Annex C: Funding Results For Targeted Engagement Grants
Note: Due to COVID-19 some of these events and projects may not have occurred on the dates included below.
Round 1
Valens Global
Hateful Conduct and Radicalization in the Canadian Armed Forces: A Strategic Framework for Action & Blueprint for Recognizing Risk Indicators
Washington, DC
$49,676
Funding provided to support a project to help the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces prevent, recognize, and intervene against hateful or radicalized conduct through the provision of identification tools, as well as a framework to prevent and manage radicalization among members. Additionally, the project looked to generate a risk indicia glossary and a brochure on prevention, identification, and intervention.
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Handling Hateful Conduct in CAF: Scoping the Policy Environment
Oshawa and Ottawa, ON
$49,995
Funding provided to support a survey and analysis of the policies that govern hateful conduct and right-wing extremism in the CAF, as well as a comparative analysis of similar policies in like-minded countries. The project also aims to provide options for addressing misconduct (training, culture, etc.), and approaches to strategic communications.
Association québécoise de la prévention du suicide
Thematic day on Suicide Prevention in the Armed Forces during the 2020 National Convention on Suicide Prevention
Montreal, QC
$33,500
Funding provided to support a thematic day on suicide prevention in the armed forces during the 2020 Convention on Suicide Prevention.
Queen’s University – Centre for International Defence Policy
Arctic Challenges: International Security in the Circumpolar North
Kingston, ON
$50,000
Funding provided to support a conference and workshop on international security in the circumpolar north, the increased geopolitical and geospatial instability in the Arctic and its implication for future CAF operations. The concluding report provided policy options for Canada in this area.
The Henry L. Stimson Center
Assessing Chinese Military Ambitions and Strategy in the Arctic: Policy Recommendations for Canada
Washington, D.C. and China
$50,000
Funding provided to support a 12-month research project, focused on Chinese military interests in the Arctic. The research, based on field visits and primary sources, involved in-depth analysis on China’s military intent in the Arctic.
Carleton University
The Year Ahead 2021: An International Security, Intelligence, and Defence Outlook
Ottawa, ON
$37,374
Funding provided to support a conference examining the boundaries of local and global power, women’s experience in deployment, as well as unconventional security threats. This conference brought together academics, experts, and practitioners in Ottawa in December 2020.
Carleton University
Foreign Suppliers of 5G Technology in Canada: Assessing Potential Threats and Vulnerabilities
Ottawa, ON
$34,583
Funding provided to support a one day workshop in Ottawa, bringing together technical and policy experts to examine the technical, geopolitical and economic challenges of 5G. In addition, the project delivered a policy brief on foreign suppliers of 5G technology and the implications for Canada.
Canadian Global Affairs Institute
Procuring for Interoperability
Ottawa, ON
$50,000
Funding provided to support a one-day conference in Ottawa focused on improving the Canadian defence procurement model. The event focused on key issues in Canada’s defence procurement process and drew on international perspectives to propose alternative procurement models to mitigate these challenges.
McGill University – Centre of Genomics and Policy
Opportunities and Challenges of Using Epigenetic Technologies in Defence and Security Contexts
Montréal, QC
$47,647
Funding provided to support research examining the application of epigenetics in a defence and security context, including tracking exposure to chemical weapons, monitoring mental health, and enhancement of bodily functions. The research also studied the legal frameworks, as well as military directives, that could apply to the use of epigenetics. The work culminated in a one-day workshop and policy brief.
Road Home Research & Analysis
Canadian Nationalism in the Fight Against Extremism
Toronto, ON
$50,000
Funding supported a project aimed at fostering discussion on extremisms in the CAF and provided to support a project aimed at fostering discussion on the issue of extremism in the CAF and the role of nationalism as a potentially constructive and destructive force.
Queen’s University and Servicewomen’s Salute Canada
Improving Collaboration of the CAF SMRC and local Sexual Assault Centres: Kingston as a Comparative Study
Kingston, ON
$49,945
Funding provided to support an evaluation of the Sexual Assault Support Centre in Kingston, Ontario, which is supported by the Canadian Armed Forces’ Sexual Misconduct Response Centre. The evaluation included a comparative case study of civilian and military members using the Support Centre’s services and resources.
Center for Climate and Security (an institute of the Council on Strategic Risks)
A Climate Security Plan for Canada
Washington, D.C., USA
$50,000
Funding provided to support a study of the potential impact of climate change on Canadian Armed Forces’ missions and infrastructure in Canada, with a particular focus on the Arctic. This study aimed to inform the development of a climate security action plan for Canada, with identified risks to be addressed by policy makers and security experts.
Center for a New American Security
The Future of Russia and China in the Mediterranean
Washington, D.C.
$47,088
Funding was provided to support research on Chinese and Russian activities in the Mediterranean over the next 10-15 years, including a foresight study on the implications of these developments on Canadian, NATO, and others’ interests.
