Thread by @smsaideman

I am late to today's #OttawaConference as I had class and now I can't seem to get in. Sorry to miss @sekreps and @SheenaGreitens. Hopefully I will be able to get into the event for @MercedesGlobal 's panel.

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal Glad to get access and see @sekreps argue against fighting the last war, that we should not apply old lessons. And be wary of giving private sector much of the responsibility to deal with tech threats.
#OttawaConference day 2 2/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal SPNET's Kash Khorasani goes next and presents a lot of info that I can't summarize quickly here (I am still in post-class zoom fog).

#OttawaConference 3/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal Next panel is Right wing extremism in Canada chaired by LtG (ret) Christine Whitecross. She cites Canadian Patrick Mathews who organized stuff in US--that the groups are interconnected.
She cites social media's role in all of it and Barb Perry's work
#OttawaConference 4/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal First up is American U's DR. Cynthia Miller-Idriss discusses how rw extremism is a wide variety of stuff. Most sig threat--far right white supremacist but it intersects with other forms. Messy. She uses white supremacist extremisms. 5/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal Miller-Idriss emphasizes ws extremism is global and discusses the idealogies involved.

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal Lot of folks not associated with groups but challenges law enforcement when attacks are not directed through groups
#OttawaConference 6/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal Idriss-Miller: Far right terrorism is rising while other sources are not.

COVID-19 has created conditions for radicalization, anti-asian hate and anti-semitism
#OttawaConference 7/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal .@milleridriss 's lab has stuff on social media. If individuals have high levels of participation online--trolling, doxxing, Gab--they have greater likelihood to engage more stuff.
Humor has been weaponized in online youth spaces.

#OttawaConference 8/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss She addresses the plausible deniability--threats through emojis or Minecraft--and damn this is disturbing even though @milleridriss is only touching the surface
#OttawaConference 9/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Next up is Barb Perry who leads a MINDS funded network on Hateful Conduct and appeared on #BattleRhythm a few months ago.

She starts by noting Canada's # of extremist groups are proportionate to the US.
#OttawaConference 10/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Perry shows how the manosphere or incel folks are linked to white supremacy--got to make sure white women breed white kids to keep from being replaced

#OttawaConference 11/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Accelerationists tend to have military ties, heavily armed and they see their role in bringing on the race war--accelerating it. So, super scary.

#OttawaConference 12/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Barb then shows distribution across Canada

#OttawaConference 13/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Perry hows that the violence is much more right wing than Islamist--120 to 8 since 1980
the mass shooters of late--far right homicides, folks who consumed online Islamophobia

#OttawaConference 14/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Perry addresses the CAF problem:
groups claiming members in the CAF
groups recruit from CAF--the Base
report of 53 CAF members affiliated with hate groups/crimes
plus key cases
and presence of military members may increase propensity for violence

#OttawaConference 15/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss next up is former RCMP commissioner Robert Paulson

Police have ample tools to deal with crime. Our hate laws are strong although rarely use them.

#OttawaConference 16/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Barb Perry argues we have strong definitions of hate speech. It is not that blurry if we look at court decisions.

We are not talking about offensive speech but dangerous--hallmarks of hate--that are menacing.

#OttawaConference 17/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss .@milleridriss says schools, unis, etc can do more on stuff in school.

But what about online context? Profile picks, zoom backgrounds--policies have not kept up.
But there are options to set community standards within groups

#OttawaConference 18/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss .@milleridriss not a lot of evidence about what works to deradicalize, de mythologize conspiracy theory stuff

testing innoculation style interventions--what does propaganda look like
--super interesting!

#OttawaConference 19/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss A key dynamic @milleridriss is that folks want to feel like they are heroes so efforts to get early folks to think of other ways to be heroic (have them hang out with firefighters, etc)

#OttawaConference 20/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Paulson calls for regulation of the internet. There need to be limits.

#OttawaConference 21/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Next panel is Gender and Op culture in the CAF, moderated by @MercedesGlobal featuring the CDSN's Alan Okros, Rear Admiral Rebecca Patterson of CAF Health Services and LCol Sarah Heer, commander of Op Unifier (the Ukraine training mission)

#OttawaConference 22/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Starting with Admiral Patterson--death by a thousand cuts (the conference theme) applies to these issues [which can be read in multiple ways]

#OttawaConference 23/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Patterson discusses that we had a very traditional linear approach, and we recognized that wasn't working. Conducted a lot of research, external CAF center for expertise, sought external reviews, comparison.
Sexual Misconduct Response Centre is to help individuals but also revu

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Is op honor working?
No, misconduct has not been eliminated
but some stuff is working
have to challenge how we think about ops.
this is not a simple mission to be achieved.
sexual misconduct is symptom of greater cultural issues in CAF

#OttawaConference 25/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Is CAF capable of changing the culture? She operated in airborne regiment in Somalia, was pulled into the commission studying that.
Profoundly difficult, that the CAF emerged stronger from that.
Which suggests that we need to do that again. Oh my.

#OttawaConference 26/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Patterson is super formidable. The idea that we know that we need cultural change is striking but not sure how widely to be shared.
next up LCol Heer, leading the training mission in Ukraine

#OttawaConference 27/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Heer views that we need to stay the course, should not scrap the current effort, but branding could be considered.
Reactions: we are angry that there are generalizations made about women as victims and men as perps.
We see op honor working, junior folks are correcting peers

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss More willingness to report.

