# Should I even be considering joining CSIS? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 18, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219 "2003-03-18T06:01:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/1 "2003-03-18T06:01:01Z")
I’ve been spending more and more time trying to figure out what I’m going to do with my life. A desk job would drive me insane. I would get very bored with an accounting or programming job. So I got thinking. Maybe I should live the dream and become an agent. At first I considered C.I.A, but a quick look at their websites FAQ showed that not being an American citizen I don’t qualify. So, I decided to look on the home front and discovered that Canada had a agency of its own. CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service). I had only heard of it once before, and that was in passing (its doing a good job of keeping itself a secret ;)). I’ve been looking into it at it seems like something I may like to do. However, CSIS strikes me as a fairly weak agency. You think CIA, you think secret agents and spies. You think CSIS and you get, Those terrorist ain’t good, Eh? I doubt most people even known of their existance, I didn’t. I am aware that this is a government agency and even if I wanted to join, my chances may be slim. But still, its Canada and the screening process may end up being, “Bring beer and your in!”. So what do you think, is it worth looking into or should I drop the whole idea? What have you heard about CSIS before? [CSIS’s Website](http://www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/eng/menu/welcome_e.html) ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/2 "2003-03-18T13:38:45Z")
Well, I don’t think they’d let you in with that attitude. Canada’s ‘secret’ service has been around for a very long time, and you had never heard of them - I guess they’re good enough to keep secrets from you. Besides, the criteria probably isn’t beer, it’s Tim’s. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/3 "2003-03-18T13:39:28Z")
Hell, now I’m thinking about it. 🙂 I’m bored to death of my desk job right now, and want something new. My only problem is that I don’t have a Univ degree, only technical college. I also have a wife and a mortgage, so the moving around part would be a little difficult. It might be worthwhile to apply anyways. It can’t hurt! ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/4 "2003-03-18T15:54:57Z")
So, what would a Canadian James Bond be like? ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/5 "2003-03-18T16:11:09Z")
I’m sure he would be much like the original - only with red hair and a better benefits plan. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/6 "2003-03-18T16:33:28Z")
**Gingy** , surely you’re not dissing the UK NHS! ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/7 "2003-03-18T16:54:34Z")
If you do join up, and it’s not a violation of your security agreement, I’d really like to know if they now include a section in the training on classified documents and why you shouldn’t leave them in your car while watching a hockey game. If you thought CSIS was doing a good job of keeping out of the news, look into the CSE. Those guys are the very definition of low key. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/8 "2003-03-18T18:56:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > \*\ ***Gingy** , surely you’re not dissing the UK NHS! \*\* On the contrary. I was complimenting the Federal Employees Benefit plan - which is not only incredibly comprehensive, but extends to same-sex partners. Booyah! Go Canada! ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/9 "2003-03-18T23:29:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slortar \* > \*\*So, what would a Canadian James Bond be like? \*\* Very polite. > [@](#): > > If you do join up, and it’s not a violation of your security agreement, I’d really like to know if they now include a section in the training on classified documents and why you shouldn’t leave them in your car while watching a hockey game. Actually, thats where I first heard of them from. I thought it was a baseball game though. So far this is all just speculation. I’m worried that CSIS may just be a backwater type of organization that really doesn’t do anything, and is just there so Canadians can claim that they have their own spy type agency. However, it could be like the SAS, very low key, but extremely good at what they do. The fact that the site was last updated 2 years ago give a vibe that they’re not taking pride in it. Thats not good. Oh well, any other info anybody has is welcome. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/10 "2003-03-19T02:08:34Z")
I know that my best friend is interested in sociology/criminology (social deviance, specifically, I think - I’m a chemist, I have no clue what shes talking about half the time). Anyways, she wants to work for CSIS and is quite enthusiastic about it. I have no idea how much shes looked into it, but I think it is an agency that does have people working in a field that interests her. Not much info for you, but there it is. ---
**Author:** ![Willy\_ph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ea5d25/32.png) [@Willy\_ph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Willy_ph)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-even-be-considering-joining-csis/162219/11 "2003-03-19T04:38:53Z")
I have a neighbour up the street who works for CSIS. At one point he was an agent, but apart from that I have no idea what he does. He’s always at home aside from a couple weeks of the year.