From Soviet Surveillance to Canadian Compliance: Is Canada Recreating the Soviet "First Department"?

Thoughts from personal experience living in the USSR: What parallels exist between Soviet-era academic monitoring and modern Canadian public service enforcement?

From family archives of the author: Summer 1985.

In the Soviet Union, every major institution—universities, factories, research centers—had what was widely known as the First Department (первый отдел). These departments, overseen by the KGB, were responsible for maintaining ideological conformity and ensuring loyalty to the Communist Party.

I studied at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MFTI) from 1988 to 1993 and remember the ever-present sense of being watched. The First Department office had no sign, only a padded leather door. We rarely saw who worked inside, but everyone knew: they had access to every file, every whisper, every potential deviation from Party loyalty.

The department:

• Reviewed academic publications for ideological purity

• Approved (or blocked) foreign travel

• Controlled access to classified work

• Monitored students and professors for political reliability

These were not theoretical powers—they affected real lives, real careers, and often led to exile or professional oblivion.

Today in Canada, are we seeing something similar?

A Modern Echo: Labor Relations in Canadian Institutions

Labor Relations Offices in Canada—especially within federal institutions—are officially tasked with addressing workplace conduct and facilitating collective agreements. But is that all they do?

Some employees report being disciplined for expressing views that diverge from official government messaging. Others face investigations for social media posts or private conversations deemed "problematic."

Could it be that Labor Relations departments now play a role similar to the First Department—monitoring political alignment and punishing nonconformity?

Questions We Must Ask

Who oversees these offices? In the USSR, the First Department was part of the KGB. In Canada, Labor Relations is managed through the Treasury Board and internal HR divisions. But are the parallels deeper than organizational structure?

What was the stated purpose of the First Department? To protect ideological purity and state secrecy. And in Canada? Officially, it’s to uphold respectful workplace conduct. But is this being interpreted—or misused—as a tool to enforce political alignment?

In the Soviet Union, the First Department targeted dissent, non-conformist thought, and foreign contact. Are Canadian employees being similarly monitored for non-mainstream opinions or criticism of policy?

The Soviet apparatus used files, informants, and restrictions to suppress deviation. Today in Canada, we hear of disciplinary letters, internal investigations, and suspensions. Are these enforcement mechanisms, even if softer, being deployed in ways that mirror past authoritarian tendencies?

These are not accusations. They are questions—urgent, uncomfortable, and necessary.

Why This Matters

History shows us that systems of ideological enforcement don’t always start with jackboots and barbed wire. Often, they begin with a well-intentioned commitment to "unity" or "safety." But once dissent becomes punishable, freedom begins to erode.

Are we seeing the early warning signs?
Are we repeating a mistake that Eastern Europe paid dearly for?

Sources for Historical Context

• KGB Lexicon: The Soviet Intelligence Officer’s Handbook (Routledge, 1993)

• Mitrokhin Archive, Cambridge University — documentation of Soviet surveillance structures

• Memoirs of Soviet scientists who describe firsthand the influence of the First Department in universities and labs (e.g., Zhores Medvedev, Ten Years After, 1973)

• Article on First Department in Soviet Institutions (Russia Beyond)

• History of Soviet Censorship in Academia

Contemporary Canadian References

• Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector

• Federal court rulings on dismissal due to political expression (e.g., 2021 FC 1165)

• Whistleblower protection reports from the Senate and PIPSC (2022–2024)

For Further Viewing and Context

Short videos for quick insight:

• What is the KGB and Why is it so Feared? (Simple History) – 7-minute overview of KGB power and influence.

• Rare Footage of KGB Training (ITN Archive) – Archival glimpse into the indoctrination of KGB officers.

• The Man Who Killed Millions Trying to Grow Food (Vsauce2) – How ideological conformity in Soviet science had deadly consequences.

Long-form videos for deeper understanding:

• The KGB and Western Plots Against the Soviet Union (Hoover Institution) – 40-minute expert discussion on KGB’s psychological control.

• Sword & Shield: History of the KGB (Free Documentary) – A full history of KGB operations, including domestic ideological control.

• The KGB Connections (1982) – Cold War documentary highlighting internal and international KGB tactics.

We should not dismiss these similarities too quickly. Even democratic systems can drift. The key is vigilance, transparency, and the courage to ask difficult questions—before silent enforcement becomes systemic censorship.

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Disclaimer

This article's opinions are that of the author, not of any institution. It is not for legal or medical advice.

Acknowledgment

This article is written based on my personal experience living in the USSR, with assistance from ChatGPT for editing: “Write a Substack article comparing the Soviet 'First Department' with the role of modern Canadian labor relations offices, reframed in the form of open inquiry and historical caution, and include related video references.

Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) photo archives (1989): Left - my classmates, including the now renown economist in exile Dr. Sergej Guriev, Right - in dormitory with my room mate Denis Starozhuk - now successful businessman in Kelowna, Canada.

From family archives: at Dolgoproudny streets at MIPT, 1988.

UPDATED: The following follow-up article was written to further examine the lessons from Soviet history to Canadian presence:

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