National Security Advisor (Canada)

Commission on Foreign Interference releases schedule and witnesses for first week of public hearings

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 23, 2024

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 23, 2024 /CNW/ - The Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions has released its witness list for the National Security Confidentiality public hearings that begin on January 29, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 23, 2024 /CNW/ - The Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions has released its witness list for the National Security Confidentiality public hearings that begin on January 29, 2024.
  • The hearings, which will last five days, will identify the challenges, limitations and potential adverse impacts associated with the disclosure of classified national security information and intelligence to the public.
  • "This is one of the biggest challenges that the Commission will face," said Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue.
  • The Government of Canada created the Foreign Interference Commission to respond to concerns about foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

Prime Minister announces changes in the senior ranks of the public service

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 12, 2024

Dr. Harpreet S. Kochhar, currently President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, becomes Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, effective January 27, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Dr. Harpreet S. Kochhar, currently President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, becomes Deputy Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, effective January 27, 2024.
  • Michelle Kovacevic, currently Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch, Department of Finance Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Indigenous Services, effective January 22, 2024.
  • Rob Wright, currently Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Parliamentary Infrastructure Branch, Public Services and Procurement Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, effective January 22, 2024.
  • The Prime Minister also congratulated the following individuals on their retirements from the public service after years of tireless efforts serving Canadians, and he wished them the best in their future endeavours:

Cork Launches Early Access Program in Canada

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, October 25, 2023

BOSTON, Oct. 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cork , the cyber warranty company for MSPs serving small businesses and the ISV solutions they manage, today announced that it is launching its Early Access Program (EAP) in Canada.

Key Points: 
  • BOSTON, Oct. 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cork , the cyber warranty company for MSPs serving small businesses and the ISV solutions they manage, today announced that it is launching its Early Access Program (EAP) in Canada.
  • Cork is also announcing the general availability of the Cork Protection platform to U.S.-based MSPs starting November 1.
  • “The expansion of the Cork Early Access Program into Canada and the general availability of our platform in the U.S. is a significant milestone for Cork and our MSP partners,” said Carlson Choi, CEO of Cork.
  • Canadian-based MSPs alone account for 20% of the early interest in the program.

Prime Minister announces changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, May 31, 2023

OTTAWA, ON, May 31, 2023 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the following changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service:

Key Points: 
  • OTTAWA, ON, May 31, 2023 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the following changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service:
    Cynthia (Cindy) Termorshuizen, currently Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, will serve concurrently as Personal Representative of the Prime Minister (Sherpa) for the G7 Summit.
  • Tushara Williams, currently Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Department of Finance Canada, becomes Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Privy Council Office, effective June 19, 2023.
  • Eric Costen, currently Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Industry Sector, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Health, effective June 26, 2023.
  • Nick Leswick, currently Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, will assume the duties of Deputy Minister on an interim basis, until such a time as a new Deputy Minister of Finance is appointed.

The Michael Chong affair reveals the federal government's national security incompetence

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 9, 2023

One might presume this confers some obligation on the government to inform Canadians if their relations living abroad are threatened by a foreign state.

Key Points: 
  • One might presume this confers some obligation on the government to inform Canadians if their relations living abroad are threatened by a foreign state.
  • Two years ago, Ottawa had intelligence indicating that relatives of Conservative MP Michael Chong, who were living in Hong Kong, might be targeted for reprisal by the Chinese government.
  • This was in retaliation for Chong sponsoring a parliamentary motion condemning Beijing for its treatment of the Uighur minority.

CSIS admonished

    • As a result, Chong was unaware of the threat to his family until the intelligence was leaked last week.
    • Trudeau has admonished CSIS for failing to inform the government properly.
    • He says he has now instructed Canada’s spy agency to bring any intelligence on threats to MPs to his attention.
    • How should this matter have been handled if the government did take its national security obligations seriously?

Regular meetings with CSIS director

    • The solicitor general was responsible for and accountable to Parliament for CSIS.
    • In those days, the CSIS director met regularly, if not weekly when the House of Commons was sitting, with the solicitor general, who was Liberal Herb Gray at the time.
    • These are the types of meetings in which intelligence like the alleged targeting of Chong should have been clearly shared with the minister — not buried in a memo circulating among national security officials, but rather in a verbal briefing between CSIS and its minister.

Oath of secrecy

    • He is the foreign affairs critic for the Official Opposition, a former minister of the Crown and a Privy Councillor.
    • Chong’s Privy Council oath of secrecy could have been invoked to ensure confidentiality.
    • Vincent Rigby, Trudeau’s national security adviser, retired in June 2021 and was not replaced until January 2022.

Too easy to blame CSIS

    • That means the position of National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the prime minister was a part-time gig for seven months.
    • It’s easy to blame CSIS in this episode.
    • But a serious national security culture comes from the top down, not from the intelligence agencies under the control of the federal government.

