Canadian National Security in a Dark Time

The makers of Canadian national security face a complex and wide-ranging threat environment. States are only one set of players in a crowded twenty-first-century security arena. Non-state actors, taking the shape of global terrorists, home-grown extremists, and organized criminal groups, undermine the safety of Canada and Canadians. The transnational threats of climate change and disease are environmental and health risks that evolve into national security problems when they damage the country’s economic welfare, social cohesion, and democratic institutions. Canadians are directly menaced by cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns, floods and wildfires, and foreign interference. Our book calls for the federal government to lead in the building of a national security culture through public education and transparency; for elected politicians and government officials to engage Canadians in the securing of their country from harm; for a detailed examination of the foundations of twenty-first-century national security in widespread consultation with Canadians; for the immediate crafting of a comprehensive national security policy and program; for all-of-Canada approaches to the diverse strands of security, bringing in every level of government, society, and the private sector; for the making of a modern military rethought from first principles; and for strengthened scrutiny and governance of national security institutions.