📌 Content note: This episode discusses sexual violence and atrocities. Listener discretion is advised. Recorded during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, this episode of Bylines & Frontlines confronts one of the most pervasive yet under-addressed crimes of modern conflict: conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). CRSV is not incidental. It is not inevitable. And it is not a by-product of chaos. As our guests make clear, sexual violence is planned, enabled, and weaponized—used deliberately to terrorize populations, fracture communities, clear territory, discipline armed groups, and, in some cases, advance genocidal intent. In this episode, we explore: CRSV as a tactic and weapon How sexual violence functions as a low-cost, high-impact weapon targeting the human and moral terrain of societies—from Tigray to Ukraine and beyond. Early warning signs and patterns Why mass sexual violence is rarely spontaneous, how it can be detected early, and why failure to act is often a matter of political and operational choice—not lack of information. The military’s role and responsibility From armed forces as first responders, to force protection, to the hard truth of preventing perpetration within one’s own ranks—this conversation examines command responsibility, accountability, and prevention. Children born of war A population rendered invisible by stigma, silence, and policy gaps. We discuss who these children are, why they remain excluded from reparations frameworks, and what governments and international institutions owe them. Survivors, justice, and recognition Including emerging efforts—such as survivor-informed reparations models—that challenge the historical failure to acknowledge sexual violence as a core international crime. Featuring: Emily Prey — Director of the Mass Atrocities & International Law Portfolio and the Gender Policy Portfolio at the New Lines Institute Lieutenant Colonel Melanie Lake, MSM, CD — Canadian Armed Forces; former Commander, Operation UNIFIER; NATO gender leadership expert Commander Tyson Nicholas, RAN — Strategic Military Advisor, UN Women Hosted by: Riel Erickson

Pour ce nouvel épisode de Conseils de sécurité, Aubin Gonzalez Lapos et Sarah-Myriam Martin-Brûlé reçoivent Mathieu Luinaud, consultant en stratégie et expert du secteur spatial. Membre de l’International Institute of Space Law et chercheur associé à la chaire SIRIUS de l’Université Toulouse-1 Capitole, il enseigne aussi l’économie publique et les politiques technologiques à Sciences Po, et est élu de la ville de Paris. Il est l’auteur de plusieurs ouvrages récents, dont L’Industrie spatiale (PUF, 2023), L’Espace et Nous (Dunod, 2025) et Que sais-je ? L’Espace (PUF, 2025). Avec lui, nous explorons la place croissante du spatial dans notre quotidien et dans nos sécurités collectives : *comment l’espace recompose les rapports de puissance et la souveraineté technologique ; *quelles synergies émergent entre les politiques spatiales du Canada, de la France et de l’Australie ; *comment concilier innovation privée et exigences de sécurité nationale ; *et quels leviers permettraient à l’Europe et au Canada de rester compétitifs dans un secteur dominé par les écosystèmes américain et asiatique. Nous abordons aussi le rôle du spatial dans la lutte contre les changements climatiques, la diplomatie environnementale, et les défis majeurs de gouvernance face au risque d’un « Far West » orbital. Enfin, nous discutons de l’avenir du spatial : un champ de rivalité stratégique ou un laboratoire d’interdépendance et d’innovation partagée ? Un épisode qui explore pourquoi l’espace est devenu un enjeu central de sécurité internationale.

Welcome to winter and a new episode of Battle Rhythm. Co-hosts Linna Tam-Seto (Assistant Professor Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto) and Steve Saideman discuss high school recruitment gains for the Canadian Armed Forces as they pitch a more diverse force and plans for a big boost to numbers in the Reserves while welcoming you to attend our annual Year Ahead event in Ottawa, this year focusing on 7 years of research from the CDSN on topics of security, operations, military personnel and civil-military relations. For Today’s feature interview, co-host Wendy Wong interviews our former Capstone Scholar Madison Schramm about her new book Why Democracies Fight Dictators (Oxford University Press). Madison Schramm is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto. She specializes in international security, the domestic politics of foreign policy, and gender and foreign policy. She is particularly interested in leader psychology and conflict decision-making; and gender and leader selection and removal dynamics. She has published manuscripts exploring gender and conflict initiation (Security Studies), democratic constitutional systems and conflict (Political Science Quarterly; Journal of Global Security Studies), and diversity and inclusion in post-conflict states (book chapter, Untapped Power, Oxford University Press).

