The CSIS Leaks That Rocked Parliament Didn't Tell the Whole Story | The Walrus

"“Leak” once had a singular meaning: danger, even death, as a ship floundered, water rushing in. By the mid-nineteenth century, the word caught up with politics, signalling a different kind of peril: the seepage of government secrets through strategic disclosures by officials or whistleblowers."

"Breaches of confidentiality are often the source of media-reported government scandals. Leaks may not always be true or credible, and the rush to publish stories can overwhelm verification efforts. Journalistic best practice is to remain skeptical, consider witness credibility, and demand proof."

"One of the earliest major leaks in Canada turned into the Pacific Scandal. In 1873, newspapers published telegrams showing that Prime Minister John A. Macdonald and his allies accepted campaign funds from railway financier Hugh Allan in exchange for the Canadian Pacific Railway contract. It triggered a parliamentary inquiry and brought down Macdonald's government."

"In 2019, leaks to the Globe and Mail alleged officials in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office pressured attorney general and justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to intervene in the prosecution of SNC-Lavalin. This set off a national crisis, an ethics investigation, and cabinet resignations-including her own."

“Leak” originally meant danger and death as a ship took on water. By the mid-nineteenth century, the term came to mean the peril of government secrets seeping out through disclosures by officials or whistleblowers. Breaches of confidentiality often underlie media-reported government scandals, including major political embarrassments in Canada. Leaks may not always be true or credible, and the speed of publication can outpace verification. Journalistic best practice is to remain skeptical, evaluate witness credibility, and demand proof. Early Canadian examples include the Pacific Scandal, where published telegrams linked campaign funding to a railway contract and toppled a government. Later cases include the Sponsorship scandal, the Airbus bribery scandal, and the SNC-Lavalin controversy, along with national security reporting such as the F-35 contract.

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