Event Date: January 18, 2024 - 5:00pm to 6:30pm
Location: FSS 4004 or via Zoom, 120 University Private, University of Ottawa

Registration: Google Forms

Presented by CIPS

2024 will be an unusually busy year in Canada on the national security front. The agenda will be dominated by the commission of inquiry on foreign interference, but several other issues will keep the national security and intelligence community busy, ranging from ongoing concerns with threats such as economic espionnage and terrorism to debates on much-needed governance and legislative reforms. To discuss these issues, three recently retired senior officials will share their views on what to expect in the year ahead.

This event will take place in person and via Zoom.

This event will take place in English, with bilingual Q&A.

Speakers:

Michelle Tessier is a senior fellow with the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. Michelle was the Deputy Director Operations (DDO) of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service from 2018 to 2023, responsible for the overall management of Service operations, intelligence, security screening and governance. She joined the Service in 1988, working at every operational level within the organization, from Intelligence Officer to senior Executive. She worked as an Executive in both the Service’s Headquarters and regional offices, including as Director General of several Headquarters Branches and the Service’s Quebec regional office.

Daniel Jean is a senior fellow with the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He served as National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada (2016-18). Previously, he was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (2013-2016) and Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage (2010-2013). Prior to his appointment as Deputy Minister in 2007, Daniel had a stimulating career in international and migration related issues both in Canada and abroad that included two postings in Haiti, two separate assignments in the United States in Buffalo and Washington, and one in Hong Kong.

Shelly Bruce is a visiting professor with the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and a CIGI distinguished fellow. She was the chief (deputy minister) of the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) from 2018 until 2022. Shelly joined CSE in 1989 as a signals intelligence (SIGINT) analyst and Russian linguist. She spent time in various SIGINT operational, policy and planning roles, as well as in CSE’s information Technology Security branch (now the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security). From 2009 until her appointment in 2017 as associate chief of CSE, Shelly was responsible for Canada’s national SIGINT program.

Chair: 

Thomas Juneau is associate professor at the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and network coordinator of the Security Studies Network at CIPS.