Ottawa, Canada — Canada’s intelligence chief has warned that the country’s government institutions, businesses, and strategic interests—particularly in the Arctic—are increasingly being targeted by foreign powers, with Russia and China posing the most significant threat.
In an interview with CBC’s Power & Politics on Thursday, Dan Rogers, Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), said Canada must remain vigilant, as its adversaries are actively attempting to influence, infiltrate, and acquire sensitive information.
“We absolutely need to stay alert to the risk of foreign interference and information operations,” Rogers emphasized.
China and Russia Seeking Strategic Advantage
Rogers told The Globe and Mail that Russia and China continue to pursue sensitive government and private-sector intelligence, as well as advanced Canadian technologies. Both nations, he said, also aim to expand their influence in the Arctic—an area of rapidly growing geopolitical competition.
According to Rogers, Chinese intelligence operatives have attempted to recruit Canadians with access to government plans, military knowledge, and classified data, often using social media or online job platforms to make contact. China, he added, is attempting to build an economic presence in the Arctic, while Russia’s posture in the region remains “aggressive and unpredictable.”
Russia Using Front Companies to Acquire Canadian Technology
The CSIS director also accused Moscow of using European front companies to illegally procure Canadian technology for use in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Rogers said CSIS has already warned multiple Canadian firms that the foreign companies attempting to buy their products were secretly tied to Russian intelligence.
“Once inside Russia, this Canadian technology is being used to support military operations in Ukraine and elsewhere,” he noted.
Concerns Over Domestic Vulnerabilities
When asked about potential sovereignty referendums in Alberta or Quebec and whether such political moments could attract foreign interference, Rogers said CSIS does not involve itself in “Canadians expressing their opinions.” However, he acknowledged that information manipulation remains a real vulnerability.
He also referenced the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing—Canada’s deadliest act of terrorism—to underline the severe consequences of violent extremism. Alarmingly, he revealed that nearly 10% of CSIS terrorism investigations now involve at least one suspect under the age of 18.
Arctic Becomes a Global Intelligence Battleground
Highlighting the Arctic’s growing strategic importance, Rogers said the region has become a focal point for both cyber and traditional espionage efforts.
“Countries that are not even part of the Arctic, including China, are attempting to expand their strategic and economic footprint,” he said. “Russia, with its large military presence, continues to be unpredictable. Both nations—and others—maintain a strong intelligence interest in our Arctic and the people shaping its future.”
Iranian Threats Disrupted in Canada
Rogers also disclosed that CSIS has thwarted multiple potentially lethal plots orchestrated by Iranian intelligence services and their proxies. These operations were aimed at individuals in Canada whom Tehran considers enemies of the regime.
“In several particularly serious incidents this past year, we had to redirect resources to counter threats from Iranian operatives targeting people inside Canada,” Rogers said, without providing specific details.
