Evidence of meeting #22 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was threats.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen
Thank you very much.
Next, we go to MP Mona Fortier.
You have five minutes.
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Lynd and Mr. Ouellette, thank you very much for being here today to clarify some of the questions we have as part of our study, which focuses more specifically on the Arctic.
I would like to know whether you're seeing an increase in cyber-espionage or digital espionage activities targeting organizations operating in the Arctic, including territorial governments, indigenous communities or private businesses.
Assistant Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
I don't think we're best placed to provide the best answer. I think the CSE would be in a better position to respond to that question.
What I can say, though, is that we are absolutely concerned with cyber-attacks in the north and cyber-attacks both against the private sector and against government entities up there as well.
Director General, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
If I may, I would add that orders of government other than the federal government are often less protected. So we know that there's a vulnerability that doesn't exist in the federal government. However, you put your finger on the kind of thing we will want to take up with non-traditional northern and Arctic partners, to provide them with information. It helps build a bit of trust and maybe make up for some of the history, especially with indigenous governments.
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON
It's interesting, because we've had two territorial premiers come and tell us that they don't have all the resources they need. It's therefore important to mention that the federal government can play a role in ensuring that we have this oversight, these analyses that can also help them fulfill their mandate. The same is true for private companies or even for indigenous communities, I imagine.
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON
The reason I'm asking this question is that I'm also trying to find out whether you have the tools and instruments you need to do your job properly in the current context—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen
I apologize for the interruption. We'll pause the time. We have to fix the interpretation, so we'll suspend for a very brief period of time.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen
Colleagues, we'll resume our meeting.
I turn to Madame Fortier. You have two minutes and 20 seconds to continue your line of questioning.
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Lynd and Mr. Ouellette, I'll come back to my question, because I'm trying to find out whether you have all the tools and instruments you need to do your job in the current context, when there are a lot of changes happening.
You were talking about the investment act, which is an instrument that you have to work with, but are there things that we should be aware of, especially since the Arctic is a big place and there's so much to consider in your workplace? Is there anything the committee should know?
Assistant Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Yes, we have the tools available, but it is not without challenge. You mentioned the vastness of the area that we have to cover. We regularly send employees into the region, and we engage with partners and premiers' offices as often as possible to be able to provide those briefings, but there are a number of challenges, absolutely. There's the cost of travel. We don't have a permanent presence in the Arctic right now.
We are absolutely committed to supporting the communities in the Arctic. We're constantly looking at options for how we could enhance our presence in the Arctic. This is one of the major challenges. We go regularly and as often as possible. We've steadily increased our trips to the Arctic over the last number of years in order to have these engagements and be able to share that information that we mentioned.
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON
If I understand correctly, you can't award contracts to other companies to help you do your work. This complementarity must be very hard to obtain.
When I was president of the Treasury Board, there were things we could subcontract out. In this case, though, I guess you can't do that. You really have to keep the issues within your unit.
Assistant Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
We work very closely with other government departments in the Arctic. We look at ways they can help us accomplish our mandate and how we can support them in their mandate as well, but it is a challenge, given the vastness of the area to cover.
We work very closely with other government departments as well, but you're correct in that we can't subcontract this out to anybody else. However, we leverage our partners for support.
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier—Gloucester, ON
I need a clarification.
When you say governments, do you mean other countries, or are you really referring to the federal government, the Government of Canada?
Liberal
Director General, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
We're talking about the Government of Canada, yes.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ahmed Hussen
Thank you very much.
We'll start the third round of questions with MP Michael Chong.
You have five minutes.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to our witnesses for appearing.
Mr. Lynd, in your opening remarks you mentioned the growing threat of foreign interference, particularly in the economic sector, by the PRC in the Arctic.
The Prime Minister said last year that the biggest threat to the security of Canada is China, and particularly its foreign interference.
Earlier in your testimony, you said something with respect to the PRC being a primary actor. I'd like some clarification. Is it the assessment of CSIS that the People's Republic of China is the primary threat to the security of Canada, including through its foreign interference in the Arctic?
Assistant Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The PRC is among the primary threats to the security of Canada. It's absolutely an actor that we are concerned about in terms of threat-related behaviour in the Arctic.
February 12th, 2026 / 4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON
Okay.
Could you enumerate what the other primary threat actors are to the security of Canada? If the PRC is one of them, which other states are also primary threat actors?
Assistant Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
We mentioned a number in our public report last year. When it comes to the Arctic, the two primary actors we tend to talk about the most are the PRC and Russia.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON
Okay.
In your opening remarks, you also said you were working with like-minded states and against hostile foreign state actors. You later clarified that the service is working in lockstep and hand in hand with your U.S. intelligence community counterparts.
Clearly, the U.S. president is talking in a way—political rhetoric, as you said—that threatens the sovereignty of Arctic states, including the Kingdom of Denmark and Canada.
What I conclude from your testimony and what we're all watching out there on an almost daily basis is that the political rhetoric is not percolating down into the U.S. intelligence community that you work with. Is that correct?
Assistant Director, Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Yes, we still work closely with our intelligence partners in the areas where we're aligned.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON
In other words, you're not siloing them in terms of collaborating on Five Eyes intelligence with respect to Arctic security. Is that correct?