From Canadian Federal security & AI contractor to "Gleeful profiteers of Trumps Police State", this is Palantir
The second is from an article published on Mother Jones, February 6th, 2025 (last week as of this post). The headline reads, "The Gleeful Profiteers of Trump's Police State: Palantir’s stock soared this week as its CEO cheerfully screamed, “We’re doin’ it,” on an investor call—clarifying that “it” includes “on occasion” killing people."
I'm not a journalist but I am completely gobsmacked that this isn't a five alarm emergency given what's happening in the US. So here I am, a single mom on Blogger, trying to clarify things for folks in the back (which appears to be everyone???).
2017
A 2017 CBC article announced Palantir's arrival in Canada with the headline, "A secretive Silicon Valley tech giant set up shop in Canada. But what does it do? Palantir — co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel — has helped spies, banks, even Hershey, trawl through data."
"The company was co-founded in 2004 by billionaire Peter Thiel — previously the co-founder of PayPal — and now an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump.Financial institutions are said to use Palantir's software to detect fraud and cyberattacks, while pharmaceutical researchers have been sold on its potential to more speedily discover new drugs. Hershey says Palantir has helped it sell more chocolate. The CIA and FBI are reported to have used it to track terrorists, criminals, and more.
Palantir has spent the past few years trying to move beyond lucrative government contracts into the private sector, as it builds toward a long-awaited IPO. And by the company's own account, Canada is an important part of those plans — "a major player in our global operations," according to a testimonial on Palantir's website."
2019
As per the 2019 Open Canada article, where Palantir is again described as "deeply secretive":
"...when Palantir decided to formally open a Canadian wing, there were few figures more suited to navigating that government relationship than David MacNaughton.
MacNaughton served as Canada’s ambassador to the United States for most of the Trudeau government’s tenure, becoming both Ottawa’s point person on managing the thorny relationship with the Trump White House and a trusted domestic advisor to the prime minister.
His appointment as the head of Canadian operations for Palantir, made public on August 9, is a clear sign from the Palo Alto company that, even as other big tech firms mark their independence from central governments, Palantir sees itself as being closely married to the state.
MacNaughton announced his resignation the day before, saying he would be “taking up a new challenge in the private sector” and stating that he would stay on as ambassador until the end of August. It is unclear what kind of interaction he may have had with Palantir while still serving the Canadian government that month."
The article notes Calgary Police Services were early adopters of Palantir software (as of 2013).
Nevertheless, by June 2019, The Logic shared this exclusive: "Controversial data-mining firm Palantir signs million-dollar deal with defence department".
"The defence department has signed a million-dollar contract with controversial data-mining company Palantir Technologies, The Logic has learned.
It’s the first time the federal government has disclosed working with the Palo Alto, Calif.-based firm. The contract comes as Ottawa is increasing its use of data and artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing that it wants to do so ethically and transparently.
Palantir has had an office in Ottawa for six years, but the federal government has repeatedly denied using the company’s products. Civil rights and immigration activists have criticized the company over the use of its products by U.S. law enforcement and security agencies in policing and deportations that the activists describe as discriminatory."
2020
In December 2020, ethics Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion ruled that MacNaughton broke lobbying rules when he arranged multiple meetings earlier this year between senior government officials, ministers and Palantir Technologies Canada. The In Committee video from the House of Commons is here. MacNaughton was required by the Ethics code to refrain from lobbying.
"He arranged meetings to offer pro bono help on behalf of Palantir to assist the federal government in its COVID-19 response. Dion has ordered nine officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance, to have no official dealings with MacNaughton for one year.""Given that algorithmic technologies are not attempting to address in any way the root causes of the harm that the criminal justice system is trying to reckon with, the public should have a right to understand that those choices do come at a cost," says Robertson. "And when we're looking at their potential benefits, it's quite clear that there's no way in which these technologies are intending to try to readdress some of those underlying problems."
"The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board invested over US$229 million in controversial data-mining firm Palantir prior to the company’s public offering, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 12. And while the fund has tripled its investment, critics say its stake in the firm raises questions about its stated commitment to ethical investing.
Documents show CPP Investments, the investment arm of Canada’s largest pension fund with $434.4 billion under management, held more than 24 million shares when Palantir debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on September 30. That made it the firm’s third-largest shareholder among institutional investors, as of its public listing date."
"Protesters in Moncton also blasted RBC for its investments with military-industrial companies, notably Palantir Technologies.
The Denver-based company provides artificial intelligence for military purposes to countries including Israel, at a time when the country stands accused of genocide for its war in Gaza.
Palantir, co-founded by billionaires Peter Thiel and Alex Karp, recently announced a strategic partnership with the Israeli Defense Ministry “to help the country’s war effort.”
“Palantir is here to disrupt,” he continued. “And, when it’s necessary, to scare our enemies and, on occasion, kill them.” - Alex Karp, Palantir CEO
Cool. Cool cool cool.
Now, finally, let's remember who Palantir's owner, Peter Thiel is:
Via The Freepress: "He’s been called the most successful tech investor in the world. A political kingmaker. The bogeyman of the left. The center of gravity in Silicon Valley. There’s the “Thielverse,” “Thielbucks,” and “Thielists.” To say he has an obsessive cult following would be an understatement."
He is also the New Right's primary vehicle forwarding the Dark Enlightenment.
This Vanity Fair article from April 2022, details it all very well. "Inside the New Right, Where Peter Thiel Is Placing His Biggest Bets: They’re not MAGA. They’re not QAnon. Curtis Yarvin and the rising right are crafting a different strain of conservative politics."
So don't mind me. I'll just be over here tapping Canadian media on the shoulder, losing my mind and wondering how long our leaders have been gaslighting us into believing we live in a functional democratic society.
Update: from Feb 5th, 2025:
Palantir CEO touts Elon Musk's DOGE, ability to hold 'sacred cows of the deep state' accountable:Palantir CEO, CTO voice support for DOGE in fourth-quarter earnings webcast
""The work that we've done in government, it's deeply operational, deeply valuable, and we're pretty excited about exceptional engineers getting in there under the hood and being able to see that for a change," Sankar also said." (Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar)
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