But still fear to report, concern about whether stuff will be confidential, concern that action might not happen.
Our troops don't know what resources are available. Yearly is not sufficient.
We are not trained how to react
#OttawaConference 29/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Heer--I focus on the stuff on my level.
power and trust
power: imbalance is natural but we need to avoid abuse.
She has always felt she could use her voice but only realized recently that others don't feel so free.
Responsibility to command requires humility,

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Heer
Trust is required to do our missions.
A lot of members fear open discussion, fear repercussion when discussing this stuff.
CO's are doing all kinds of stuff to allow the conversation.
Not just CDS/DM to fix
My responsibility, all unit leaders are responsible.
31/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Heer: We can't wait for dinosaurs to die off as they create new dinosaurs. Getting rid of inappropriate mindsets in any generation.

Really glad she could appear from Ukraine, as Heer said a lot in very little time
#OttawaConference 31/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Misnumbering... ooops
next up is NCM (NCO to Americans) Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Gille Gregoire.
Refers to rot in our culture.
We can't accept abuse of power he says.
Must trust and protect the people who come forward
This is a confidence moment
#OttawaConference 33/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss Alan Okros, again a @CdsnRcds co-director, talks about how the path to dignity is still too narrow, we need cultural change
1. We need to protect rep of those who file complaints
2. Restoring small unit cohesion
3. Recognize damage done by sexual trauma
#OttawaConference 34/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss @CdsnRcds career success requires masculine ways of acting, reacting
focus on warrior as dominance needs to change
provide agency to those
harmed
Move from duty to report to duty to respond.
Lots of social power being used in ways that are problematic
#OttawaConference 35/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss @CdsnRcds Okros: we need to focus on legitimacy, not just effectiveness. This is not new--focus on operational effectiveness that lead to policies that harm women has long been criticized.
If CAF leaders can't make real progress, authority of CDS to self-regulate is at risk 36/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss @CdsnRcds Mercedes: what affect of allegations against senior officers do on morale?
Patterson: do we take action? What is compelling is that we are addressing these complaints.
Sense of betrayal--are you walking the walk?

#OttawaConference 37/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss @CdsnRcds CPO Gregoire: asked if there is a double standard, says no, whoever commits an incident is treated seriously, officer or enlisted.
Patterson: people are reporting, which is significant.
But folks don't feel comfortable coming to the chain of command. 38/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss @CdsnRcds Heer: we had to address the issue after Mercedes broke the story.
We had open conversations, then asked them to reflect, what is their role moving forward

#OttawaConference 39/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss @CdsnRcds Mercedes: can military fix itself?
Okros: we need outside perspectives to address the stuff that "taken for granted" stuff. That stuff is entrenched that prevents the military to adapt.

maybe like privileging the pointiest end of the military to define the rest I wonder
40/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss @CdsnRcds Okros: is the criteria getting the job done or getting it done while leaving the team healthy and whole?
It is about the context that individuals are placed in, so that we send the right signals about what is rewarded, etc.
#OttawaConference 41/x

@sekreps @SheenaGreitens @MercedesGlobal @milleridriss @CdsnRcds Heer asked if this is an age thing, and she indicates that she had good old folks mentoring her. They are not all dinosaurs.

Okros: military engages in myth making, but when the seniors believe the myths and don't confront the reality. Which is why we need outside views.

Gregoire: if you follow the book Duty with Honor and follow it, you can't get in trouble.

My view--rules are cool, but that is about doing the minimum, not really dealing with attitudes/values.

#OttawaConference 42/x

Patterson--there is a great desire to do this better, to get outside expertise, to dig through this culture. We are at an inflection point.
#OttawaConference 43/x

Now the acting CDS LtG Eyre who begins with a territorial acknowledgement. Last night was 2 weeks since he was named.
We need to establish our rhythm ( #BattleRhythm you say).
Was reluctant to take the job but love the institution and service.
#OttawaConference 44/x

The last few weeks have been distressing in defence community
Asked subordinates to have conversations about how people are feeling about these events.
Shock, disappointment, betrayal, sadness, questioning of identity, determination to imrpove

#OttawaConference 45/x

Amid the storm, we must change.
We need to modify our culture.
Our culture is exclusionary, contributes to permissive environment of racism, harassment, ...
it is systemic.

#OttawaConference 46/x

Eyre: there are still people who perpetrate harm, barriers to inclusion, fears of reprisal. This must change.
I am determined to listen to learn and to regain trust in leadership.

leadership that understands the difference between use and abuse of power.

He is talking a good game, very passionate and admits much that needs to be fixed. Is clearer than other folks that the culture itself is the problem. Not aspects, not bubbles, but the culture as a whole.
Talking about abuse of power is key. 48/x

#OttawaConference 48/x

He turns to the pandemic. We repatriated Canadian abroad, helped in the northern communities, 54 long term care facilities, transport people, vax distribution,
[lousy translator as Eyre goes into and out of French]
wellness of the CAF is key
#OttawaConference 49/x

Pandemic has affected readiness--recruitment impaired, draw on health services, exercises have been postponed.

Striking that he is admitting this. That we need to rebuild readiness.

50/x

Eyre talks about his time in South Korea giving him perspective on the thin lines between war and peace.

51/x

then he goes onto discuss extremism, saying he read @milleridriss 's book over the winter break.
no place for this extremism is in our ranks. Addressing hateful conduct is on all of us. Complicity is not acceptable. We define what we stand against and must follow through

CAF has had half the rate of infections as the rest of Canada.

Eyre talks of supply chain challenges. Alas our effort to do research on that was not funded.

53/x

This speech is quite good--heartfelt and on target. He finishes with discussion of being accountable. "I don't know how long I will bein this post, but it doesn't matter as" it is about the institution, not me.

Last word is Miigwetch, a Ojibwe word for thank you.

the proof is in the pudding, but it is a very good start.

And now it is time for me to make some chocolate chip cookie dough pots to mark the year of quarantine.

Be well!

54/x

and yes, i lost the feed so i don't know who the Goddard award winner is.