Shahriyar Ali
Canada and the United States have maintained a strong alliance for over 150 years, united not only by their shared border, but also by a deep collaboration across a range of policy areas, from defense and security to trade and workforce development. In today’s increasingly digital world, this collaboration is critical for global resilience and sustainability, particularly when it comes to cybersecurity.
As cyber threats continue to multiply with the evolving technology landscape, Canada and the U.S. have recognized the importance of strong, nimble, and comprehensive cybersecurity strategies. Canada’s National Cyber Security Strategy, published in 2018, acknowledges the need for resilience and prosperity in the face of new threats posed by the embrace of digital technologies. Similarly, the U.S. National Cybersecurity Strategy, released in recent years, prioritizes securing the digital ecosystem to enhance America’s security, public safety, and economic prosperity.
The upcoming meeting between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Canada on March 23 presents a significant opportunity to expand on the two countries’ binational cybersecurity efforts. The Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership, which highlights a joint agenda to strengthen cybersecurity and protect critical infrastructure, particularly in the energy sector, represents a significant milestone in this ongoing partnership. However, more needs to be done to ensure the binational security of Canada and the U.S. in today’s rapidly evolving digital world.
In addition to the steps already identified, there are several key actions that Canada and the U.S. can take to continue to shape and strengthen their collaborative cybersecurity strategies. These include expanding the mission of NORAD to include emerging cybersecurity threats beyond earth’s atmosphere, jointly defending critical infrastructure from cyberattacks, and investing in binational cybersecurity research and development. Partnerships with industry and cross-border technology interoperability are also crucial to the success of binational security.
The convergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity is essential for a resilient and sustainable world, and achieving these outcomes requires the collaboration of allied partners across geographical borders and public and private sectors. With over 3 million unfilled cybersecurity roles expected by 2025, investing in cybersecurity talent and fostering secure technology innovation through industry collaboration are critical to the success of these efforts.
As Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Chief Elite Customer Success Officer at BlackBerry, a Canadian supplier of cybersecurity products and services, Neelam Sandhu is well-positioned to offer insight into the importance of binational cybersecurity efforts. Together, Canada and the U.S. can leverage their longstanding alliance to strengthen their cybersecurity strategies and protect critical infrastructure for the benefit of both nations and the world at large.
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