Welcome to a new episode of Battle Rhythm, with co-host Artur Wilczynski, retired DG of Foreign Intelligence Operations Canada and Senior Fellow GPSIA, University of Ottawa; Artur and Steve Saideman discuss the Director of Canadian Security and Intelligence Service’s Dan Rogers public threat assessment including the intersection of polarization/radicalization and eroding social cohesion, will this improve the resilience of Canadians in the face of growing global competition and risk? Our co-hosts also discuss the Reserve Force of the Future which may or may not include service for Canada’s Public Service, along with the complicated politics of making defence and security decisions for Canada and Canadians. Born in Montreal, Brigadier-General (BGen) Éric Landry joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1994 and served with the Royal Canadian Hussars during his undergraduate studies in Business Administration. In 1997, following his transfer to the Regular Force, he joined the 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment in Valcartier. He served as a troop leader and participated in Op PALLADIUM in Bosnia and Herzegovina with D Squadron. Promoted to Major, he deployed twice to Afghanistan from July 2007 to May 2008 as J35 (Chief of Plans) of Joint Task Force-Kandahar and as the last tank squadron commander from November 2010 to June 2011. For his leadership on this deployment, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. In 2015, he became the 25th Commander of the 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment. He commanded the Regiment during three domestic operations: Op NANOOK and NUNALIVUT in the Canadian North and Op LENTUS during the floods in Quebec in 2017. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 2018 and appointed the Deputy Commander of Joint Task Force – IMPACT. Upon his return from the Middle-East, he was appointed Chief of Staff for the 1st Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg. He became the 16th Commander of the 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group on the 21st of August 2020.

Dans cet épisode, Sarah-Myriam Marti-Brûlé et Aubin Gonzalez Lapos reçoivent Paul Charon, directeur du domaine Influence et Renseignement de l’IRSEM. L’entretien aborde la structuration du champ « renseignement, anticipation et stratégies d’influence » , le rôle croissant de la guerre cognitive, et les défis qu’elle pose aux démocraties. Nous discutons de la tension entre secret et transparence dans les régimes démocratiques, de la centralité des récits dans les stratégies d’influence contemporaines, et des leçons tirées de la guerre en Ukraine face aux offensives narratives russes. L’épisode analyse également l’émergence de nouveaux acteurs, entreprises, plateformes, influenceurs, et les dilemmes que cela pose aux États soucieux de protéger à la fois la sécurité nationale et les libertés fondamentales. Enfin, notre invité revient sur deux ouvrages majeurs : Les mondes du renseignement, qui propose une approche pluridisciplinaire du renseignement, et Baybridge: Anatomy of a Chinese Information Influence Ecosystem, une étude inédite sur l’inefficacité paradoxale de certaines opérations d’influence chinoises. L’entretien se conclut sur les perspectives de coopération entre la France, le Canada et la Francophonie stratégique pour renforcer la résilience informationnelle et défendre un récit démocratique commun.

Welcome to a new episode of Battle Rhythm, with co-host Anessa L. Kimball, Ph.D., Professor at Université Laval; Steve Saideman and Anessa discuss defense spending eagerness in Ottawa and beyond along with Canada and ASEAN and two apologies, one from Prime Minister Mark Carney and another from the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jennie Carignan on behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces for Racial Discrimination and Racial Harassment of current and past current and former CAF members. In today’s Feature Interview, Steve discusses Navy procurement and recruitment strategies with Canada’s Naval Commander. Vice-Admiral (VAdm) Angus Topshee is the 38th Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). His diverse academic background includes military and civilian institutions on three continents. He has deployed in ships around the world and has accumulated countless sea stories involving pirates, sharks, terrorists, volcanoes, whales, fires, and all the other things which make life at sea a true adventure. The highlight of his time at sea was his far too brief command of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Algonquin in 2009-2010 and, a close second, his three years in command of Canada’s Pacific Fleet. His shore postings include two tours in the Navy’s Strategy directorate as penance for all of his sea time, three years in command of Canadian Forces Base Halifax, and two years as the Deputy Director, Strategy, Policy, and Plans at NORAD and United States Northern Command Headquarters in Colorado Springs. He also deployed to Afghanistan for all of 2011 as the director of Afghan National Police Training within the NATO Training Mission Afghanistan. Over the course of his career, he has somehow been involved in Arctic issues at every one of his shore postings (except Afghanistan). Before taking command of the RCN in May 2022, VAdm Topshee had the honour and the pleasure of commanding Maritime Forces Pacific and Joint Task Force Pacific, located in Esquimalt, B.C. VAdm Topshee’s career is enabled by his fantastically supportive wife, Audrey, and four tremendous daughters, Amy, Zoë, Charlotte, and Iris.

