The Government of Canada is committed to defending Canada and Canadians against cyber threats.
Today, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science & Economic Development delivered the National Cyber Security Strategy. This new strategy will guide the Government of Canada's cyber security activities to safeguard Canadians' digital privacy, security and economy.
The strategy strengthens both how we combat cybercrimes and how we defend against them. It consolidates federal cyber operations into the new Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, which will create one clear and trusted national authority. Instead of several different departments, the Centre will provide a single window for expert advice and services for governments, critical infrastructure operators, and both the public and private sector to strengthen their cyber security. The Centre's first head will be Scott Jones, who is currently responsible for the IT Security Branch at the Communications Security Establishment.
A new National Cybercrime Coordination Unit in the RCMP will support and coordinate cybercrime investigations between police forces across the country. New investments will bolster the RCMP's capacity to investigate major cybercrimes that affect the Government of Canada, impact critical infrastructure, and cause the most harm to Canadians. These investments will also enhance the RCMP's ability to conduct criminal investigations with domestic and international partners and provide specialized cyber capability to major investigations.
In addition, small and medium-sized businesses will be able to enhance their cyber security with guidance and tools through the Centre, as well as a new voluntary cyber certification program, which will outline best practices to help businesses understand and respond to cyber threats.
For Canadians, the strategy and associated investments mean a clear and trusted federal source for cyber security information, practical tips to apply to everyday online activities and heightened awareness of malicious cyber activity. For businesses, the National Cyber Security Strategy puts into place a framework that will improve their systems' resilience. For researchers and academics, it will support advanced research, fostering innovation, skills and knowledge. And for the digital systems we rely on every day, like online banking, electricity grids and telecommunications, it will support stronger security, and more rapid and coordinated federal responses to cyber threats.
“Cyber security is not only a challenge, but an opportunity. Virtually every aspect of our modern lives depends on information technology. If Canadians are empowered to improve their cyber security and adapt to new threats—across government, the private sector and our personal use—we will not only realize the potential of the digital economy and keep our own data secure, but we can sell those skills and innovations to the huge, growing market in the rest of the world, creating high-paying middle class jobs. The National Cyber Security Strategy is the Government of Canada's roadmap to get there.”
- The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
“The threats we face in cyberspace are complex and rapidly evolving; more than ever, cyber security is of paramount importance. Cyber security is not just a necessity, but a competitive advantage for Canada. The National Cyber Security Strategy establishes a clear focal point for cyber security within the federal government. The Communications Security Establishment is well-positioned to create and house the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security by building on the tremendous skill and talent that already exist within the government and partnering with industry to strengthen cyber security in Canada.”
- The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence
“The Government of Canada is committed to safeguarding Canadians' digital privacy, security and the economy. For Canada's small and medium-sized businesses, cyber threats can have profound economic consequences. That is why we are investing over $25 million over five years for a voluntary assessment and certification program to help small and medium-sized businesses protect themselves against cyber threats. This new certification program will improve cyber security among Canadian small and medium-sized businesses, increase consumer confidence, and better position small and medium-sized businesses to compete globally.”
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science & Economic Development
“I am honoured to be named the first head of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. The Cyber Centre will bring together the government's leading-edge cyber security operational talent from the Communications Security Establishment, Public Safety, and Shared Services Canada to be a unified and trusted source for cyber security information for the country. The Cyber Centre will be outward-facing, open to collaboration with industry partners and academia, as well as a trusted resource for faster, stronger responses to cyber security incidents. Cyber security is, and continues to be a team effort.”
- Scott Jones, Head of Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and Deputy Chief, IT Security, CSE
Canadians spend the most time on-line of any country in the world – at 43.5 hours each per month.
Cybercrime costs Canada 0.17% of its GDP, which is equal to $3.12 billion a year.
Cyber-crime globally is estimated to cause $600-billion (US) in economic losses in 2018 and more than $6 trillion (US) by 2021.
The global market for cyber security products and services is currently worth more than $96 billion (US), and is expected to grow to over $202 billion (US) by 2021.
Budget 2018 invested $507.7M over five years and $108.8M per year ongoing to support the new Strategy. It includes: $155.2M over five years and $44.5M per year ongoing, to create the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security; $116M over five years and $23.2M per year ongoing, to the RCMP for the creation of the National Cybercrime Coordination Unit; $85.3M over five years and $19.8M ongoing for increased RCMP enforcement capacity; and $28.4M over five years for cyber certification.
The remaining funds are for additional initiatives to support greater cyber security and resilience for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as the energy and financial sectors.
In addition, Budget 2018 invested a further $220 million over six years in Shared Services Canada and the Communications Security Establishment to better protect government networks and data; and $30 million over five years and $5 million ongoing in the Canada Revenue Agency to protect taxpayers' personal information.
The Strategy reflects the perspectives from the Cyber Review and consultation.
