The head of a federal IT agency, Paul Glover, says his work is so secret he couldn’t comment on his own department’s press releases, says Blacklock’s Reporter..Glover invoked national security on Wednesday in refusing to tell Parliament the location of government data centres – even as MPs pointed out the street addresses were searchable on Google..“As a member of the executive branch my responsibility is to protect national security and confidential business information,” said Glover, the $273,000-a year head of Shared Services Canada..The agency in a report to the Commons government operations committee censored the locations of federal data centres that manage government servers..“We do not disclose certain information that would frankly be a playbook for those people who wish to attack our network,” said Glover. “.“That would be national security. The location of the data centres, those are assets.”.“You mention national security often,” replied Conservative MP Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West)..“How many people know of the data centre locations?”:.President Glover: “I would imagine it’s quite a few…”MP McCauley: “Members of Parliament cannot be trusted with that but I assume someone who’s done drywall at the place knows where the locations are…”President Glover: “Just to be clear on the drywall comment, the people, the trades in there would not know the purpose of that building. They would be under secret orders.”MP McCauley: “Are you serious?”.McCauley said the agency on January 22, 2020, published a Request For Information to contractors that listed street addresses for three data servers at 200 Lépine Avenue in Gatineau, Que., 505 Bayview Drive in Barrie, Ont. and 14 Centurion Close in Borden, Ont..“Perhaps the Russians or the Communist Party of China could find your offices through Google,” said McCauley..“Why is this confidential information?” asked Conservative MP Rachael Harder (Lethbridge, Alta.)..“That would be national security,” replied Glover..Harder confirmed Glover’s agency issued a September 17, 2018 news release announcing the opening of the Borden data centre..“It gives the location. I can just go online right now and Google it,” said Harder.. Federal IT head says his work so secret he can’t comment on his department’s press releases .“We would consider that of national significance and security and would not proactively disclose that, absolutely,” said Glover..“I would not perpetuate that.”.“There was a press release. The centre is the Borden centre,” said Harder..Glover replied: “I’m not going to comment further.”.“Did the department breach national security or is the witness trying to mislead the committee right now by giving information that is false? It has to be one or the other,” said Harder..“I can assure you I am in no way attempting to mislead the committee in any of my answers, absolutely not,” replied Glover..New Democrat MP Matthew Green (Hamilton Centre, Ont.) told the committee he was struck by “what I consider to be an increasing violation of transparency and open government from a government that claims to be open by default.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
The head of a federal IT agency, Paul Glover, says his work is so secret he couldn’t comment on his own department’s press releases, says Blacklock’s Reporter..Glover invoked national security on Wednesday in refusing to tell Parliament the location of government data centres – even as MPs pointed out the street addresses were searchable on Google..“As a member of the executive branch my responsibility is to protect national security and confidential business information,” said Glover, the $273,000-a year head of Shared Services Canada..The agency in a report to the Commons government operations committee censored the locations of federal data centres that manage government servers..“We do not disclose certain information that would frankly be a playbook for those people who wish to attack our network,” said Glover. “.“That would be national security. The location of the data centres, those are assets.”.“You mention national security often,” replied Conservative MP Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West)..“How many people know of the data centre locations?”:.President Glover: “I would imagine it’s quite a few…”MP McCauley: “Members of Parliament cannot be trusted with that but I assume someone who’s done drywall at the place knows where the locations are…”President Glover: “Just to be clear on the drywall comment, the people, the trades in there would not know the purpose of that building. They would be under secret orders.”MP McCauley: “Are you serious?”.McCauley said the agency on January 22, 2020, published a Request For Information to contractors that listed street addresses for three data servers at 200 Lépine Avenue in Gatineau, Que., 505 Bayview Drive in Barrie, Ont. and 14 Centurion Close in Borden, Ont..“Perhaps the Russians or the Communist Party of China could find your offices through Google,” said McCauley..“Why is this confidential information?” asked Conservative MP Rachael Harder (Lethbridge, Alta.)..“That would be national security,” replied Glover..Harder confirmed Glover’s agency issued a September 17, 2018 news release announcing the opening of the Borden data centre..“It gives the location. I can just go online right now and Google it,” said Harder.. Federal IT head says his work so secret he can’t comment on his department’s press releases .“We would consider that of national significance and security and would not proactively disclose that, absolutely,” said Glover..“I would not perpetuate that.”.“There was a press release. The centre is the Borden centre,” said Harder..Glover replied: “I’m not going to comment further.”.“Did the department breach national security or is the witness trying to mislead the committee right now by giving information that is false? It has to be one or the other,” said Harder..“I can assure you I am in no way attempting to mislead the committee in any of my answers, absolutely not,” replied Glover..New Democrat MP Matthew Green (Hamilton Centre, Ont.) told the committee he was struck by “what I consider to be an increasing violation of transparency and open government from a government that claims to be open by default.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694