OTTAWA - Canadian troops and police were trained for two years by the international security contractor formerly known as Blackwater without the permission of the U.S. State Department.
The revelation is contained in U.S. federal court records, unsealed in North Carolina as part of a $7.5 million settlement of criminal charges against the company now called Academi LLC.
The Harper government has had a standing contract with the company since 2008.
It's paid millions of dollars going back to 2006 for the specialized training, given to special forces troops and some police officers.
U.S. prosecutors say Blackwater didn't seek the permission required under American arms control laws for the instruction, which took place between 2006 and 2008 and included training in marksmanship, defensive driving, bodyguard and close combat skills.
National Defence and the government have over the years defended their association with Blackwater, which had been accused of killing civilians in Iraq, by saying that the instruction was necessary and unavailable anywhere else.
11
Login or register to post comments
alive
40 weeks ago
Harper rules!
"the instruction was necessary and unavailable anywhere else."
Yup, we really need those thugs in our armed forces and police departments!
hg
40 weeks ago
Canadian law
The blatant disregard of Canadian laws by the Harper government is very dangerous to our demcracy
Hakuin
40 weeks ago
der Harpenfuhrer
is preparing a shadow gestapo. It will work in hand in hand with that already existing outside the law in the USA. Companies like Halliburton have interest in Canada.
Hakuin
40 weeks ago
they are soul-mates
http://open.salon.com/blog/kevin_gosztola/2009/08/05/blackwater_founders_visions_of_christian_supremacy_in_iraq
Van Isle
40 weeks ago
Interesting that this doesn't
Interesting that this doesn't tell what our Canadian troops were being trained in. Were our troops being taught on how to fight/contain/subvert/interrogate/torture the average (Canadian) citizen? Blackwater was very good at those techniques. Was Blackwater using their contact with Canadian troops for recruitment purposes too?
wcullen
40 weeks ago
A blatant lie
When DND claims that they used Blackwater because Blackwater has "instruction was necessary and unavailable anywhere else" this is an absolute lie.
When I was with the CF (2nd Bn PPCLI) we trained with many other nations for a wide variety of reasons. This is all perfectly kosher.
There is NOTHING Blackwater could teach that the CF wouldn't be better served by learning from another military unit from any NATO country.
This includes the JTF2 who have trained with the British SAS/SBS & Royal Marine Spec. Ops., US Spec. Ops., and, as I understand it, German, French, and Spanish Spec. Ops.
As a former serving member I've had the opportunity to train--or exercise (military, not fitness :-)--with Marines, Marine Force Recon, US Rangers, and a wide variety of US Army units as well as a variety of other NATO military units. This includes being sent on courses and exchanges with other NATO countries.
The only thing that Blackwater can offer comes from the fact that they operate in a grey area regarding legality.
That is to say, they can, because they're private (and the US government and military is WELL aware of this--why do you think Blackwater is even ALLOWED to exist..?), they can train in approaches that the US Forces may not be able to operate in, or that require special clearance (i.e. 'so-called 'black ops'--i.e. extraordinary rendition, water-boarding, etc).
What is missed--IMO--by many Canadians is the fact that Harper gov't has consciously shifted Canada's presence on the world stage and in world conflicts from an evolving (and problematic, yes) UN role to the more US dominated--"you're either with u, or with the terrorists" --approach.
The danger in this shift is that, instead of increasing our protection and security, it is undermining it.
Where the likes of Diefenbaker (a real Conservative), Trudeau, and Pearson wanted Canada to make it's mark by going a 'middle way' as a 'middle power'--with much success and prestige (and, thus, security)--Harper is a hawk.
That we're associating with Blackwater is, well, dancing with the devil...it will affect us as a country (a hard right turn hardens us) and it might likely come back to haunt us in ways which we will likely regret...
Hakuin
40 weeks ago
he's waiting for the Rapture
look at his Israel policy; straight out of lunatic fringe American republican millenialist "we-need-Zion-for-the-End-Times" doomsday claptrap.
And we are along for the ride.
Hakuin
40 weeks ago
His plan unfolds
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/national/Axing+CSIS+watchdog+huge+loss+Canadians+says+former+inspector/7066255/story.html
snert
40 weeks ago
hg & Van Isle
UMMMM? Wondering just which "Canadian laws" were broken here?
It seems to me that Blackwater had 72 subsidiaries, just wondering why you didn't mention them all, Van Isle?
The commenters to this article and this includes all the Harper Haters as well are assuming that this training served no useful purpose. You can argue this all you want but if it was designed to give our combat troops and police an edge that kept them alive in a combat situation that they were involved in, rightly or wrongly, then it was well worth the money.
Just as a matter of interest, how many watched the PBS series "The War" that has wound up last night?
Okanagan Orchardist
40 weeks ago
There have been a number of articles recently...
For example, in the Vancouver Sun, in which Canadian forces members have wondered where their next tour of duty will be once they are evacuated from Afghanistan. They were looking forward to the next killing field, wherever it would be, with excitement and hope. I couldn't believe it. I wondered at the time how our forces could be so indoctrinated that they were actually looking forward to kill or be killed. Now I think we have the answer. Blackwater! Led by a bunch of religious fanatics, Blackwater would be just the kind of organization to make our troops into a killing machine. For details on this American mercenary army, read Jeremy Scahill's book "BLACKWATER" -- in which he exposes it as the frightening new face of the US war machine.
Aisingioro
29 weeks ago
http://www.backpacksforgirls.
http://www.backpacksforgirls.biz/rivets-flap-travel-sport-backpack-canvas-bookbag-for-girl.html