Wan Assurances of Relative Security

"This does not mean that there is no chance for such an attack to take place. It means, however, that the added difficulty allows more chance of detection by our intelligence or law enforcement agencies."
"In Europe, they've already, unfortunately, been able to organize a support network in order to carry out attacks. In Canada and in the United States and even in Australia, we don't think they've been able to create such networks. That is why, in our opinion, their capacity to attack us is different than their capacity to attack Europe."
"[In Europe] immigrants arrived at their door, they could not [do] pre-screening and they've therefore lost control of the situation. ISIL terrorists have been able to hide themselves in the flux of migrants and refugees, which would be much more difficult, if not extremely difficult, [in] Canada.
"[The lone-actor scenario] is especially true of those who have failed to leave Canada for overseas conflict zones, and instead would chose to resort to supporting or committing acts of domestic terror."
Christian Rousseau, head, Integrated Threat Assessment Centre

Tracing the roots of homegrown terrorism in Canada. Photo illustration / Darren Francey / Photos / Postmedia

Well, if this former chief of defence intelligence, retired major-general, really believes that the threat to Canada is minimal from jihadis, in comparison to the ongoing threats being faced by Europe, and in particular France and Brussels, perhaps he's in the business of sunny ways and best-case scenarios.
It is not, after all, as though Canada has not had a fair share of jihadist plots that have been apprehended, along with the occasional ones that have succeeded in extracting death.

His reference, furthermore, to the focus being on the flood of refugees entering Europe via Turkey from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Eritrea, Libya being solely the focus of future terrorist attacks through jihadis mingling with legitimate migrants and refugees, fails to take into account the fact that it has been second, third and fourth-generation European Muslims who have thus far been involved in terror attacks. Just as many of the hundred or so Canadian Muslims who have travelled abroad represent many born and raised and educated in Canada.

As for Australia and the United States, in his use of those countries as well to illustrate just how relatively 'safe' we all are from the vicious threats and atrocities being carried out in Europe, let alone those in Afghanistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Syria and Iraq, the fact is that the United States has suffered grievous losses of life through terrorist attacks both from home-grown and immigrant Muslims, and Australia has as well. Count in Britain, Spain and Indonesia while we're at it. And Canada is most certainly not exempt.

There are incitements to violence and violent estrangement from among Canadian-born Muslims that emanate from Muslim groups, incited from mosques and from Internet sources, let alone prisons and universities brought to Muslim youth courtesy of jihadi cliques. Mr. Rousseau was addressing the Senate national security committee, and he was asked by Senator Jean-guy Dagenais, no stranger to security as a former 30-year police officer in Montreal, about the lack of adequate security inspection of Syrian refugees.

"By flinging our doors open [to immigrants from the Middle East], are we not also opening our doors to terrorists?" To which the response was that Canadian screening of immigrants before arrival in Canada has the effect of mitigating any risks: "It still exists but it has been significantly mitigated". How significantly, in fact, when the Liberal government decided in its wisdom to fast-track screening and admissions to make good on a rash but electable promise during the October general election campaign?

A country that saw one lone-wolf jihadi inspired and capable enough to murder a reserves soldier standing ceremonial guard at the National Cenotaph, then spring into the House of Commons and come too close for comfort to confronting parliamentarians in meeting rooms off the main 'hall of honour', causing a lockdown of the entire city centre, and an emergency plan to spirit the prime minister out of danger, has been witness to what one dedicated and determined psychopathic jihadi can accomplish.

As for the Integrated Threat Assessment Centre with its function to ensure that government remain advised of terrorist threats to the country and to dispense data to Canada's various intelligence agencies to make certain all share intelligence that each has acquired but not shared, it has a tremendous responsibility. And it has, despite downplaying any jihadi threat to Canada, set the national terrorism threat level at medium.

The medium designation reflects the acknowledgement that a violent act of terrorism might occur even if the most likely type would be homegrown extremists using rudimentary weapons and methods to achieve their goal.