National spy agency holds recruiting drive at UVic

As a crowd of about 75 students settled into a lecture hall at the University of Victoria, a PowerPoint presentation came to life on the screen and the unmistakable theme music from the James Bond movies emerged from the speakers.

As Brent Hoag of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service told the crowd, even the country’s pre-eminent national security organization can still poke fun at itself once in a while.

Hoag, a B.C. region chief and senior intelligence officer with CSIS, visited the UVic campus with a senior human resources officer Feb. 26 as part of a recruiting drive. The agency is looking for new intelligence officers, surveillants, information analysts, communications specialists and other technical and field staff.

Established in 1984, CSIS took over the national security role from the RCMP. CSIS operates both domestically and overseas and has an annual budget of about $300 million with about 2,400 salaried employees on the payroll.

Hoag and his colleagues have recruited at UVic before and the positive response they’ve received in the past prompted them to return this year. Although students are only eligible to be hired after graduation, CSIS is always on the lookout for promising future employees.

“The student population that approaches us at the career fair (and) the information session do more research, are more enlightened and have done their homework before they arrive. That is always, of course, welcome,” Hoag said.

CSIS has “increased transparency” and is making more of an effort to participate in career fairs.

“A number of years ago, you wouldn’t have met somebody who said, ‘Hey. I’m an intelligence officer,’” he explained. “Once upon a time in our business, we waited for the mountain to come to us. Competition is more keen and students have more options, so we’re out there.”

CSIS operates under the direction of the federal Ministry of Public Safety and adheres to the CSIS Act, the Public Safety Act, the Anti-Terrorism Act and other legislation that governs its activities.

Priorities of its comprehensive mandate include terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, espionage, sabotage, international crime, destabilizing activities that use violence and information security.

Hoag noted the al-Qaida terrorist network has singled out six countries as potential targets and has already attacked four of those nations.

“They’ve named Canada a number of times and that’s not lost on anybody involved in this business. It’s real, it’s relevant, it’s deadly and it’s here to stay.”

According to Hoag, anyone working for CSIS can expect a lot of variety on the job. If you’re big on routine and like going to bed knowing exactly what you’ll be doing the next morning this isn’t the career for you.

For security reasons, the organization won’t discuss ongoing operations, what resources are at its disposal, the composition of its workforce or any information related to “tradecraft” techniques (such as management of information sources, communications intercepts or surveillance tactics).

Employees are rotated regularly among the six Canadian offices, and intelligence officers and support personnel are also posted overseas and in hot spots such as Iraq and Afghanistan. CSIS maintains ties with more than 120 countries and co-operates closely with Canada’s allies on security matters.

• For more information about the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, check the website at www.csis-scrs.gc.ca.

How to make a living as a spy

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is looking for men and women to work as intelligence officers, freelance translators and interpreters, information technology specialists, engineers, scientists, information specialists, communications analysts and surveillants.

Qualifications vary depending on the position, but those who make it through the initial stages of the “suitability interview” process undergo an extensive screening and background check. It might include psychological testing, language tests and a polygraph (lie detector) session. An appearance before a national assessment panel is one of the requirements to obtain Top Secret security clearance.

Successful applicants will demonstrate good judgment, adaptability, strong communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team. A solid understanding of world history and current events is a plus, as is an aptitude for “connecting the dots” between world events and potential implications for Canada’s security.

The screening can take up to a year and if a candidate is accepted, most language and in-house training takes place in the Ottawa region. Most new employees begin their CSIS careers within Canada, but must be willing to relocate or accept a posting overseas.