Politics · Canada · 2 hrs ago
Canada’s new security strategy warns of AI risks and prepares for war
Canada’s government released its first national security strategy in more than two decades on Thursday.
The plan is a 13-page framework for protecting the country from threats including war, cyberattacks, espionage, foreign interference and advanced artificial intelligence.
Federal officials described frontier AI models as one of the greatest current threats to Canadians.
The strategy calls for stronger intelligence capabilities and for Canada to prepare for all contingencies, including war.
It also links national security to economic strength and aims to build more independence in eight sectors, including defence, energy, critical minerals and emerging technology.
Ottawa plans five detailed policies covering defence, foreign affairs, economic security, public safety and intelligence.
The government says a new foreign policy will come in about a month, and it plans to propose updates to national security laws within a year.
Canada’s new national-security strategy says the government will prepare for all contingencies, including war.
The 13-page strategy is Ottawa’s first national-security strategy in more than two decades.
It calls for stronger intelligence-gathering capabilities and strategic capabilities across eight sectors, including critical minerals, defence and emerging technologies.
The strategy frames security broadly, citing threats from climate change, terrorism, pandemics, cyberattacks, artificial intelligence and the possibility of major war.
The government says it will develop five detailed national policies, starting with a new foreign policy expected in about one month.
- Who
- The federal government of Canada, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
- What
- It released a national-security strategy that includes preparing for all contingencies, including war, and strengthening intelligence capabilities.
- When
- Thursday, October 29, 2026.
- Where
- Canada.
- Why
- The government says threats are increasingly complex and that protecting sovereignty requires stronger strategic capabilities and a resilient economy.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ottawa released its first national-security strategy in more than two decades.
The government says it will release a new foreign policy.
Ottawa says it will introduce legislative proposals to modernize national-security legislation.
- Length
- 13 pages
- Strategic sectors
- Eight, including critical minerals, defence and emerging technologies
- Detailed policies
- Five: defence, foreign affairs, economic security, public safety and intelligence
- First planned policy
- A new foreign policy, expected in about one month
3 sources
What people are saying
prepare for all contingencies up to and including war
The line between economic security and national security has disappeared, and therefore the requirements of sovereignty have changed.