May 23: Ogdensburg Historical Museum Fenians exhibition

OGDENSBURG, N.Y. (WWTI) – An exhibition led by former Canadian intelligence analyst Phil Gurski will delve into the level of threat posed by Fenians from northern New York state at the Ogdensburg Historical Museum on Thursday, May 23 at 6 p.m. Gurski will examine the sentiments of residents on both sides of the border towards Fenians and question whether they were Canada’s first “terrorists.”

The Fenians were a group of Irish Americans who looked to pressure England into granting Ireland independence, posed a significant threat to the young nation of Canada in the late 19th century. From 1865 to 1870, the Canadian government was on high alert, recruiting troops across the border to deter any potential invasion from the Fenians.

Gurski, president and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd., has extensive experience in the national security and terrorism fields. He worked as a senior strategic analyst at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and as a senior multilingual analyst at the Communications Security Establishment. He is also the author of six books, including “The Peaceable Kingdom? A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the present.”

The event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Ogdensburg Historical Museum, 206 Ford St. For additional information you can contact Julie Madlin at jmmadlin@gmail.com or 315-528-0733.

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