Reid Morden

Reid Morden
OC
2nd Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
In office
1988–1992
Prime MinisterBrian Mulroney
Minister
Preceded byTed Finn
Succeeded byRay Protti
Personal details
Born
John Reid Morden

(1941-06-17)June 17, 1941
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
DiedMay 7, 2024(2024-05-07) (aged 82)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma materDalhousie University

John Reid Morden OC (June 17, 1941 – May 7, 2024) was a Canadian civil servant who was the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service from 1988 to 1992. From 1991 to 1994, Morden served as deputy minister of foreign affairs.

Early life and education

Morden was born on June 17, 1941, in Hamilton, Ontario. As a child, he moved to Montreal, Quebec before moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia.[1]

Morden graduated from Dalhousie University in 1963 with a bachelor of laws. He later received an honorary doctorate of law from Dalhousie.

Career

Morden started his career with the Canadian Department of External Affairs. His first posting was in Pakistan.[1] From 1991 to 1994, Morden served as deputy minister of foreign affairs.

Morden was named director of CSIS in 1988 and served in that capacity for four years.[2] While there, he oversaw the destruction of security files for John Diefenbaker, Lester B. Pearson and Pierre Elliott Trudeau on January 30, 1989.[3]

Later he caused a stir by defending former director Ted Finn's erasing of 156 tapes of evidence before the Air India inquiry.[4][5][6]

In addition, Morden has served as president of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited from 1994 to 1998. He also worked in the private sector with Kroll and KPMG Forensic Inc.[7] In June 2005, Morden was appointed to assist the commission of inquiry dealing with the case of Maher Arar.[8]

Death

Morden died in Toronto, Ontario, on May 7, 2024, at the age of 82.[1][8]

Awards

In 1999, Morden was made a member of the Order of Canada.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c "John Reid Morden". The Globe and Mail. May 11, 2024. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024 – via Legacy.com.
  2. ^ Arnold, Janice (November 23, 2016). "Media monitor marks 18 years of counter-terror efforts". Canadian Jewish News. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  3. ^ Bronskill, Jim (July 26, 2019). "Secret spy file on Pierre Trudeau was almost spared from destruction: memo". Lethbridge News Now. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  4. ^ "Crime Files: What did CSIS know?". CBC News. August 27, 2003. Archived from the original on July 1, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  5. ^ Maralek, Victor; Matas, Robert (June 11, 2003). "Ex-CSIS watchdog scorns RCMP's Air-India accusations". The Globe and Mail.
  6. ^ "Air-India Bombing Case - McLellan Passes Buck To Bob Rae". Weekly Voice. April 30, 2005.
  7. ^ "Reid Morden". Canadian Defense & Foreign Affairs Institute. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Rubin, Josh (May 10, 2024). "Former diplomat, CSIS head Reid Morden dead at 82". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  9. ^ "Mr. John Reid Morden". The Governor General of Canada. October 21, 1999.