It would be laughable if it weren't so scary.
The Globe and Mail revealed yesterday that detailed site information for this June's G8 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., had been posted on the Internet for the past seven weeks. The information was available to anyone who cared to look, no matter how sinister their motives.
Was this sensitive material stolen and disseminated by computer-hacking extremists or terrorist sympathizers as part of a plot to wreak havoc on the G8 meetings? Hardly. It was posted by our own government, on a public Web site that publishes tenders for government contracts. And those in charge of G8 security either didn't notice or didn't care.
This is a severe breach of security at a major international event, and there's no good explanation for it. Canada is pouring $100-million into ensuring the safety of world leaders and keeping anti-globalization protesters at bay for the two-day summit, yet the people given the power and responsibility to oversee this massive security effort somehow let this blunder slip past them.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who are in charge of G8 security, figure someone who works for them probably saw and approved the Internet posting, which included floor plans for meeting rooms, security stations and surveillance-camera locations. But they haven't been able to confirm who approved the posting, if anyone. And although the RCMP initially said the material did not compromise G8 security, it quickly vanished from the Web site once The Globe's story ran and senior RCMP officials had a chance to take a closer look. Security experts say the summit organizers will have to overhaul the site plans to undo the damage of this information spillage.
The RCMP are just part of the hodgepodge of agencies and groups with input into the G8 security planning, including the Calgary city police, the Canadian Forces, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister's Office. Given this jumble of bureaucracies and egos, it's possible that things occasionally happen without the RCMP's knowledge or approval.
However, given that the Commons recently approved Bill C-35 to give the RCMP official authority and sweeping powers over security issues at all intergovernmental events in Canada, this episode doesn't generate much faith that the RCMP are up to the task. In fact, when this latest incident is taken together with the RCMP's continued refusal to apologize for the 1997 APEC pepper-spraying incident, it raises the question of whether the RCMP have a firm grasp on what represents a true security threat.
In C-35, the government is turning over to the RCMP key decisions that could limit the freedoms of Canadian citizens in the name of security from terrorism and other criminal acts. The RCMP must realize that with this added power comes immense responsibility. That means recognizing and acknowledging that blunders like the Internet posting are inexcusable, and taking steps to ensure they can't happen again.
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