Wilfrid Laurier University
Conceptualizing Canada’s Approach to International Defence Capacity Building: A Mapping Exercise
Waterloo and Ottawa, ON; Kiev, Ukraine
$49,258
Funding provided to support a six-month research project examining the last 20 years of Canadian defence capacity building abroad. The project focused on “mapping” these initiatives and sought to provide recommendations on how DND/CAF can better leverage capacity building moving forward.
University of New Brunswick – Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society
Enhanced Learning for Combat Team Command Readiness, Phase II
Fredericton and Gagetown, NB
$50,000
Funding provided to support the second phase of a project aimed at enhancing the decision-making skills of Canadian Army officers on the battlefield through virtual simulation. Working in close collaboration with the Tactics School of the Canadian Army, this phase focused on the completion and use of virtual case studies during the Tactics School Combat Team Commanders Course in November 2020.
University of Waterloo
Cybersecurity Threat to Canada’s Critical Infrastructure
Ottawa, ON
$49,910
Funding provided to support a two-day workshop in September 2020 in Ottawa to discuss cybersecurity risks to Canadian critical infrastructure. The workshop focused on technical security gaps that may leave infrastructure open to cyber threats, as well as dispersed authority and responsibility that can leave Canada unprepared for attacks from evolving technologies.
Concordia University
#RightsCity: Human Rights in the Digital Age
Ottawa, ON
$33,377
Funding provided to support a one-day conference in Ottawa examining the implications of technological evolution on human rights and security issues, focusing on the challenges for Canada’s defence, policymaking, and international engagement. The conference specifically addressed foreign interference, disinformation, cybersecurity and multilateral cooperation, and the freedom of expression.
The Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative
Impact of Women’s Participation and Leadership in Peace Operations: Research and Dialogue
Ottawa, ON
$49,564
Funding provided to support research on best practices around issues related to the women, peace and security agenda, by both state and non-state actors, with a focus on child protection policies and practices from a gender-neutral perspective. The resulting research was discussed at an event in Ottawa in summer 2020.
YOUNG MINDS
Ryerson University Developing a Public Health Framework to Ensure Strong, Secure, Engaged Canadian Armed Forces in the Light of the Climate Change Era
Toronto, ON
$7,390
Funding provided to support a study on the development of preparedness plans for natural disasters, as well as an examination of how Artificial Intelligence can be used to collect data on past natural disasters to identify patterns and predict future crises. The study’s preliminary results were presented during a workshop in Toronto.
Round 2
Carleton University
Yesterday’s Enemies, Tomorrow’s Friends: China-Russia Cooperation, Global Decoupling, and Canada’s Strategic Future
Ottawa, ON
$46,720
Funding provided to support research on how China and Russia may be dividing the international order through cooperation and mutual support, and the implications for Canadian defence and security interests.
Carleton University
The COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for the Canadian national defence and security community
Ottawa, ON
$10,000
Funding provided to support a study on the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ current capabilities, role, and contribution to anticipate, prevent, and manage public health crises, and how they can be improved.
Queen’s University
The Power of Diversity in the Armed Forces: International Perspectives on Immigrants’ Participation in the Military
Kingston, ON
$16,865
Funding provided to support a workshop, the publishing of an edited volume, and production of a policy brief comparing how 12 different allied countries (Canada, USA, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, India, Israel, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland) address the recruitment of immigrants and non-citizens in their respective armed forces.
University of British Columbia
A Digitized Community-Based Recruitment and Referral Portal and A Militainment Approach for DND and CAF
Okanagan, BC
$31,520
Funding provided to support the creation of an online recruitment and referral portal which will showcase Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) careers, as well as develop community influencer campaigns and online gaming prototype to underrepresented visible minority groups in the CAF.
British Columbia Institute of Technology
National Advanced Placement & Prior Learning Program (N-APPL)
Burnaby, BC
$25,820
Funding provided to support to support research and program development on work-place training provided by external experts. While similar to the Prior Learning Assessment Review (PLAR) system, it went beyond the formal educational qualifications normally recognized.
Loughborough University
Going ‘East of Greenland’: Examining Canada’s Defence Role in the Arctic
Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK; Peterborough, ON; Winnipeg, MB
$49,738
Funding provided to support a study of the geographical seams that join NORAD, NATO and the United States’ Unified Command Plan in the Arctic, as well as their vulnerability to exploitation by Russia and China.
International Crisis Group & Stichting Giustra International Foundation
A Changing Security Environment: Understanding the role, interests and strategies of Russia, China, Iran and Turkey
Ottawa, ON
$50,000
Funding provided to support research and virtual roundtables on the strategic objectives of Russia, China, Iran, and Turkey.
