THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY, DEFENCE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

OTTAWA, Monday, December 9, 2024
(68)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs met this day at 4 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Hassan Yussuff, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Anderson, Boehm, Cardozo, Carignan, P.C., Dagenais, Dasko, Kutcher, McNair, Patterson, Richards and Yussuff (11).

Other senators present: The Honourable Senators Al Zaibak and Gignac (2).

Participating in the meeting: Ariel Shapiro and Anne-Marie Therrien-Tremblay, analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, February 10, 2022, the committee continued its study on issues relating to national security and defence generally.

TOPIC: The impacts of Russian disinformation on Canada

WITNESSES:

Public Safety Canada:

Sébastien Aubertin-Giguère, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, National Security and Cyber Security.

Communications Security Establishment Canada:

Bridget Walshe, Associate Head, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service:

Peter Madou, Assistant Deputy Minister, Operational Intelligence and Assessment Requirements.

Global Affairs Canada:

Larisa Galadza, Director General, Cyber, Critical Technology and Democratic Resilience Bureau.

Privy Council Office:

Sarah Stinson, Director of Operations, Democratic Institutions.

EKOS Research Associates Inc.:

Francis L. Graves, President.

As individuals:

Jean-Christophe Boucher, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary.

Pekka Kallioniemi, Non-Resident Research Fellow, International Centre for Defence and Security (by videoconference).

Marcus Kolga, Director, DisinfoWatch and Senior Fellow, Macdonald-Laurier Institute (by videoconference).

Brian McQuinn, Co-Director, Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Data, and Conflict and Associate Professor, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Regina (by videoconference).

Peter Madou, Bridget Walshe, Larisa Galadza, Sébastien Aubertin-Giguère and Sarah Stinson each made a statement and answered questions.

At 5:14 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:23 p.m., the committee resumed.

Jean-Christophe Boucher and Pekka Kallioniemi each made a statement and answered questions.

At 6:09 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 6:19 p.m., the committee resumed.

Francis L. Graves, Marcus Kolga and Brian McQuinn each made a statement and answered questions.

At 7:24 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Ericka Paajanen

Clerk of the Committee