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Terrorism in Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Daniel Kollek
Daniel Kollek*
Affiliation:
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
*
Department of Emergency Medicine, Hamilton General Hospital, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, Ontario, L8L 2×2, Canada, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper reviews terrorism in Canada, assessing the incidence and nature of terrorist activity, the potential targets of terrorist attacks, risk factors to Canadian nationals and institutions, and the responses of the Canadian government in dealing with the threat and the effectiveness of those responses.

Despite the fact that there have been no recent high-profile terrorist events in Canada, this country has a serious terrorism problem, the key manifestation of which is the multitude of terrorist organizations that have designated Canada as a base of operations. In addition, Canadians have been attacked overseas and Canadian organizations, both local and abroad, are potential targets of terrorist activity. Canadian attempts to deal with terrorism through foreign and domestic policy have been ineffective, primarily because the policies have been poorly enforced. Until recently, terrorist organizations legally could raise funds in Canada, in direct contravention of international treaties signed by Canada. It is possible that the ineffectiveness in enforcing the anti-terrorism legislation stems from hope that placating terrorist organizations, and the countries that support them, will prevent Canada from becoming a target. Unfortunately evidence from other countries has shown this strategy to be ineffective.

Keywords

Canadachemical biological nuclear radiationenforcementlegislationorganizationspreparednessterrorism
Type
Special Reports
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 18 , Special Issue 2: Terrorism-I: Country Reports , June 2003 , pp. 71 - 79
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2003

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