Public Safety committee  That's a great question, Mr. Harris. I would simply say that we at CSIS have the legislative authority to investigate threats to national security based on what's called section 2 of the CSIS Act, and you kind of just go with your gut in many ways. I will say that we came across many cases of people who appeared to just talk the talk and then would switch in a heartbeat to actually planning something, whether it was travelling abroad to join ISIS or things like that.

Public Safety committee  Thank you, Mrs. Stubbs. You know, it really sounds simple, folks, but you go where the information leads you. I think the problem is that, if you go in with preconceived notions, you start making errors. I wrote about this a lot in my very first book, The Threat From Within. If you assume from the outset, for example, that poor socio-economic status is a large contributor or predictor, you'll find out that you're wrong as many times as you're right.

Public Safety committee  It's an excellent question, and I'm glad you asked it. As somebody who worked in counterterrorism for as long as I did, I ask myself that a lot of times too. We at CSIS were driven by the Criminal Code, and in section 83.01 of the Criminal Code, it defines an act of terrorism as a serious act of violence planned or perpetrated for three primary reasons: ideological, political or religious.

Public Safety committee  Most people will see violent extremism and terrorism as synonymous. I tend to lean in that direction and, to be perfectly honest, Mr. Kurek, I don't have the time to split hairs on whether there's a different between the two. They are virtually synonymous.

Public Safety committee  Thank you, madam.

Public Safety committee  I just hope that the nation has the resources necessary to deal with it. Thank you.

Public Safety committee  Thank you very much, Chair, for inviting me today, as you said, on rather short notice. I found out about this a little before noon today, but I'm absolutely humbled to be asked to appear today. I had the opportunity to listen to the previous witnesses give their testimony, and I want to make a few preliminary remarks and then a few substantive remarks before my seven minutes are up.