Conference of Defence Associations Institute
89th Annual Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence
Ottawa, ON
$50,000
Funding provided to support the 89th Annual Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence in March 2021 under the theme “Canada and the World: A Threat Assessment”.
Ryerson University
Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure for Networked Technologies: Best Practices and Policy Frameworks
Toronto, ON
$44,550
Funding provided to support research on the security of cyberspace and networked technologies including those used and relied upon by National Defence, with a particular focus on the policy considerations and implications of the use of coordinated vulnerability disclosure programs.
Project Ploughshares
Charting the way forward: Examining the responsible uses of military AI by Canada’s allies
Waterloo, ON
$24,200
Funding provided to support research on emerging trends in the adoption of artificial intelligence in weapons and other systems, as well as examine the policies and best practices of Canadian allies and likeminded states.
African Access Consulting
African Navies & Maritime Security in an Age of Global Rivalry: Implications for Canadian Defence Policy
Calgary, AB
$14,500
Funding provided to support research on the relationship between African sea-power, regional prosperity and security, and great power competition.
University of Calgary
Understanding public attitude toward defence spending in a post-COVID fiscal environment
Calgary, AB
$50,000
Funding provided to support a study on Canadian perceptions, in particular on the impact of COVID-19 on support for defence spending.
Valens Global
Deepfakes, Climate Change, Flying Cars & Quantum Drones: Conditional Forecasting for Canadian Defense
Washington D.C., US; Raleigh, NC, US
$49,040
Funding provided to support research on novel security challenges, specifically: weapons technology; a new global order; human rights, human security, and governance; and, the information ecosystem.
YOUNG MINDS
University of Montreal The Politics of Canadian Foreign Military Training: Operation IMPACT in Comparative Perspective
Montreal, QC
$4,008.60
Funding provided to support research on the Canadian domestic and international politics of capacity building/training military operations, using Canada’s participation in NATO’s training mission in Iraq as a case study.
University of New Brunswick
Scoping Review of Canadian Conspiracy Theories Related to Political Extremism and Hateful Conduct in the CAF
Fredericton, NB
$10,000
Funding provided to support a study of Canadian conspiracy theories that potentially promote hateful attitudes, conduct, and radicalization within the Canadian Armed Forces.
Queen’s University
Considering Best-Practices in Middle Power Defence Policies
Kingston, ON
$10,000
Funding provided to support research on defence policy and evolving role of middle powers, to identify the best-practice defence policies that Canada should consider to promote the rulesbased order and deter threats as a middle power.
Queen’s University
Tracking and Identifying Women Peace and Security Research
Kingston, ON
$17,900
Funding provided to support efforts to map and create an online database of existing expertise on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) at academic institutions and in government, military, activist and not-for-profit organizations across Canada, in English and French.
Queen’s University
The validation of a gender-informed, culturally competent mentorship framework for women in the CAF
Kingston, ON
$37,971
Funding provided to support a study of a gender-informed, culturally-competent mentorship framework to support women in the Canadian Armed Forces throughout the lifespan of their military careers, by providing both career-oriented and psychosocial supports.
University of British Columbia
(Survive and Thrive Applied Research (STAR) Initiative) Governance and Organization for Whole of Canada Response to Grey Zone Tactics in the Pan-Domain
Kelowna, BC
$18,800
Funding provided to support a series of simulations that will explore the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces, and whole-of-government, response to two illustrative grey zone tactics used by adversaries in pan-domain competition and beneath the threshold of warfare.
Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security
‘Moral Injury’ Research & Training Collaboration with the Canadian Armed Forces Chaplaincy
Halifax, NS; Borden, ON
$40,757.50
Funding provided to support a research on ‘moral injury’, its relation to soldiers on mission and in potential interactions with child soldiers. This research will inform the development of a new curriculum to add to chaplain training, and a ‘Train the Trainer’ course at CFB Borden.
University of Waterloo
Artificial Intelligence, Automated Warfare, and Ethics
Waterloo, ON
$50,000
Funding provided to support the development of a virtual speaker series to discuss the ethics of applying artificial intelligence in the battlefield.
Chatham House
Understanding the implications of recent developments in Russia’s advanced military technology
London, UK
$15,676
Funding provided to support research and a virtual workshop to assess how Canada and NATO partners could identify, and potentially exploit, Russian military vulnerabilities, as well as examine existing operational and doctrinal discrepancies between capabilities and their intended use.
Organization for the Prevention of Violence
The Violent Far-Right and Service in the Armed Forces: Insights from Former Extremists
Ottawa, ON; Edmonton, AB
$44,125
Funding provided to support research on former extremists that served in Canadian, U.S., German, and Swedish armed forces’ perspectives, to identify potential factors between military experiences and radicalisation.
Centre for International Governance Innovation
Facilitating Strategic Engagement: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Military Defence and Security
Waterloo, ON
$33,500
Funding provided to support a study on how countries like Canada can adapt to the force multiplying effects of artificial intelligence.
