Dimitri Lascaris, a well-known anti-war activist, journalist, and runner-up in the 2020 Green Party leadership race, has publicly condemned Elizabeth May’s proposal to involve CSIS in screening future Green Party leadership candidates.
In a statement posted to X, Lascaris called out CSIS’s history of misconduct, citing multiple federal court rulings that have exposed the agency’s unlawful actions, institutional failures, and bias. He also accused May of aligning herself with an organization that has a history of discrimination and dishonesty rather than standing up for democratic principles.
CSIS’s Troubling Track Record
Lascaris pointed to several court rulings that have criticized CSIS for its abuses:
• 2024: A Federal Court judge rebuked CSIS for failing to meet its obligations regarding judicial warrants and the handling of Canadians’ personal data, calling it an “institutional failing.”
• 2020: Another federal ruling found that CSIS had relied on information likely collected illegally to support surveillance warrants.
• 2016: The Federal Court ruled that CSIS illegally retained electronic data about individuals who posed no security threat and failed to disclose this program to the court.
• 2017: CSIS settled a $35 million lawsuit after employees—including Black, Muslim, and LGBTQ officers—filed complaints of systemic racism and discrimination.
• 2021: A Muslim senior intelligence officer warned that racism inside CSIS was a national security threat that endangered Canada’s Muslim communities.
Lascaris also referenced Justice Marie-Josée Hogue’s Foreign Interference Inquiry, in which she warned against blindly trusting intelligence agencies. In her report, Hogue wrote:
“Intelligence has inherent limits and weaknesses, and it must be approached with caution… Particular caution is needed when relying on intelligence to take measures that will negatively impact someone.”
Lascaris argued that May’s proposal ignores this warning, calling CSIS “a disgraceful agency with a blatantly neoconservative bias.”
Why Is May Pushing for CSIS Vetting?
For Lascaris, the answer is simple: Elizabeth May is ideologically aligned with CSIS.
“Why does Elizabeth May nonetheless want this disgraceful agency to screen leadership candidates?” he wrote. “I’ll tell you why: because Elizabeth May is ideologically aligned with CSIS.”
His criticism comes amid growing backlashagainst May’s leadership. As previously reported by Global Green News, members have accused her of consolidating control over the party, bypassing democratic processes, and shifting the party toward militarism.
As Lascaris’ statement suggests, May’s push for CSIS vetting of leadership candidates is just the latest move that undermines the Green Party’s grassroots, democratic values. Whether party members will accept this drastic shift—or push back against it—remains to be seen.
