OTTAWA – A federal effort to fund terrorism research must be free from government interference and help build bridges with the Canadian public, says a national advisory panel.
Members of the Cross-Cultural Roundtable on National Security quietly told government officials at a closed-door meeting that care must be taken to ensure the initative – which emerged from the Air India bombing inquiry – does not veer off course, newly obtained documents show.
The government recently announced a five-year, $10-million national research project on terrorism to fund “a range of initiatives, including conferences, publications and major research projects.”
However, there were no details on how or where the money might be spent. A Public Safety Department spokeswoman could not elaborate Tuesday.
Minutes from a November meeting of the cross-cultural roundtable indicate members did not agree on a particular model for the research effort, though they supported creation of a peer-reviewed journal and an annual academic conference.
“It was suggested that the research should not be narrow (terrorism only), but that it include social and community aspects to better understand what leads to violent radicalization,” the minutes say.
“Members raised concerns that academics may have their own agendas. As such, the research initiative must be a partnership with government and be based on current issues, while at the same time ensuring that government does not interfere with the research itself so that its integrity is not compromised.”
Get daily National news
Notes and minutes from the roundtable’s November session were released to The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. The advisory body was established in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on the United States to provide the government with advice on security from representatives of various ethnic communities.
Authorities believe Sikh extremists fighting for an independent homeland sabotaged Air India Flight 182, which blew up over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland in June 1985.
Former Supreme Court justice John Major, who led an inquiry into the bombing, cited a litany of federal failures that took place before and after the attack. The majority of the 329 killed were Canadians.
Major said last year that an academic centre to study terrorism would help Canadians better understand political violence.
“Canada has a great deal to learn about terrorism – why it exists and how it operates,” he told a June 2010 news conference upon release of his extensive report.
Major called for establishment of “an academic centre to study terrorism and counter-terrorism” – similar to the Security and Defence Forum sponsored by the Defence Department.
He suggested calling it The Kanishka Centre to commemorate the bombing victims, referencing the name of the downed jetliner.
At the November meeting, federal officials presented options to the roundtable, including:
– A single research centre based at a university with dedicated staff;
– Appointment of university research chairs focused on specific topics;
– A network of centres involving teams of lead scholars based at different universities across Canada.
The notes say options could be modified depending on inclusion of elements such as scholarships, a journal, research funds, conferences, travel and government administration.
“How can such an initiative best link to communities and the general public?” asks a discussion document circulated to members of the advisory body.
“Would it be preferable to focus investment on one prominent centre, or aim for a network of researchers across Canada?”
Officials sought advice from roundtable members on how best to invest, “especially at early stages and with limited funds.”
They also wondered whether the initiative should focus solely on terrorism or aim more broadly to encompass terrorism, security and society.
In a letter to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, Myrna Lashley, chairwoman of the roundtable, said members backed the creation of an academic institute.
“Members highlighted the importance of sharing the results of the research with Canadians to raise awareness of key national issues,” she wrote.
Comments