Canada’s controversial NSA Daniel Jean set to retire

Jean was the official considered responsible for floating the theory that “rogue elements” in the Indian establishment tried to sabotage Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit in February.

Daniel Jean, Canada’s top spymaster and the official considered responsible for floating the theory that “rogue elements” in the Indian establishment tried to sabotage Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit in February, will retire later this month.

Jaspal Atwal (right) with his lawyer Rishi T Gill at a news conference in Vancouver on March, 8, 2018. (AP)

He will be replaced as the National Security and Intelligence Advisor by the current cyber-security chief, Greta Bossenmaier.

Jean’s retirement is not linked to the controversial episode that impacted relations between India and Canada since he made the decision in January, prior to the Jaspal Atwal affair.

Atwal, a former Khalistani militant, was convicted of attempting to assassinate a visiting minister from Punjab in the mid-1980s. He caused serious embarrassment to Trudeau during the course of the disastrous trip to India, when Atwal appeared at an official reception for the Canadian prime minister in Mumbai and was also invited to another event at the Canadian envoy’s residence in New Delhi.

While the latter invite was rescinded, it was only after Canadian media was awash with the expose, one that left its government red-faced. At that time, Jean had briefed select Canadian journalists, alleging that rogue factions within the Indian establishment had planted Atwal in India to sabotage Trudeau’s visit.

Later, Trudeau backed Jean in the House of Commons, further hurting ties between New Delhi and Ottawa.

Last month, during the course of public testimony before the House of Commons’ public safety and national security committee, Jean averred he “never” raised a “conspiracy theory” and said “it was definitely not the government of India”.

Canadian media later revealed that even parts of this testimony may have been inaccurate, like the date when the intelligence set-up became aware of the invitation extended to Atwal.

Jean faced much criticism over the Atwal episode. Commentator Terry Glavin, writing in Maclean’s, was unsparing: “Daniel Jean is a career bureaucrat who came to Canada’s top job in national security and intelligence out of his post as deputy foreign affairs minister in May 2016, with no discernible credentials in either national security or intelligence.”

Others such as British Columbia’s former premier Ujjal Dosanjh said Jean should have resigned since he had “absolutely no credibility”. Dosanjh added, “He tried to do the government’s bidding, which is unacceptable for a National Security Advisor. An NSA should speak truth to power and he only spoke for the power.”

Earlier, Jean and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval agreed on a path-breaking Framework for Cooperation on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism, a bilateral document released after Trudeau met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Jean’s replacement as NSA, Greta Bossenmaier, has a long track record in the national security establishment. She has been chief of Canada’s Communications Security Establishment since February 2015.

Before that, she worked in various capacities, and among her postings were those at the Canada Border Services Agency and the departments of national defence and foreign affairs and international trade. She will assume charge as NSA on May 23.

The tumultuous last couple of months have cast a shadow over Jean’s 35-year tenure in Canadian public service. Jean, appointed as NSA post in May 2016, was commended by Trudeau for “an exceptional career”, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office,