Cyber Security and Emerging Threats Jonathan Preece

Dr. Ronald Deibert speaks on Geopolitics of Cyberspace

On January 26 the NATO Council of Canada hosted a roundtable event with Dr. Ronald Deibert, Director of the Citizen Lab at the Munk Centre, University of Toronto. Dr. Deibert, a leading expert in the fields of internet censorship, surveillance and information warfare, spoke on the rise of cyber espionage and the geopolitics of cyberspace. Read More…

Jonathan Preece

NCC Fall Conference Tackles Cybersecurity

On November 17, the NATO Council of Canada (NCC) hosted its annual Fall Conference in Ottawa. This well-timed conference, titled Cybersecurity: The Big Challenge, brought together distinguished academics, policymakers and members of the Canadian Forces with the goal of shedding light on one of the most pressing yet little-understood issues facing the international security environment. Read More…

Jonathan Preece

A Sign of the Times: Britain’s Strategic Defence Review in an era of Austerity

On October 19, the United Kingdom unveiled its Strategic Defence Review – the first such review since 1998 – outlining much anticipated cuts to the British military and defence budget.  As a means of reducing Britain’s mounting budget deficit, the Treasury Department recommended a 10% reduction in British military spending over the next four years. Read More…

Jonathan Preece

Macedonian Minister of Defence visits NCC

On October 8, the NATO Council of Canada had the honour of welcoming the Hon. Zoran Konjanovski, Minister of Defence for the Republic of Macedonia, and his delegation to the NCC to discuss Macedonia’s security interests and prospective membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Following formal greetings, Mr. Konjanovski began the discussion  by asserting Read More…

Jonathan Preece

Bosnia’s Elections: A Storm on the Horizon?

On October 3, Bosnia-Herzegovina held general elections to select representatives at the cantonal, regional and federal levels. Although Bosnia’s civil war ended 15 years ago with the signing of the Dayton Accord, the results of this election indicate that ethnic rivalries continue to linger. With a population of 4.6 million, Bosnia is demographically divided between Read More…

Jonathan Preece

A Test for Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan

On Sunday ISAF forces operating alongside US Marines and Afghan troops began a much-anticipated military push in southern Helmand province. Operation Moshtarak is focused on the lawless area of Marjah, which serves as a major base for insurgent activity and drug trafficking. The launching of this offensive is part of the larger American military surge in Afghanistan and marks the largest joint operation by allied forces since the 2001 invasion.