In principle, we are absolutely dedicated to the security of this country. We are the first people who are likely to be targeted by a terrorist attack. We're going to get it in terms of one end or the other. When the Oklahoma Murrah Building was blown up, within minutes commentators on television were blaming Middle Eastern groups. So right away they came after Arab and Muslim Canadians, or Muslims in North America. They wouldn't do this for other ethnicities. It turned out McVeigh was the name of the person who was responsible for it. They didn't begin profiling Irish and Scottish Canadians with names similar to the bomber's. It was something unique. It's a form of anti-Semitism against Arab and Muslim Semites that's still socially acceptable in Canada. So there is a real problem.
In terms of credibility, there is a problem with CSIS. For example, they often counsel people that they don't need a lawyer. They come to the door and basically surprise people at their doorstep with stories that are simply not credible. I can go into detail for you, but it's as if they're doing a customer service survey regarding things that the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade have done, and there's no reason for them to just knock randomly on the door of the person they come to. In one specific case, they came and they told a Lebanese Canadian that they wanted to know what his opinion was on Canada's effort to evacuate Lebanese Canadians during the war in 2006 between Israel and Hezbollah. This person wasn't part of it. His family wasn't part of it. He had nothing to do with it, and the whole idea that CSIS would be going to do that kind of research simply was not credible.
There are also accounts such as you've described where Arab Canadians and Muslim Canadians are subjected to officers who are exploiting the stereotypes of secret police to force people to cooperate. If they don't, there's a clear understanding that there will be retribution, such as immigration clearances for family members will be held up. They are held up for years and there are people who have enormous problems. This is not something that engenders a sense of confidence when security is being handled on this level.
There is a profound concern in the community, but most people will still meet CSIS alone, although I think it's ill-advised. It's a problem because CSIS will talk to people and they will be interested in people because they're either a source of information or a security risk. In either case, you don't know which way you're going to end up in the context of your having great doubts as to whether this officer at your doorstep is there for your benefit and your protection or whether they are there to gather information and open a file on you that will endanger your life when you travel overseas. So this is a very difficult thing.
In our brochure the main thing we tell people right from the beginning is that if they know anything that could be a threat to the security of Canada, they should inform the authorities immediately.