QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
Cybercrime
November 20, 2025
Senator Moreau, last year we learned that victims of fraud reported financial losses totalling $531 million to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre in 2022. Three quarters of these reports were cybercrime related, and only about 5% to 10% of cybercrimes are reported.
In June 2024, in a response to a question I asked your predecessor, he explained that the government recognizes the importance of strengthening Canada’s capacity to counter cybercrime, noting significant federal investments in the RCMP’s National Cybercrime Coordination Centre.
Earlier this year, I was happy to learn about the government’s new National Cyber Security Strategy. This is welcome news. What concrete measures does this strategy include to help reduce the staggering cyber-enabled financial losses facing Canadians?
Thank you, Senator Loffreda. This is an important issue as well.
Cybersecurity is a whole-of-society responsibility. The Government of Canada has called on other levels of government, Indigenous communities, the private sector and academia to be partners in the creation of a series of action plans, each of which would work to address key challenges identified in the National Cyber Security Strategy. This broad collaboration is needed to ensure that the action plan improves Canada’s national cyber resilience at all levels, not just for the Government of Canada.
By implementing the strategy through a series of action plans over time, Canada will have a flexible mechanism ensuring timely responses to an ever-changing cyber environment. Together, the government will ensure that cyberspace is safe, open, secure, stable and accessible to all Canadians.
Thank you for that. I think we all agree that cybersecurity has become one of the most pressing issues facing society, and we cannot afford to be laggards.
Since an update was not available at the time of my previous question, could you now provide the latest developments on the Department of Finance’s data governance review and its implications for improving cyber resilience and advancing cybersecurity protections for all Canadians?
I don’t have a specific update for you at this time, senator, but I will certainly follow up on my predecessor’s inquiries with the government on this issue, and I will try to get back to you as soon as I can.
