Book Review: Spying 101

Photograph of the book cover for the book entitled "Spying 101: The RCMP's Secret Activities at Canadian Universities, 1917 - 1997" by Steve Hewitt

 

 

Recently, a Veteran discovered a book at the Canadian War Museum which sparked his interest.  The book is entitled “Spying 101: The RCMP’s Secret Activities At Canadian Universities, 1917 – 1997” by Steve Hewitt.

Based on a suggestion, we had two ex-Security Service members review the book and they provided their comments.

 

 

 

Over the past fifty years, there have been many books written about the RCMP Security Service.  The following is a list of these books:

– “Portrait Of A Spy: RCMP Intelligence – The Inside Story” by Ian Adams;

– “Nobody Said No: The Real Story About How The Mounties Always Get Their Man” by Jeff Sallot;

– “RCMP: The RCMP vs The People” By Edward Mann and John ALan Lee;

– “For Services Rendered Bennett, Leslie James and the RCMP Security Services” by John Sawatsky;

– “Man In The Shadows” by John Sawatsky.

As compare to the above noted books, Steve Hewitt has conducted a comprehensive research through the government records and appears to have interviewed some retired RCMP Security members to compile this book.

The book outlines the development and evolution of the RCMP Security Service from its beginnings in 1917 through to the eventual disbanding of Security Service and the take over of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). For the first time, this book contains the most comprehensive historical account of the RCMP Security Service.

As noted by the subtitle of the book, the primary topic of examination is Security Services’ Key Sector and the monitoring of university students in Canada.

The assessment of the two ex-Security Service members was “the book provides a very objective assessment on the activities of Security Service members.”  In fact, one of the members who reviewed this book discovered an extract from one of his reports in the book.  According to this ex-Security Service member, “the author had either access to declassified information and/or received information from another ex-Security Service member in researching for the book.”

For any ex-Security Service member, they may wish to search out for a copy of this book.