OR ..... Did Canadian Intelligence distrust the Clinton administration and officials so much that they didn't want to release too many details to them and thereby compromise their defense of Montreal against attacks ?
If PBS reruns the Frontline show on the Ressam, you should watch it. Canada's policies that allowed him to get in the country so easily were shocking.
As I recall, Ressam had been previously involved in subway bombings in France. Frontline interviewed the French investigative judge who was in hot pursuit and couldn't find Ressam in Canada. Anybody who shows up on a plane gets in the country, but they have sign a paper that says they will later attend a hearing.