“We know that cybercrime is the most prevalent, most pervasive threat to Canadians and Canadian businesses….State actors also seek to influence political discourse, sow discord and undermine trust in democracy by spreading information on an industrial scale.”
Communications Security Establishment Chief Shelly Bruce on enhancing cybersecurity readiness
COVID-19, New Threats Complicate Canada’s National Security
The landscape of security threats to Canada — already heightened by growing cyberattacks — has evolved dramatically since the pandemic hit. CIGI moved quickly to develop a major new project to reimagine Canada’s national security strategy that brings together the country’s top officials.
CIGI’s series of high-level events set the stage for this new work, featuring in-depth conversations, led by Aaron Shull, with David Vigneault, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) director, who gave his first public speech on the topic in almost two years; Shelly Bruce, chief of the Communications Security Establishment; and Vincent Rigby, national security and intelligence advisor to the prime minister.
“The expectations of Canadians have changed, both in terms of privacy and in terms of what they are expecting the government to do to protect them in a more threatening environment,” Vigneault said.