Canada is facing a growing crisis of digital sovereignty as cyber threats escalate alongside geopolitical tensions. The country's institutions, economy, and citizens are under increasing risk from sophisticated attacks that can disrupt critical services and undermine national security.
Judith Borts, senior director of the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University, warns that Canada cannot afford a reactive approach to cyber risk. Nation-state adversaries, criminal networks, and AI-accelerated threats are moving faster than traditional governance models can respond, with devastating consequences for Canadians.
Borts identifies several areas where Canada is falling behind global peers, including the need for a unified national cyber strategy, significant investment in education, innovation, and long-term capacity building. The energy sector and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are particularly vulnerable to cyber threats, which can have massive impacts on their bottom lines.
To create a unified national cyber strategy, Borts advocates for a top-down approach that brings together federal, provincial, and local efforts to build safe and secure communities, share information faster, respond in real-time, and build trust across sectors. She also emphasizes the need for harmonized cyber standards and compliance requirements, as well as the importance of partnerships between universities, public institutions, government, private industry, and Canadian tech companies.
The development of a skilled and diverse cybersecurity workforce is critical to Canada's digital sovereignty and long-term competitiveness. Borts notes that the value of a skilled workforce lies not in technical functions, but in insight, empathy, strategy, and human perspective – skills that machines cannot replicate.
Ultimately, Borts argues that cybersecurity is an investment, and resilience is one of Canada's biggest competitive advantages. By combining smart government policies with real incentives for businesses, Canada can build its next generation of tech leaders and secure its role as an innovator in the digital economy.
The emergence of AI and quantum computing will reshape Canada's cybersecurity landscape, presenting both huge opportunities and significant threats if not prepared for. Borts advocates for a shift-left approach to security testing, pushing security earlier in the development cycle, and investing in talent, R&D, and innovative ecosystems to lead technological change rather than just react to it.
As Canada moves forward, it must prioritize cyber awareness and digital resilience, making it an everyday aspect of life, not just a specialized skill. By doing so, Canadians can protect their data, manage digital tools responsibly, and remain vigilant to evolving threats – the foundation of national resilience in the digital age.
Judith Borts, senior director of the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University, warns that Canada cannot afford a reactive approach to cyber risk. Nation-state adversaries, criminal networks, and AI-accelerated threats are moving faster than traditional governance models can respond, with devastating consequences for Canadians.
Borts identifies several areas where Canada is falling behind global peers, including the need for a unified national cyber strategy, significant investment in education, innovation, and long-term capacity building. The energy sector and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are particularly vulnerable to cyber threats, which can have massive impacts on their bottom lines.
To create a unified national cyber strategy, Borts advocates for a top-down approach that brings together federal, provincial, and local efforts to build safe and secure communities, share information faster, respond in real-time, and build trust across sectors. She also emphasizes the need for harmonized cyber standards and compliance requirements, as well as the importance of partnerships between universities, public institutions, government, private industry, and Canadian tech companies.
The development of a skilled and diverse cybersecurity workforce is critical to Canada's digital sovereignty and long-term competitiveness. Borts notes that the value of a skilled workforce lies not in technical functions, but in insight, empathy, strategy, and human perspective – skills that machines cannot replicate.
Ultimately, Borts argues that cybersecurity is an investment, and resilience is one of Canada's biggest competitive advantages. By combining smart government policies with real incentives for businesses, Canada can build its next generation of tech leaders and secure its role as an innovator in the digital economy.
The emergence of AI and quantum computing will reshape Canada's cybersecurity landscape, presenting both huge opportunities and significant threats if not prepared for. Borts advocates for a shift-left approach to security testing, pushing security earlier in the development cycle, and investing in talent, R&D, and innovative ecosystems to lead technological change rather than just react to it.
As Canada moves forward, it must prioritize cyber awareness and digital resilience, making it an everyday aspect of life, not just a specialized skill. By doing so, Canadians can protect their data, manage digital tools responsibly, and remain vigilant to evolving threats – the foundation of national resilience in the digital age.
Canada's cyber crisis is getting real 
I think Borts hits the nail on the head when she says it's not just about throwing money at it, but also about having a unified strategy and building trust across sectors 
That top-down approach she advocates for sounds like a solid starting point 
And can we talk about how important it is to have a diverse cybersecurity workforce? 
Machines can only do so much, you know? 
It's all about the human touch and empathy in cybersecurity. I'm definitely down for investing in education and innovation 
Canada needs to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to AI and quantum computing 
. It's not just about throwing more money at it (although that helps too 
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. It's not just about Canada's competitiveness; it's about our citizens' personal info and security too 
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. And investing in AI and quantum computing research is crucial, but we need to make sure we're doing it responsibly 
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. We can't just rely on specialists to keep us safe; everyone needs to be digitally literate and aware of the risks 
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. But I'm also loving her emphasis on harmonized cyber standards and compliance requirements - that's some serious governance 101 stuff 
. Like, making it an everyday thing instead of just something that's only relevant for experts or specialized skills 
. That way, Canadians can protect their data, manage digital tools responsibly, and stay on top of these evolving threats 
.
I'm so sorry I missed this thread, but it seems like Canada is having some major issues with cyber threats 
. I think Judith Borts makes some good points about needing a unified national strategy and more investment in education and innovation 
. We need to start pushing security testing earlier in the development cycle and investing in more research and talent 
. They're basically just sitting ducks for cyber attacks 
. Maybe we can learn from other countries that have got their act together when it comes to cybersecurity 
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, we need a UNIFIED NATIONAL CYBER STRATEGY ASAP 
and not just rely on others for help 
she's all like "unified national cyber strategy" & "harmonized cyber standards" 
especially w/ ai & quantum computing coming in 
the energy sector and small biz's are getting pwned left and right by these nation-state actors 
and invest in education and innovation 
.
. And what's the point of building a "next generation of tech leaders" when there are already so many smart people around the world doing the same thing? It's not like Canada is gonna be the only ones innovating in the digital economy