Launch of CAF Cyber Command

26 septembre 2024 - Ottawa, Ontario

Thank you, Minister Blair. Hello everyone. 

Today is a big step forward for the Canadian Armed Forces and for our march toward modernization.

The cyber domain is changing how wars are fought and won.

When wielded effectively and responsibly, digital technologies can bring operational opportunities and can give Canada a critical edge over adversaries.

Operating effectively in the cyber domain—both defensively and offensively—has become essential to modern military operations.

And it’s critical to defending and advancing Canadian interests in an increasingly competitive strategic environment.

The Canadian Armed Forces has been working for more than a decade to develop our military cyber capabilities to meet this reality head on. 

That work will now be led by the CAF Cyber Command.

This new command will be responsible for directing, synchronizing, coordinating, and planning military cyber operations.

It will streamline current and future CAF cyber efforts into a single command and control structure—with dedicated and focused leadership that reports directly to me.

This will enable the CAF to become more threat-informed, strategically driven, operationally focused, and tactically prepared in the cyber domain.

It will give our military and the Government of Canada the strategic and tactical tools we need to support advanced cyber operations—now and into the future.

It will enable us to make quicker and better decisions on the battlefield, including through the integration of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

And it will support our transformation to a more agile and responsive Armed Forces in a pan-domain battlespace.

The threats we face in the digital age know no borders.

Our adversaries can strike at us from a computer thousands of kilometres away, without having to fire a single shot.

To counter these complex and growing threats, the CAF Cyber Command will work more strategically and cooperatively with our closest partners and Allies.

Whether that’s the Communications Security Establishment—whose technical and specialized expertise are vital in supporting CAF operations.

Whether it’s our partners in NATO, NORAD, the Five-Eyes, and the Indo-Pacific —all of whom are expanding their own cyber defences.

Or whether it’s our friends and Allies who need our support.

For example, the Canadian Armed Forces is providing cyber defence expertise to both Latvia and Ukraine, at the request of each nation.

We’re helping them protect their critical networks from malicious Russian cyber activity, while sharing vital intelligence to deter and defend against Russian aggression.

Bolstering Canada’s cyber capabilities will ensure greater interoperability with our Allies so we can meet our international obligations and counter global cyber threats.

And it’ll help keep Canada safe and defend Canadian interests by disrupting and denying those who would do harm to Canada and our Allies.

I’m pleased that this new command will be led by Major-General Yarker—a person I have great respect for.

Dave: I know first-hand the opportunities and challenges that come with leading a new organization.

I also know that your background and expertise make you the right person for the job—and that you will do stellar work.

I look forward to working with you and your team.

As the world changes all around us, the Canadian Armed Forces must continue innovating and leading to meet the threats and challenges of our digital age.

We need to have and use every tool at our disposal.

We need to work closely with our Allies to maintain an operational advantage over our adversaries.

And we need to be ready for whatever the future may bring.

The CAF Cyber Command will help Canada’s military do exactly that.

Thank you very much. Merci beaucoup.

General Jennie Carignan
Chief of the Defence Staff