June 7, 2023 | Local, Aerospace
As initial operating capability of the CC-295 Kingfisher has been delayed, the RCAF is finding creative ways to address potential gaps in its SAR response. As of late May, the CC-130J Hercules became the primary fixed-wing asset for SAR missions in central Canada.
July 20, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Put simply, Canadian governments have a responsibility to practise smart protectionism where the risks to Canadians' personal security and national security are high. Free trade is good economics. Protectionism is bad. Global supply chains are efficient. Favouring domestic goods, services and industries is inefficient. Canada has long adhered to these orthodoxies. And most of the time it makes sense to do so. However, through the COVID-19 pandemic, both the public and private sectors have seen weaknesses associated with heavy or total reliance on foreign sources and global supply chains for essential goods, notably personal protective equipment (PPE). As of June 2, for example, the Government of Canada had ordered close to 122 million N95 masks from international suppliers, yet 12 million had been received and 9.8 million of those failed Canadian standards. We are learning the hard way that foreign sources cannot necessarily supply the products we need in the time, quantity or quality required during a national or global emergency. China, as the dominant global producer of many of these PPE supplies, has become the focal point for an emerging debate around domestic control over certain goods, technologies, and services. A recent report from the Henry Jackson Society in the U.K., for example, has argued the “Five Eyes”—the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand—are far too reliant on Chinese sources for all kinds of strategically important goods, and that this is a threat to the national security of those countries. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service, too, has warned that Canadian companies that produce certain critical technologies are vulnerable to foreign takeovers by entities with agendas hostile to Canada's interests. This is not just an issue with China, though. In Canada, we like to believe that in national or global crises we can rely on the U.S. or other allies for help. Canada, in other words, would be at or near the front of the line with allies. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the behavior of the U.S. and European countries, suggests this is naive. Italy, a founding EU member, requested and was denied face masks from the EU's stockpile at the peak of their COVID-19 outbreak. In April, a presidential executive order gave the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency the power to “allocate to domestic use” several types of PPE that would otherwise be exported. U.S. produced masks bound for Germany, a close American ally, were reportedly diverted back while in transit. Ultimately, Canada was exempt from the U.S. order, but this episode should tell us that global emergencies can lead to “home front comes first” attitudes, even among our closest allies. Fundamentally, the issue comes down to one of efficiency versus necessity. Sometimes, in some areas of the economy, security of supply is more important than efficiency. While this thinking is new to most companies and governments in Canada, it is not new to Canadian companies working in defence and national security. The Canadian defence industry has long highlighted the need for focused sovereign production and control in key national security capabilities—in part to ensure security of supply—as our allies in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere have been doing for generations. The argument has fallen largely on deaf ears. There seems to be a greater aversion in Canada to any kind of protectionism than among our more pragmatic allies. There is also a belief that Canada can always rely on obtaining critical supplies from the U.S., owing to both our close trading relationship and bi-lateral defence agreements dating from the 1950s that purport to establish an integrated North American defence industrial base. Canada puts too much faith in these beliefs, to our peril. While we can still hold free trade and integrated global supply chains as the goal, we also need to recognize that this view of the economy does not always serve our national interests. Put simply, Canadian governments have a responsibility to practise smart protectionism where the risks to Canadians' personal security and national security are high. Christyn Cianfarani is president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI). The Hill Times https://www.hilltimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/072020_ht.pdf
March 15, 2019 | Local, Aerospace
DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Defence department's procurement chief says the Royal Canadian Air Force might not need the seven used Australian F-18 aircraft being purchased for parts afterall. Canada is buying 25 used F-18s from Australia, with 18 of those to be flown and seven to be either stripped down for parts or used for testing. The aircraft to be flown will augment the existing RCAF CF-18 fleet until a new generation fighter jet can be purchased. But Pat Finn, the Department of National Defence's Assistant Deputy Minister for Materiel, said there may be no need for the seven F-18s. “The seven, whether or not we actually take them at this point, we're still looking at that,” Finn recently told the Commons defence committee. “What we're actually finding is the number of spares that they've been able to provide to us is more than adequate. Rather than take aircraft apart and go through that cost, we're taking the spares. We may not, in fact, at this point look at any of the seven.” It is unclear whether there will be a reduction in the cost of the purchase or the overall project cost if the seven airframes are not acquired. The DND also clarified what is happening with the engines on the Australian F-18s. Rumours have been circulating in the retired military community that the engines are being stripped out of the planes and given back to Australia. “Only the engines from the first two Australian F-18s (four engines total) are being returned to Australia, at their request,” explained DND spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier. “Australia needs those engines to meet their own operational requirements.” In order to take advantage of an advanced delivery date for the first two Australian aircraft, Canada agreed to return those aircraft's engines to Australia, but the plan is to get an equivalent number of engines back at a later date, he added. “Canada has sufficient engines in reserve to support this plan and this will have no impact on operations,” Le Bouthillier stated. “We therefore found this to be a reasonable request, and agreed to it.” https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/rcaf-may-not-need-7-of-the-25-used-australian-f-18s-says-defence-procurement-chief