Hello, and welcome to the final episode of Together for Canada.
Over the course of this series, we’ve explored what foreign interference is, why evidence matters, how democratic institutions function, and what each of us can do to strengthen Canada’s resilience.
Throughout these conversations, one message has remained constant.
Canada’s approach to national security is founded on a simple principle:
Protect behaviour—not identity.
Foreign interference is defined not by nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or cultural background.
It is defined by conduct.
As public reports issued by CSIS and other Canadian institutions have explained, foreign interference can take many forms.
It may involve covert influence.
Hidden funding.
Espionage.
Cyber activities.
Disinformation.
Economic coercion.
Or attempts to intimidate individuals and communities.
These methods may differ.
But they share one characteristic.
They seek to advance the interests of a foreign state through secretive, deceptive, coercive, or otherwise improper means that undermine Canada’s public interest.
Recognizing these behaviours should never lead us to stereotype entire communities.
Canada’s diversity remains one of our greatest strengths.
Millions of Canadians maintain international connections through family, education, business, research, culture, and travel.
These relationships enrich our country. They should continue to be encouraged.
Protecting national security does not require Canada to become less open. It requires us to become more informed. More resilient. And more confident in the democratic values that define our country.
Throughout this series, we’ve returned to several common themes.
Think critically.
Respect evidence.
Protect your personal information.
Support transparency and accountability.
Strengthen good governance.
Value democratic institutions.
Respect people from every background.
And always distinguish behaviour from identity.
These may seem like small actions.
Taken together, they help strengthen public trust.
They reinforce democratic resilience.
And they help protect the Canada we all share.
National security is not about creating fear.
It is about protecting freedom.
Resilience is not about suspicion.
It is about confidence.
Confidence in our institutions.
Confidence in one another.
And confidence in the democratic values that unite us.
We come from different places.
But we share one home.
Canada.
Thank you for joining us throughout this series.
We hope these conversations have encouraged thoughtful discussion, strengthened public understanding, and inspired greater civic participation.
Together, we can help ensure that Canada remains open, democratic, secure, and welcoming—for this generation and the next.
Thank you.
This series is intended for public education. It draws upon publicly available information from Canadian legislation, government publications, public inquiries, and other open sources. It does not represent the views of any government institution.