Sure. But clandestinely murdering people isn’t generally an intelligence capability, even though for some of the world’s major players they have evolved such a capability out of the fusion of covert intelligence gathering and SOF vets. We could reasonably expect that a new foreign intelligence service would be exactly that- intelligence collection.
Clandestine paramilitary stuff is on a whole different level, and you need to be prepared for high costs and heavy consequences if you play in that game and muck it up at all. I also think that the opportunity cost in bodies, training, and logistical support would come at considerable expense to more fruitful intelligence gathering.
Just my two cents though.
I think this is one of those "what does Canada want to be when it grows up?" questions.
Do we accept that the world is still a competitive and often brutal place, where states pursue their interests through every tool available? Or do we continue pretending that diplomacy, international law, and good intentions are enough to protect our prosperity and sovereignty?
Whether we like it or not, these things happen. Major powers routinely operate in the grey zone between peace and war. They recruit agents, steal technology, influence politicians, manipulate public opinion, and occasionally eliminate individuals they view as threats to their interests. The methods may be hidden, but the competition is very real.
Canada often seems uncomfortable acknowledging this reality. We prefer to see ourselves as a nation of diplomacy and consensus. Those are admirable values, but values alone do not deter hostile actors. There are states and organizations in the world that respect strength, capability, and consequences far more than they respect statements of concern.
The question is not whether Canada should become reckless or abandon its principles. The question is whether Canada is mature enough to recognize that our allies conduct intelligence operations, covert actions, and other activities in the shadows because the threats they face are real.
Peace is not maintained simply because everyone agrees to be peaceful. More often, peace is maintained because those who would disrupt it know that someone is watching, someone is capable of responding, and someone is willing to act.
The real question is whether Canada wants to remain naïve about the darker realities of international affairs, or whether it wants to acknowledge that the stability and prosperity we enjoy are often protected by difficult, uncomfortable work carried out far from public view. A country that refuses to recognize those realities risks becoming dependent on others to do that work on its behalf.
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