The minister discusses how Canada can strengthen cybersecurity, adopt AI safely and build the domestic capacity needed to protect its digital economy.
Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and increasingly tied to national and economic security. What do you see as the biggest cybersecurity challenges facing Canada today, and how are those threats evolving?
Cybersecurity is no longer simply an IT issue. It is an economic security issue, a national security issue and a question of public trust. The threats facing Canada are becoming more sophisticated, more frequent and more disruptive, targeting critical infrastructure, businesses, public institutions and individual Canadians. AI is intensifying that threat landscape by helping malicious actors automate attacks, scale fraud and impersonation, and exploit vulnerabilities faster. Canadians’ safety is our first priority. Canada’s approach is grounded in evidence and responsible policymaking, with a focus on the risks Canadians face today, including cybersecurity, misuse, bias and accountability, as well as the emerging risks that may accompany increasingly capable AI systems. That is why we are strengthening digital resilience, supporting the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, investing in Canadian talent and technology, and working with industry and trusted international partners. We cannot afford to be reactive. Security must be built into systems from the start so Canadians can trust the services they rely on and our economy can keep moving forward.
Artificial intelligence is creating major opportunities for Canada, but it is also giving malicious actors new capabilities. How can Canada embrace AI innovation while ensuring security and trust keep pace?
Canada does not have to choose between innovation and security. Canadians will only embrace AI if they trust it, and that trust has to be earned through transparency, testing, accountability and strong institutions. AI can help organisations identify threats, detect anomalies and respond more quickly, but it can also be misused to scale cyberattacks and make fraud and impersonation more convincing. That is why safety, security, accountability and human oversight must remain at the centre of how AI is developed and deployed. Through Canada’s AI Strategy, we are investing an additional $50 million to expand the Canadian AI Safety Institute’s capacity to track emerging risks, advance technical research and conduct transparent evaluations of advanced AI models. We are also supporting Yoshua Bengio’s safe-by-design project Law Zero, strengthening cooperation with the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, and engaging with international partners and leading AI developers on safety, security and accountability. Our objective is clear: make Canada the best place to build and adopt trusted AI, protect Canadians, and anchor the economic value, intellectual property and good jobs created by this technology here at home.
Cybersecurity is increasingly connected to Canada’s economic security and resilience. How is the Government of Canada approaching cybersecurity as part of the country’s broader economic and national security strategy?
Cybersecurity is foundational to Canada’s economic resilience, national security and sovereignty. Our businesses, supply chains, financial systems, communications networks and public services all depend on secure digital infrastructure. A serious cyber incident can disrupt operations, undermine confidence and impose real costs on workers, consumers and communities. AI is making this challenge more urgent as increasingly capable systems create both new defensive tools and new risks. That is why cybersecurity cannot be treated as a narrow technical expense. It is an investment in growth, competitiveness and public trust. The Government of Canada is strengthening resilience across the economy, improving collaboration and information sharing, supporting Canadian expertise, and ensuring security is built into emerging technologies from the beginning. We are also investing in the institutions and research needed to identify emerging AI risks early and evaluate advanced systems independently. In a more uncertain world, the countries that can protect their data, infrastructure and institutions will be best positioned to attract investment, scale companies and create lasting prosperity. Canada intends to be one of them.
Canada relies heavily on foreign technology, cloud infrastructure and digital platforms. As digital sovereignty becomes a bigger part of the national conversation, where should Canada be looking to build more domestic capacity and reduce critical dependencies?
Digital sovereignty does not mean turning inward or trying to build everything ourselves. It means having the capacity to build, understand and govern advanced technologies on Canadian terms, while choosing trusted partners. We need greater strength in the foundational layers of the digital economy, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, secure cloud and data infrastructure, advanced computing and quantum technologies. We also need the domestic expertise to assess advanced AI systems, understand their risks and ensure they are developed and deployed safely, securely and in the public interest. Canada has what the world wants: extraordinary talent, world-class research, innovative companies, abundant energy and trusted international relationships. The task now is to turn those advantages into more Canadian intellectual property, infrastructure and companies capable of scaling globally while remaining rooted here. By building capability and safeguards together, and diversifying through trusted partnerships, we can reduce critical dependencies without cutting ourselves off from the markets, investment and collaboration that help Canadian innovators succeed.
Looking ahead five to 10 years, what would you like Canada’s cybersecurity ecosystem to look like, and what needs to happen today to get us there?
Five to ten years from now, Canada should be recognized as one of the world’s most secure, trusted and innovative digital economies. That means a deep pipeline of skilled workers, strong Canadian cybersecurity companies, resilient critical infrastructure and a culture in which security is treated as a leadership responsibility from day one. It also means having strong Canadian institutions with the technical capacity to evaluate advanced AI systems, identify emerging risks and provide independent advice, while Canadian solutions are adopted at home and exported around the world. We have the talent and the ideas to lead, but leadership has to be built. The choices we make now about skills, research, infrastructure, procurement, commercialization and safeguards will determine whether Canada captures the opportunities of the digital economy or becomes dependent on decisions made elsewhere. If government, industry and researchers work together with ambition, we can protect Canadians, build public confidence, create good jobs and strengthen Canada’s sovereignty for the next generation.