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Special Operation Forces and the Arctic: Meeting North America’s 21st Century Security Needs (MINDS NAASOF)
Fairbanks, AK
$44,622
Funding provided to support a study on the Special Operational Forces’ current ability to address the emerging security needs, challenges, and threats to, and in, the North American Arctic.
Canadian Global Affairs Institute
Climate Change and the Canadian Armed Forces
Ottawa, ON
$50,000
Funding provided to support virtual workshops in winter 2021 on how National Defence can adapt and respond to climate change.
Canadian Global Affairs Institute
Emerging Technologies and Continental Defence
Ottawa, ON
$50,000
Funding provided to support a series of webinars, research papers and graduate student presentations, from January to March 2021, on how Canada and the US can modernize continental defence amidst accelerating great power competition and technological advances.
Saint Paul University
The Factors of Successful or Failed use of Virtual Counter-narratives to Prevent Hateful Conduct and Violent Extremism
Ottawa, ON
$50,000
Funding provided to support research on the effectiveness of different counter-narratives in the prevention of the dissemination of hateful and violent extremism speech on the web.
University of Sherbrooke
From distrust to disinformation: virtual tools used to perpetrate conspiracy theories and their potential violent impacts in Canada
Sherbrooke, QC
$44,839
Funding provided to support a study of the emergence of conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 on social media in Canada, in order to better understand the development, dissemination and adherence to conspiracy theories.
Queen’s University
Enhancing Servicewomen’s Salute COVID-19 Research Support and Online Engagement Capabilities
Kingston, ON
$9,746.50
Funding provided to support work to improve the online tools and resources of the Servicewomen’s Salute Canada Portal, as well as efforts to conduct a scan of existing research on servicewomen’s experiences during COVID-19.
European Values Center for Security Policy
P.I.N.C.E.R. (Protecting Information; Negating Chinese Espionage and Reconnaissance)
Prague, Czech Republic
$4,150
Funding provided to support research on Chinese intellectual property theft in Canada and its national security implications.
Covid-19 Challenge
Laval University
Causes and Consequences of Pandemics: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Quebec, QC / Online
$10,000
Funding supported a series of virtual seminars aimed at fostering a multidisciplinary dialogue about the practical, methodological, and normative aspects of studying pandemics.
Carleton University
COVID-19 Malicious Online Activities: Exploring Cyber Threats to Future Military Operations
Ottawa, ON
$9,900
Funding supported research on the potential impacts of COVID-19 disinformation campaigns from violent non-state actors on CAF operations.
École nationale d’administration publique
A Comparative Analysis of the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Arctic
Ottawa, ON, Québec, QC
$8,900
Funding supported research on government strategies in the Arctic region to limit the propagation of COVID-19.
Université du Québec à Montréal
Borders in the Era of COVID-19: (Im)mobility, Inequality, and Sovereignties, what are the implications for Canada?
Montreal, QC
$10,000
Funding supported research on the impact of border closures at community, national, regional, and international scales.
Sexual Assault Centre Kingston
Building Digital Bridges
Kingston, ON
$8,957
Funding supported research on the experiences of CAF members who have accessed distance counselling via four sexual assault centres in Ontario prior to and during COVID-19.
Friends of Europe
Building Trust and Confidence in Cyberspace: Advancing International Law Brussels,
Belgium
$10,000
Funding supported a panel discussion with leading experts on the impact of COVID-19 on cybersecurity and disinformation campaigns.
St. Francis Xavier University
The Canadian Rangers and COVID-19
Online
$10,000
Funding supported research on the roles, impact, and local perception of the Canadian Rangers in their response to COVID-19.
Canadian Global Affairs Institute
Economic Recovery from COVID-19: Leveraging the Defence Team
Ottawa, ON
$10,000
Funding supported a study of how DND/CAF spending can be redirected to facilitate Canada’s economic recovery from COVID-19.
McMaster University
The Impact of COVID-19 on Military Members and Veterans Who Experienced Sexual Misconduct
Hamilton, ON
$10,000
Funding supported a virtual international symposium on best practices and lessons learned in addressing cases of sexual misconduct among military members and veterans during COVID-19.
The Institute for Peace and Diplomacy
Discussion Series: COVID-19 Impact on Peace and Security
Toronto, ON / Online
$10,000
Funding supported a series of panel discussions on the geopolitical impacts of COVID-19, with a focus on Canadian grand strategy, Middle East and Asia-Pacific policy, and global supply chains.
Valens Global
Anticipating and Navigating the Post- COVID-19 Strategic Environment: A Virtual Event Series
Washington D.C., Raleigh, NC, United States/ Online
$9,847.50
Funding supported two roundtables and an immersive wargame simulation to explore the impact of COVID-19 on great power competition and the various ways by which to navigate it.
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