...
Feb 24, 2021•27 min•Season 4Ep. 82
Canada listed the Proud Boys as a right wing terrorist group recently in the wake of the Jan 6 riot at the US Capitol. Some saw this as an over reaction. New information has surfaced that pressure was brought to name them despite a lack of evidence. Borealis looks at this issue - again!! ► Check out my latest book The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the Present About the host Phil Gurski: Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulti...
Feb 23, 2021•10 min
