Goran Samuel Pesic, Opening Speech – June 3, 2024

2024 National Security Conference in Ottawa

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‍Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests,

Good morning. I am Goran Samuel Pesic, the Chair of the Policy Insights Forum (PIF) and CEO of the Samuel Group of Companies. It is an honour to welcome you to the 2024 National Security Conference hosted here at the Rideau Club in Ottawa.

The Policy Insights Forum, or PIF, is a not-for-profit, non-partisan Canadian think tank and is a non-commercial member of the Samuel Group. The PIF focuses on strategic over-the-horizon public policy issues through independent research, analysis, and engagement.

As one of Canada's newest think tanks, founded just four years ago, we believe that leadership can come from anywhere, including the NGO sector. Our mission is to deliver high-quality programming, which includes:

‍The Strategic Thinkers video interviews hosted by Dr. J. Paul de B. Taillon with leading authors and experts, and our National Security Podcast Series hosted by retired Colonel Geoffrey St. John

Academically Reviewed Publications through PIF Briefings and PIF Reports under the leadership of Professor Philippe Lagassé, PIF Director of Defence Research

Executive Briefing Visits to Brussels through our NATO-Private Sector Engagement program

Summits, Conferences, and Roundtable Discussions with leading organizations and speakers, such as today's event

We are also committed to developing the next generation of leaders through various young professionals programming initiatives, including the Dr. Robert Spencer Internship Program in Strategic Studies.

This year, we are proud to introduce a new internship program provided in the spirit of the Samuel Group’s Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan.

This program represents our promise to develop young Indigenous leaders to assume positions of responsibility in the governance of Canada.

I would like to recognize this year's Indigenous intern recipient, Meagan Boucher-Martin, who is with us today.Additionally, we offer:

The PIF Fellowship Program for Academic Leaders and Policy Thinkers

The Transatlantic Emerging Leaders Program (TEL), of which Aliénor Peyrefitte is its President, and who will close our conference later this afternoon

Our mandate includes engaging the private sector in interaction with the public sector as well as international organizations like NATO and the EU.

Through our annual visit to Brussels for Canadian industry leaders via the NPSE, we have developed a robust PIF Alumni Network for Canadian Industry Executives, some of whom are present at this conference this morning.

We are currently developing a similar industry engagement initiative aimed at the defence, technology and energy sectors in consultations with the Canadian and US Governments for this fall, referred to as the US Private Sector Engagement Initiative (USPSE).

Finally, in early December 2024, we will be hosting our second annual NATO Industry Conference in Calgary, Alberta.

Please approach me or members of my executive team if you have any questions regarding this or any other programming we offer.

These PIF industry activities advance the broader concept of Industrial Defence Diplomacy as part of our support to engage Canada in Defence Industrial Base modernization.

So, why are we here today?

Twenty years ago, Canada unveiled its first national security strategy under the Martin Government. At the time, I was working for a prominent NGO in Toronto and was invited to Ottawa by PCO to gather stakeholders for the announcement and subsequent briefing on the new strategy.

A year later, the US Government recognized me as a young emerging leader in this domain and awarded me a US Fulbright scholarship to study American National Security Policy in California and Washington, D.C.

By 2006, I was in Ottawa working for the new Minister of Public Safety under the Harper Government as a policy advisor for national security, with responsibilities for CSIS, RCMP, CBSA, and policy files dealing with terrorism, cybersecurity, foreign intelligence, and emergency management.

While post-9/11 responses and the war in Afghanistan were the themes of the day back then, Canada finds itself in a very different place in 2024.

Today, we face a myriad of new issues and threats, including the aftermath of Russia's first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, the rise of China, a major global pandemic, and the second invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which has prompted Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

Additionally, last October's attack on Israel by Hamas has exacerbated geopolitical tensions, and China continues to assert its claim over Taiwan.

These are just a few of the geopolitical drivers we will explore today, alongside other critical issues such as political interference in elections, attacks on democratic institutions in the West, pervasive cyber threats, looming tensions in the Space domain and America’s leadership post-US-election.

Thank you also to the Rideau Club, its staff and management for hosting this important conference and for their excellent service in making your experience today as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

Before introducing our keynote speaker, I would like to pose the following questions to our speakers, panels, and audience:

If national security is tied to Canada’s place in the world, its role within the international community, its territorial integrity, and the safety of its citizens and national infrastructure, should we include economic prosperity in our new definition?

What is the relationship between the economy and national security?

Since 80% of the critical infrastructure in Canada is owned and operated by the private sector, how do we square the circle and include the private sector and provincial governments in any new national security policy framework?

Ladies and Gentlemen, let's take a moment to thank our conference title sponsor, AWS Canada, for their contribution. I would like to acknowledge and thank the AWS National Security and Defence team, as well as AWS’s visiting Director, Alan Halachmi.

The format of today's conference will be under Chatham House Rule.

The event will not be recorded, and there is no media present to ensure our discussions are candid, open, and frank, aiming for a better understanding of policy options, challenges, and opportunities.

The recently released Government of Canada’s Defence Policy Update makes reference to a National Security Strategy review every four years.

Additionally, our conference is set against the backdrop of a legislative review of the CSIS Act.

Facilitating our transition between panels and breaks today is Policy Insights Forum’s Board Advisor, Tasha Kheiriddin.

Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce our keynote speaker, Dr. Nicole Giles, Deputy Director and Senior ADM, Policy and Strategic Partnerships, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), who will explore and discuss the topic of modernizing the CSIS Act and Canada’s New Defence Policy Update: What Does it Mean for National Security?'

Thank you very much, everyone.

‍Dr. Giles, you may have the floor.