Network: CBC Television Network
Broadcast Run: 1981
Broadcast Medium: Television
Aired Sunday nights from October 18 to November 1, 1981.
This program was a 3-part exploration of Canada’s security problems
from 1945 to 1981. It was produced by the CBC and the National
Film Board of Canada. The writer and director of the three films was Donald
Brittain, one of the best directors to chronicle the history of Canada.
For this series Brittain gathered new material, archival footage and
portions of fictional movies to tell the story of national security
and its effect on civil liberties.
The series was produced by Donald Brittain, Roger Hart, and James
Littleton, and the executive producers were Adam Symansky for the NFB
and Paul Wright for the CBC.
Episodes:
1] The Most Dangerous Spy. The story of Igor Gouzenko, Soviet spy, who
defected to Canada in 1946.
2] A Blanket of Ice. The history of the Cold War and investigations
into the civil service, as well as the RCMP’s covert activities. This
program also included an examination of the October 1970 crisis when the War Measures Act was imposed to battle the FLQ.
3] Shadows of a Horseman. The origins and growth of the RCMP as a political police force outside the law from the late 1960s to the present, based on reports from the McDonald Commission.
Written by John Corcelli – November, 2005