Spies Like Us

This week the lads delve into the increasing challenge of encryption, Canada's addiction to listing everyone as a terrorist group and wonder why Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree did not say anything daft this week.

In episode 3 of season 3 the lads weigh in on the implications of the Canadian government's recognition of Palestine, why Canada kneed an Irish hip hop band in the...knee, and what has Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said now?

While drug-addled Al deals with a centipede from the seventh layer of hell, the boys (sober for once) delve into the rhetoric over the far left/far right in the West, why labeling organised crime groups terrorists is a 'terror-ible' idea and offer some great advice to crooks from Frank and Joe Hardy.

The guys are back in the virtual bar for another season! After two months of R&R they delve into the arrest of a self-appointed ‘Queen of Canada/World”, counselling sessions for ISIS terrorists (‘couch jihadis’?) and why ‘native extremist’ investigations were warranted. Oh, and another poem by Phil where he finds rhymes for ‘ISIS’.

What do you get when you let three former spies loose on questions from their 'fans'? The regular 'ask us' episode! We bet you have never had to think about the importance of a Farsi (Persian)-speaking parrot. Only here...

This week the lads weigh in on the killing of two politicians in Minnesota, US Emperor Cheetoh's dismissal of his own nation's intelligence and what to do if a peeler dressed as a cop shows up at your bachelorette party (hint, hint, ask for ID!). Oh and why carrier pigeons are not reliable messengers....according to The Hardy Boys.

The guys talk about Israel's decision to take out Iranian nuclear facilities, why the Carney government decided to appoint a Public Safety minister who is unwilling to look at certain files, and why is Al speaking in a faux German accent?

This week the lads are joined by a fan (yes we DO have them), Eric von Stackelburg, and we chat about all things hybrid warfare, government inaction on national security and public-private interactions. Oh and what Phil likes in a blonde (blueberry!). You are going to love this interaction!

This week the guys bask in new-found attention by selfie-seeking fans and, on a more serious level, talk about a humungous increase in terrorism arrests and Israel warning Jews not to travel to Canada. Oh and Al ends up being the optimist in the trio - go figure!

This week the guys talk cast off the covers on cover names, challenge CT success claims, and honour the best-known guy to hang out in a bar talking about life with his buddies

Back in the saddle after a short last week, the guys delve into the undermining of the US intelligence community by the Trump administration, the dangers of accepting airplanes as 'gifts' and why Latvia is helping its citizens identify Russian spies. And lots of golden references....

Unfortunately, Phil decided to swim in 10 degree Celsius water this week and as a consequence the episode is much shorter than usual. The guys weigh in on the vehicular attack in Vancouver

In the guys' election episode they talk about where the debate on national security has been during the campaign (hint, hint: nowhere) and why you should not mark your ballot with the eraser end of the pencil. Also why Spies Like Us is 'inSITEful'!

The guys are joined for coffee by former Toronto 18 terrorist cell human source Mubin Shaikh to talk about what he did and why he did it. Al shares some stories about growing up in Winnipeg cutting weed with goat shit and for some reason Neil wants to rub horse manure on his teeth. Oh, and no poetry from Phil this week.

This week the guys look into two recent cases of 'right-wing' extremism in Canada with very different results. They also have a real beer rather than a virtual one! Oh, and Phil has a new nickname. 

The Al-less team digs into the recent shit show surrounding the Trump Administration's decision to use Signal to broadcast upcoming airstrikes in Yemen against the Houthis. And in poetry by Phil, yes, there is a rhyme for SCIF!

The guys are joined by ex-CIA analyst Dave Gioe to talk about why Canada needs a foreign intelligence (HUMINT) agency and how we would go about it (and the guys give a solid two thumbs up to that idea).  And Nancy Drew gives Canada good advice on how to handle Donald Trump.

The guys have yet another Q&A episode talking about economic security, whether President Trump is a Russian asset or agent, and learn that 'Larry from the US' listens to us!

The guys are joined by former colleague and ex-senior CSIS official Andy Ellis to talk about why the Canadian government has let intelligence slide and what it needs to do to get back to where it needs to be (and once was). And, importantly, the Hardy Boys give good advice on the relationship between education and trust.

The guys devote this episode to the case of Chiheb Esseghaier who with a partner planned to derail a train in Canada back in 2013 and is seeking to stay in Canada. Al plays the bagpipes - kinda - and we all have new nicknames!

The guys talk about what to do with ISIS returnees, the challenges of recruiting human sources with, shall we say, sketchy backgrounds, and show how Nancy Drew steals a page from Monty Python's "trying hard not to be seen".

This week the guys talk about the latest brain fart to come from the US on joint border security, Al comes up with a complicated jurisdiction story which he worked on very hard and yes, it is again time for Poetry by Phil

The guys are joined by investigative journalist Sam Cooper to dissect the recently released Hogue report on foreign interference in Canada. Suffice to say they ain't impressed and suspect, like the Hardy Boys, that there is much left unsaid.

The guys muse about the US decision to list Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organisations, whether politicians are too timid in labeling terrorist acts as terrorism and what Nancy Drew teaches us about confusion.

The guys delve into Russian antagonistic moves in the West, the abuse of Canada's student visa programme, and encourage Marc Garneau to run for Prime Minister