Foreign Affairs and International Development

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) met on February 12, 2026, to study security and sovereignty in the Arctic. Appearing as witnesses were Paul Lynd, Assistant Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), and René Ouellette, Director General of CSIS.

Paul Lynd testified that CSIS investigates threats to Canada's security in the Arctic, including espionage, sabotage, and foreign interference, with a growing focus on economic security. He identified China as a primary threat due to its efforts to control critical minerals and supply chains through clandestine investment, while noting that Russia remains a concern but is more focused on military intelligence. Lynd emphasized CSIS's enhanced information-sharing with indigenous partners, territorial governments, and local communities through resiliency briefings, enabled by recent legislative changes, and said these partnerships help build awareness and allow communities to report suspicious activity. He acknowledged that CSIS lacks a permanent presence in the Arctic due to resource constraints and that travel costs are a challenge, but he confirmed that CSIS is working to increase its engagement and is exploring options to enhance its footprint. Lynd stated that CSIS has the necessary tools and authorities to do its job, though Ouellette later clarified that the CSIS Act could benefit from modernization generally.

René Ouellette added that CSIS is seeing efforts by hostile foreign states to conduct disinformation campaigns aimed at dividing northern populations from the federal government, and that the service works with indigenous partners to mitigate these efforts. He noted that infrastructure gaps in the Arctic pose an indirect national security risk, as vulnerable communities may be more inclined to accept foreign investment. Ouellette also said that CSIS engages with scholars and researchers to better understand the region and to advise on risks from research partnerships with hostile states, and that the service is amplifying its partnerships with non-Five Eyes Arctic states like Finland and Norway. He agreed with Lynd that CSIS's information-sharing authorities are a key tool, and he highlighted that orders of government below the federal level are often less protected against cyber threats, which CSIS addresses through outreach.

The committee agreed that the chair should send a public response to a letter from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress of China, seeking clarification on whether sanctions imposed by China in March 2021 remain in place against certain members of Parliament.