- Paperback: 368 pages
- Publisher: Anchor Canada (Oct 28 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0385660294
- ISBN-13: 978-0385660297
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14.2 x 5.1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 476 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #360,722 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
The CIA and other shadowy U.S. intelligence agencies are notorious for their secrecy, but Canada teems with armies of government spies whose operations are even more mysterious. Andrew Mitrovica's Covert Entry is one of the first in-depth looks inside this clandestine world. A reporter at The Globe and Mail, Mitrovica tells an astonishing story of bumbling worthy of Inspector Clouseau, rampant lawbreaking and corruption, wasted resources, and a sorry lack of accountability or oversight. The book revolves around John Farrell, an ex-street gang leader who went on to become a star agent of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Before joining CSIS, Farrell worked as a prison guard and Canada Post security officer. While at Canada Post, according to Mitrovica, Farrell was ordered to engage in illegal spying on the leaders of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, including rifling through their garbage. (The book's allegations led the union to demand an independent inquiry.) After leaving Canada Post, Farrell joined CSIS, where he worked from 1991 to 1999 for a secretive "dirty tricks" unit called Special Operational Services. There, he helped run a mail-snooping operation in Toronto with the peculiar name Operation Vulva, intercepting letters and parcels sent to far-right extremists and Russian spies. Farrell's street skills were put to use breaking into targets' houses and vehicles--including that of a disgruntled CSIS employee--and doing other "special assignments." Throughout, Farrell was repeatedly amazed by the graft, waste, and incompetence seemingly widespread in the agency. Farrell decided to sue CSIS after it ignominiously let him go without coughing up overtime pay he claims to be owed. Mitrovica's portrait of the former agent and his employer provides a rare and engrossing look inside one of Canada's most enigmatic government agencies. --Alex Roslin
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Review
“In the post-9/11 climate of fear and paranoia, few voices have criticized the civil liberties abuses by agencies charged with safeguarding the security of Canadians. That may change with this remarkable exposé by reporter Andrew Mitrovica…. This insider’s account documents a decade’s worth of official illegality, corruption, and incompetence.” -- Quill & Quire
“[The] Security Intelligence Review Committee should read Mr. Mitrovica’s book and do its job.” -- Clayton Ruby, B.A., LL.B., LL.M., and prominent member of the human rights community, The Globe and Mail
“We need the Andrew Mitrovicas of this world to rattle the cages of secrecy.” -- The Globe and Mail
“Farrell has an intriguing story and Mitrovica tells it entertainingly…. he argues a convincing case against the serrvice.” -- The Gazette (Montreal)
“Covert Entry … is a shocking indictment of the federal spy agency.” -- The Chronicle-Herald (Halifax)
“Mitrovica has written a book that he hopes will rattle both CSIS and its toothless watchdog.”-- The Calgary Herald / The Edmonton Journal
“[The] Security Intelligence Review Committee should read Mr. Mitrovica’s book and do its job.” -- Clayton Ruby, B.A., LL.B., LL.M., and prominent member of the human rights community, The Globe and Mail
“We need the Andrew Mitrovicas of this world to rattle the cages of secrecy.” -- The Globe and Mail
“Farrell has an intriguing story and Mitrovica tells it entertainingly…. he argues a convincing case against the serrvice.” -- The Gazette (Montreal)
“Covert Entry … is a shocking indictment of the federal spy agency.” -- The Chronicle-Herald (Halifax)
“Mitrovica has written a book that he hopes will rattle both CSIS and its toothless watchdog.”-- The Calgary Herald / The Edmonton Journal
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Most helpful customer reviews
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Learn how incompetent CSIS is,
By
This review is from: Covert Entry: Spies, Lies and Crimes Inside Canada's Secret Service (Paperback)
This is a book written about John Farrell, a postal inspector for Canada Post. John is paid to spy on Canada Post employees and union leaders. Most of the time there is no clear reason why he is spying on these employees, except to please senior officials. He would sneak into garbage, read incoming & outgoing mail, and keep large dossiers on each employee. This was done without cause, without court orders, and wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars of tax payers money.Afterwards, John is recruited by CSIS. It should be noted that CSIS was started after the RCMP spy service was abolished for fraud. This book proves that while the RCMP spy service was modified to become CSIS, nothing that was important changed. Fraud was ongoing, and pure incompetence is still running rampant. Secret information often falls into the wrong hands, including that of petty criminals. Laws are broken for no clear reason. Money is wasted on investigating non-matters while important investigations are forgotten about. Laws are broken for friends or politicians. Furthermore, this is never reported, because CSIS is free from all accountability, and are capable of silencing anyone who speaks out against them. What is probably worse is that this is a clear indication that Canada is currently incapable of protecting our country from terrorism. CSIS is out there more for the sake of being seen then actually doing something. I hope that everyone reads this, too many Canadians are under the illusion that the RCMP and CSIS are actually here to protect its people. It wouldn't take much to outsmart either of these organizations.
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Truth,
By Findlay Wihlidal (USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Covert Entry: Spies, Lies and Crimes Inside Canada's Secret Service (Hardcover)
People are always frightened by the truth, but as we all know the truth is the only way we can change as hard as it seems. This book oppens the eyes into what we think or don't think about government. Open your mind and this book will educate you on the real world not the TV world.Findlay Wihlidal
10 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Covert Entry,
By sandra (Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Covert Entry: Spies, Lies and Crimes Inside Canada's Secret Service (Hardcover)
I found this book exciting, thrilling and captivating. After seeing it on Canada A.M talk show. I thought it was an important and interesting book to read? It reads like a fiction novel and raises some very important questions about the state of security in a post September environment. The principle character in Covert Entry was recruited by CSIS because of his criminal background and his abilities to get things done at whatever the cost. He seemed to be the only one to actually break the law to get things done in the name of national Security. This book raises some very serious questions and places little confidence in Csis and the government of Canada to protect Canadian form Terrorism and foreign spies. Overall, an outstanding book.
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