Ottawa, Canada \u2014 Canada\u2019s intelligence chief has warned that the country\u2019s government institutions, businesses, and strategic interests\u2014particularly in the Arctic\u2014are increasingly being targeted by foreign powers, with Russia and China posing the most significant threat.<\/p>\n
In an interview with CBC\u2019s Power & Politics on Thursday, Dan Rogers, Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), said Canada must remain vigilant, as its adversaries are actively attempting to influence, infiltrate, and acquire sensitive information.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe absolutely need to stay alert to the risk of foreign interference and information operations,\u201d Rogers emphasized.<\/p>\n
China and Russia Seeking Strategic Advantage<\/p>\n
Rogers told The Globe and Mail that Russia and China continue to pursue sensitive government and private-sector intelligence, as well as advanced Canadian technologies. Both nations, he said, also aim to expand their influence in the Arctic\u2014an area of rapidly growing geopolitical competition.<\/p>\n
According to Rogers, Chinese intelligence operatives have attempted to recruit Canadians with access to government plans, military knowledge, and classified data, often using social media or online job platforms to make contact. China, he added, is attempting to build an economic presence in the Arctic, while Russia\u2019s posture in the region remains \u201caggressive and unpredictable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Russia Using Front Companies to Acquire Canadian Technology<\/p>\n
The CSIS director also accused Moscow of using European front companies to illegally procure Canadian technology for use in Russia\u2019s war against Ukraine.<\/p>\n
Rogers said CSIS has already warned multiple Canadian firms that the foreign companies attempting to buy their products were secretly tied to Russian intelligence.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce inside Russia, this Canadian technology is being used to support military operations in Ukraine and elsewhere,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
Concerns Over Domestic Vulnerabilities<\/p>\n
When asked about potential sovereignty referendums in Alberta or Quebec and whether such political moments could attract foreign interference, Rogers said CSIS does not involve itself in \u201cCanadians expressing their opinions.\u201d However, he acknowledged that information manipulation remains a real vulnerability.<\/p>\n
He also referenced the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing\u2014Canada\u2019s deadliest act of terrorism\u2014to underline the severe consequences of violent extremism. Alarmingly, he revealed that nearly 10% of CSIS terrorism investigations now involve at least one suspect under the age of 18.<\/p>\n
Arctic Becomes a Global Intelligence Battleground<\/p>\n
Highlighting the Arctic\u2019s growing strategic importance, Rogers said the region has become a focal point for both cyber and traditional espionage efforts.<\/p>\n
\u201cCountries that are not even part of the Arctic, including China, are attempting to expand their strategic and economic footprint,\u201d he said. \u201cRussia, with its large military presence, continues to be unpredictable. Both nations\u2014and others\u2014maintain a strong intelligence interest in our Arctic and the people shaping its future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iranian Threats Disrupted in Canada<\/p>\n
Rogers also disclosed that CSIS has thwarted multiple potentially lethal plots orchestrated by Iranian intelligence services and their proxies. These operations were aimed at individuals in Canada whom Tehran considers enemies of the regime.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn several particularly serious incidents this past year, we had to redirect resources to counter threats from Iranian operatives targeting people inside Canada,\u201d Rogers said, without providing specific details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ottawa, Canada \u2014 Canada\u2019s intelligence chief has warned that the country\u2019s government institutions, businesses, and strategic interests\u2014particularly in the Arctic\u2014are<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2191,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[229],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"colormag-highlighted-post":false,"colormag-featured-post-medium":false,"colormag-featured-post-small":false,"colormag-featured-image":false,"colormag-default-news":false,"colormag-featured-image-large":false},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/18e12f979c7dbcc2096868fc531de295a11443c392b4bb6e60ce343131707eaa?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":false,"magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Ottawa, Canada \u2014 Canada\u2019s intelligence chief has warned that the country\u2019s government institutions, businesses, and strategic interests\u2014particularly in the Arctic\u2014are","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["World News"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":3,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":false,"medium":false,"thumbnail":false},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/mediapbn.com\/?author=3"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/18e12f979c7dbcc2096868fc531de295a11443c392b4bb6e60ce343131707eaa?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"World News<\/a>","videoUrl":"","yoast_head":"\n