When we look at the way the theft of intellectual property through state-sponsored activity occurs, we realize we need to address all aspects of the ecosystem, to use your word.
One thing CSIS has been doing is talking about this issue more publicly. I welcome the work of this committee to enlighten Canadians about this phenomenon.
We work directly with industry associations. We also work with some specific elements of the economic sector. I'll give you a very concrete example.
During the pandemic, we knew through our own intelligence—I think it was also fairly evident—that threats to the health research sector, in terms of pandemic research being done for a vaccine and so on, would become increasingly problematic. At CSIS, we were able to work with partners and map out the key industry companies and research labs in Canada involved in this work. We reached out to them directly and gave them some fairly practical advice. We didn't necessarily know a threat was coming to them specifically, but we said, “This is the modus operandi. If you were to be a victim of it, this is how it would likely work.” I can tell you that within a few weeks of those briefings taking place, we were approached by one of these companies. They told us the PRC had indeed used the exact modus operandi for this crime. Because the company had taken the right steps to protect themselves, they were able to prevent the theft of their intellectual property.
It is a multiple-partner engagement, I would say.