Borealis has had a good run since 2015 - podcasts, blogs, media interviews, etc.  not to mention six books on terrorism. It is time, however, to move on.  This is the last podcast... for now.

About the host Phil Gurski:
Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

France could be seen as the 'birthplace' of terrorism - think the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution of the 1790s.  The country has seen some catastrophic attacks such as the Stade de France/Bataclan jihadi  one of November 2015.  A new report discusses the state of terrorism in France and Borealis talks to its author Alexandre Rodde from the Gendarmerie Nationale

Alexandre is a security consultant specialised in terrorism and mass shootings. His work includes risk assessment, threat monitoring, and research on national security subjects.

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

When an arrest is made in a terrorism case or, worst case scenario, we are doing a post-analysis of an attack, we often read about a person's 'radicalisation process'.  The assumption is that terrorists are made, not born, and that there are signs to look for before it is too late.  Borealis talks to Executive Director Myrieme Churchill of Parents4peace, an organisation that aims to help families identify and deal with these cases

Myrieme Churchill is the Executive Director of Parents for Peace. She has over 30 years of experience as a psychotherapist, working in variety of settings and with a range of populations in Europe and the U.S. Beginning her career in France, she intervened with first and second-generation North African immigrant sex workers on the streets of Marseille and facilitated group therapy in a juvenile detention center in Nice.

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

There are two types of terrorists: those who die/are killed in their attacks and those who are not.  The latter usually end up in prison for long periods of time.  Then what?  Borealis talks once again with Norwegian CT analyst Atle Mesoy on the infamous Anders Breivik case from 2011.

►Listen to my previous podcast with Atle Mesoy: Episode #126 - Is it time to revisit the mental illness/terrorism nexus?

Atle Mesoy is the founder of U-Turn, an Oslo-based NGO working to prevent violent extremism. U-Turn is based on research and fieldwork within terrorism and political violence and consists of experts from different backgrounds providing a holistic and critical approach to CVE (Countering Violent Extremism).

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

Canada's intelligence agency CSIS has a national presence across the country.  That it where the investigations happen and the intel is collected.  What it is like to run such a shop?  Borealis talks to former senior CSIS IO Dan Faughnan.

Dan Faughnan served for over 30 years with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Canadian Armed Forces, retiring as a senior director general. During his long career Dan served in multiple domestic offices and overseas missions, developing and leading a significant number of operations, as well as transformational projects and programs.

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

Some 40,000 ISIS terrorists joined the group in the mid-2010s from over 100 nations, including Canada.  Many are still alive, some languishing in prisons or camps, including women and children.  There are those lobbying for their return to their homelands: is this wise?  Borealis has a conversation with Dr. Alexandra Bain, a religious studies prof at St Thomas University in New Brunswick.

CORRECTION: Dr Bain noted that a returned female ISIS terrorist has been charged and will appear in court in March; In fact she has not yet been charged.

Dr. Alexandra Bain is an associate professor teaching Islamic studies at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick.  Dr. Bain was co-founder of Families Against Violent Extremism (FAVE) a Canadian non-profit organization whose goal is to help stop the spread of groups such as ISIS by working with their families.

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

While acts of terrorism are not all expensive ventures, some terrorist groups do manage large financial empires (ISIS is a good example).  Just how important is this and how do we detect/stop these money flows?  Borealis talks with one of Canada's leading money laundering/terrorist financing gurus Kim Manchester

Kim R. Manchester is the Managing Director of ManchesterCF Financial Intelligence, a firm based in Toronto that supplies online financial intelligence training programs to financial institutions and civil service.

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

Borealis has a conversation with Jennifer Benmenashe in Montreal on why she wants to gain a position on national security with the Canadian government.

About the guest Jennifer Benmenashe:
After completing her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto in History, Political Science and Religion, Jennifer Lauren continued her studies at King’s College London, UK, where she has just completed her Master’s degree in Intelligence and International Security. She has continued to engage in her research interests namely: the Taliban and its ability to retain power, conflict and human rights in the MENA region, and the recruitment of women into terrorist organizations. Jennifer’s focus lies in counterterrorism and human rights as well as in international security and American foreign policy.

About the host Phil Gurski:
Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

The most recent Canadian national threat assessment names incels as one of the most serious menaces to public safety.  Are they really?  Borealis chats once again with the world's premiere authority on these people, the Incel Project founder Naama Kates.

Naama Kates is an investigative journalist and host of the podcast "Incel" which dives deep inside the incel community. 

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

The events in Canada over the last few weeks have made international headlines and even spawned similar actions abroad (France, NZ, the Netherlands).  What is it all about?  Borealis weighs in on language, intelligence and a little discussed troubling event in Western Canada that could be actual terrorism.

Mentionned articles:
►Gurski: The ‘truck convoy’ is many things but it is not terrorism
►CBC bias on full display in coverage of Freedom Convoy, Coastal GasLink protests

About the host Phil Gurski:
Phil is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]

Movies about spies are a dime a dozen - think James Bond. But what is working in intelligence really like?  Borealis is joined by Andrew Kirsch, author of a new book "I was never here"

Andrew Kirsch served as an intelligence officer with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) for just under a decade. He held roles as a policy analyst and a field investigator, ultimately leading the special operations security team running covert warranted operations. Today, Kirsch runs a security consulting firm, assisting organizations and individuals identify threats and vulnerabilities and implement strategies to mitigate their risk. He was appointed to the Ontario Expert Panel on Cyber Security in 2020, advising the government on strengthening cyber security practices in the broader public sector. He is a public speaker and trainer on issues of national and cyber security. His book – I Was Never Here: My True Canadian Spy Story of Coffees, Code Names and Covert Operations in the Age of Terrorism will be released March 1 st, 2022 and is available for pre-order wherever you buy your books. 

Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. and Programme Director for the Security, Economics and Technology (SET) hub at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation.

►Check Phil's latest book ''The Peaceable Kingdom'' - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/the-peaceable-kingdom/
►Website - https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/
►Twitter - https://twitter.com/borealissaves
►LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-gurski-8942468/
►Email - [email protected]