Written by: "Anti-Racist" Agitator, Spy and  Informant Matt Lauder

**Special thanks to that friend who offered some info regarding CSIS activities.

In discussing the issues with someone recently, I was interested to find out that he (In order to maintain confidentiality, I will refer to the individual by using the generic term of “him” or “he”) had a run-in with CSIS. Apparently, due to his involvement with racialist groups and friendships in the movement, CSIS was very eager to interview him.

This eagerness resulted in CSIS officers pestering his parents regarding his whereabouts and had threatened them that “they would be back every day until they got the information that they needed” from his parents. Eventually, they were able to track down this person at a new address.

Anyway, once they found him, they were forceful with regards to questioning him on the movement, friendships, etc. He, of course, did not co-operate. The CSIS officers, apparently in a fit, threatened that they would return everyday to question him until they finally got what they wanted. An obvious tactic has now been revealed – i.e. pressure the people into capitulating.

Eventually, the CSIS officers left him alone, but only after he had threatened to make a formal complaint against the Service.

The point of the story is this:

1. If you are approached by CSIS, do not say anything and deny all allegations;

2. Ask for ID and copy down the names and ask for their supervisors’ name;

3. Immediately write down everything you can from the conversation, including the officers’ names, physical description, etc.

4. If they continue to bother you or use threatening language, inform a lawyer of what had transpired;

5. Make a formal complaint to both CSIS and SIRC (especially SIRC).

Once you raise the spectre of an internal investigation, many agents (even cops) will immediately get worried, especially after all of the security breaches the Service had this year. Remember to protect yourself. Be vigilant and maintain your privacy. I hope this helps everyone.

Now, let’s turn to Bristow.

All of the following information comes from the SIRC Report “THE HERITAGE FRONT AFFAIR” dated December 9, 1994. This is public information. If you want to read a copy, please go to www.freedomsite.org or you can order a copy from SIRC at www.sgc.gc.ca.

My version of the events reflect both what I have read and the interpretation of the events as reported by people I know who were a part of the HF or the movement back in those days.

From what I can gather, Grant Bristow, the person referred to by the government as “the Source,” was recruited by CSIS to engage in information gathering activities on the far-right movement in Canada. Bristow, apparently, had contacted CSIS and presented himself as a candidate to infiltrate the movement since he had some connections.

On June 11, 1987, CSIS had received notification that Bristow was discussing his CSIS connections to another informant. CSIS HQ, upon hearing of the breach, told CSIS Toronto to drop him as a source. CSIS Toronto complied.

It was just over a year when Bristow, on November 4, 1988, has re-established contact with CSIS regarding the racialist movement. Against their earlier decision not to develop Bristow, CSIS took him on as a full-time informant and paid him accordingly.

The reason for CSIS’ decision was that Bristow seemed to be the only opportunity for the Service to keep tabs on the far-right. Up to this point, the Service was very far behind and lacked any alternate means of assessing the “threat” that the movement may have represented.

SECTION 3. page 3 states:

“The Region worried about growing recruitment activities, particularly among Skinheads. The Region’s investigator’s thought that the violent right-wing philosophy of the Identity Movement provided an excellent vent for the frustration expressed by the ‘Skinheads’ and that they may, by unfortunate happenstance, have identified an acceleration of the violent activities of the right-wing movement in Toronto in its embryonic stage.

The Region was not prepared to “let this developmental situation go unmonitored” and the Source was “clearly the best equipped to keep us abreast of developments.”

Grant Bristow Speaking in Front of Swastika

Within a month of re-establishing contact, CSIS was made aware that Bristow had claimed to another police informant that he was working for CSIS – this was on December 12, 1988. Apparently, Toronto Region investigators quelled Ottawa’s concerns claiming that Bristow was “receptive” to direction and an overall ‘good guy.’

To be honest, I think there could be more here, but the Report is intentionally sketchy. I find it curious that Ottawa, after telling Toronto investigators to close down Bristow after a second security breach, permits Bristow to be developed after a third incident. I believe that both Toronto and Ottawa were motivated to use Bristow simply because he was convenient and they lacked an individual who could enter the movement and take up a leadership role of sorts. Both Ottawa and Toronto acted out of sheer opportunism.

Over the course of the next few years, Bristow’s involvement led to the arrest and subsequent deportation of a number of American guests including Sean MaGuire, Steve Hammond, Tom and John Metzger, David Irving, and John Mahon. Bristow was also the creator of the harassment campaign against the ARA and other HF opponents. He was, apparently, not under direction from CSIS to actively engage in offensive and threatening tactics against the ARA, but had done so on his own.

With regards to how much Bristow received from CSIS, the information is not detailed. In fact, much of the information has been deleted (i.e. censored) from the public access SIRC document. As far as I can piece together, Bristow received approximately $50,000 to $60,000 a year. I wonder if he paid taxes on that?

Here is some additional information from the Report:

• The Service reimburses the Source for any expenses such as travel. Over the 7 year period, Bristow received an average of $260.00 for expenses.
• Bristow also received an allowance for meal expenses, motel costs, telephone use, and memberships to other groups, etc.
• The section on “loss of employment” compensation is deleted out (i.e. they censored the section which states exactly how much per annum Bristow received as a result of his spying activities, but, it is estimated that he was compensated for a loss of approximately $40,000 a year (Section 6, p. 6)
• Bristow was also paid for information that he brought in that totalled approximately $79,000 over the 7 years.

Here is the break up:

• Bristow was paid for loss of employment (approx. $40,000 per year)
• All expenses including travel and food (approximately $3,120 per year)
• Received $79,000 for information ($11,286 per year)

TOTAL per YEAR -- $54,406.00

Not bad, considering the an entry level position with CSIS is less than $35,000 a year.