Clearwater Helps SmileSnap Build and Execute a Strong Cybersecurity and Compliance Program

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 14, 2022

DENVER and NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- SmileSnap, provider of the virtual consultation software used by more than 1,200 dentists and orthodontists worldwide, and Clearwater, a leading provider of cybersecurity and compliance solutions for the healthcare industry, announced today that SmileSnap has become one of the latest subscribers to ClearAdvantage®, Clearwater's multi-year managed services program that provides customers with the benefits of an integrated and efficiently executed cybersecurity and compliance program at 25%-50% of the cost of traditional approaches.

Key Points: 
  • Founded in 2019, SmileSnap is a rapidly growing technology company that specializes in developing software catered to dental providers.
  • SmileSnap was built with the notion that initial consultations should be enhanced and modernized to meet the expectations of today's patients.
  • "SmileSnap is providing much needed innovation and efficiency to the dental industry," said Clearwater CEO Steve Cagle.
  • "Clearwater is proud to be SmileSnap's partner in helping build and execute a cybersecurity and compliance program that exceeds industry expectations and positions the company for even greater growth."

Clearwater and CynergisTek Complete Merger, Bringing Together Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Compliance Leaders

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 1, 2022

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Clearwater announced today that its planned merger with CynergisTek has been completed, bringing together two market leaders who are joining forces to serve the cybersecurity, privacy, and compliance needs of healthcare organizations, as well as those in other highly regulated industries. As a result of the transaction, CynergisTek is now a privately owned company and will operate as a subsidiary of Clearwater, aside Clearwater's recently acquired TECH LOCK Division. Common mission, values, and customer focus among all three companies provide a strong foundation to create a clear market leader in healthcare cybersecurity and compliance.

Key Points: 
  • As a result of the transaction, CynergisTek is now a privately owned company and will operate as a subsidiary of Clearwater, aside Clearwater's recently acquired TECH LOCK Division.
  • Common mission, values, and customer focus among all three companies provide a strong foundation to create a clear market leader in healthcare cybersecurity and compliance.
  • Clearwater also has been named the top Compliance and Risk Management Solution Provider in the Black Book survey for the past six years in a row.
  • "I'm incredibly proud of what we built at CynergisTek over the last two decades," said Mac McMillan, CynergisTek CEO.

Clearwater Adds 24/7 Managed Detection and Response Services and HITRUST, CMMC and PCI Certification Services Through Acquisition of TECH LOCK

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 26, 2022

NASHVILLE, Tenn. and TROY, Mich., July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Clearwater, the healthcare industry's top-ranked Security Advisors and Consultants and Compliance and Risk Management Solution provider, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of TECH LOCK, a leading provider of security management, threat detection, incident response, and compliance services. TECH LOCK operated as a subsidiary of RevSpring, a market leader in patient engagement and payment solutions. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Key Points: 
  • TECH LOCK operated as a subsidiary of RevSpring, a market leader in patient engagement and payment solutions.
  • They have extended detection and response with immediate contextual data to neutralize threats based on severity and risk.
  • TECH LOCK's compliance services are led by industry-certified assessors able to provide HITRUST certifications, PCI audits, and CMMC assessments.
  • Clearwater is the leading provider of cybersecurity, risk management, and HIPAA compliance software, consulting, and managed services for the healthcare industry.

Early Warning Services Joins Board of ADI Association to Advance an Open Framework for Digital Identity

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 7, 2022

The Accountable Digital Identity (ADI) Association, the industry standards organization dedicated to establishing interoperable, privacy-preserving accountability as a central pillar of digital identity, today announces that Early Warning Services, LLC.

Key Points: 
  • The Accountable Digital Identity (ADI) Association, the industry standards organization dedicated to establishing interoperable, privacy-preserving accountability as a central pillar of digital identity, today announces that Early Warning Services, LLC.
  • Chuck Moore, Head of Vertical Market Solutions and Digital Identity Business at Early Warning, will serve on the Board.
  • We are extremely pleased to have Early Warning join the ADI Association Board of Directors, said Ramesh Kesanupalli, Co-Founder, ADI Association and CEO, Digital Trust Networks.
  • The Accountable Digital Identity (ADI) Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing an open framework for digital identity focused on accountability, privacy, and interoperability.

Bonafide Medical Group Partners with Clearwater to Further Advance Industry Leading Cybersecurity and HIPAA Compliance Practices Through Clearwater’s ClearAdvantage® Program

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 5, 2022

As cyberattacks continue to plague the industry, healthcare organizations are demanding stronger cybersecurity and HIPAA compliance programs from their vendors.

Key Points: 
  • As cyberattacks continue to plague the industry, healthcare organizations are demanding stronger cybersecurity and HIPAA compliance programs from their vendors.
  • Throughout Bonafides history, we have worked with industry leaders to establish standards and best practices with respect to HIPAA and data security, says Mark Ludwig, Bonafide Medical Group CEO.
  • But as the industry continues to evolve, we recognize the need to advance our approach to cybersecurity and HIPAA compliance.
  • Clearwater is the leading provider of cybersecurity, risk management, and HIPAA compliance software , consulting, and managed services for the healthcare industry.