This special anniversary episode of Bylines & Frontlines, the podcast of Women in International Security – Canada (WIIS-Canada), marks a quarter century since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) — a landmark moment that changed how the world understands conflict, peacebuilding, and women’s leadership. Hosts Dr. Stéfanie von Hlatky and Dr. Vanessa Brown are joined by two remarkable guests: Jaqueline O’Neill, Canada’s first and now former Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security, and Leona Ahn, Canadian Armed Forces officer, law student, and former Vice Chair of WIIS Canada. Together, they reflect on what this milestone means — personally and politically — and what it takes to keep advancing an agenda that faces both momentum and mounting resistance. From “ships passing in the night” in post-conflict Sudan to “feminist resilience” in moments of backlash, their stories bring the WPS agenda to life through lived experience, policy innovation, and leadership in action. The conversation explores: What real change looks like when policies translate into safety and opportunity for women and marginalized groups; How inclusion, leadership, and accountability intersect across defense, diplomacy, and law; The importance of networks — local and global — in sustaining courage and community; and Why the next phase of WPS must embrace intersectionality, dignity, and systemic change. This episode captures both urgency and hope — a reminder that the WPS agenda was never just about representation, but about transforming the way power, peace, and security are understood and practiced.

Dans cet épisode de Conseils de sécurité, Aubin Gonzalez Lapos et Sarah-Myriam Martin-Brûlé reçoivent le général Alexis Rougier, général de brigade aérienne en charge de la Très Haute Altitude (THA) à l’état-major de l’Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace. Fort d’un parcours marqué par le commandement opérationnel et l’innovation stratégique, le général Rougier revient sur la transformation profonde des armées face à l’émergence du continuum air–espace, à l’évolution des menaces technologiques et à la redéfinition de la supériorité aérienne. L’entretien explore les enjeux de souveraineté, de sécurité et de résilience dans un environnement où les domaines terrestre, maritime, aérien, cyber et spatial sont désormais étroitement interconnectés. Le général partage également sa vision des coopérations internationales, notamment entre la France et le Canada, qui renforcent leurs liens dans les domaines de la défense aérienne, de la surveillance spatiale et de l’innovation duale. Entre intelligence artificielle, hypervélocité, robotique et guerre électronique, cet épisode questionne la manière dont les armées peuvent préserver un avantage stratégique durable tout en maintenant un ancrage humain, éthique et décisionnel au cœur du commandement militaire.

Welcome to spooky season and to a new season of Battle Rhythm, with co-hosts Dr. Wendy H. Wong (Professor of Political Science and Principal’s Research Chair at the University of British Columbia) and Steve Saideman. Steve shares insights from the German-Norweigan consortium to supply submarines to Canada and he and Wendy discuss the defence diplomacy involved along with protesting and what it means for democracy. In today’s feature interview, Wendy interviews Dr. Jessica F. Green, they discuss her book Existential Politics and her research focused on global governance, the politics of decarbonization, carbon pricing, and non-state actors. Jessica Green is a professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto. She is also cross-appointed in the School of Environment. She has previously held positions at Case Western University (in Cleveland, OH) and New York University (in NYC). Her newly released book, Existential Politics, explains why the Paris Agreement is Failing. Governments have misdiagnosed the political problem of climate change, focusing relentlessly on measuring, reporting, and trading emissions. This technical approach of “managing tons” ignores the ways that climate change and climate policy will revalue assets, creating winners and losers. Policies such as net zero, carbon pricing, and offsets all cater to the losers—owners of fossil assets. But in reality, climate change is a political problem, not a technical one. Climate politics should be understood as existential—creating conflicts that arise when some actors face the prospect of the devaluation or elimination of their assets or competition from the creation of new ones. Fossil asset owners, such as oil and gas companies and electric utilities, stand to lose trillions in the energy transition. Thus, they are fighting to slow decarbonization and preserve the value of their assets. Green asset owners, who will be the basis of the decarbonized economy, are fewer in number and relatively weak politically. Governments should use international tax, finance, and trade institutions to create new green asset owners and constrain fossil asset owners. https://www.greenprofgreen.com/about Join us in Ottawa on November 13th at 6pm at the Lord Elgin Hotel, where Dr. Green will hold a public launch of her book and discussion about her research.

In this powerful episode of Bylines and Frontlines, hosts Frieda Castellanos and Dr. Colleen Bell take on one of the most urgent global issues of our time—gender-based violence in contexts where states are unresponsive or complicit. Recorded on the eve of Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the discussion bridges histories of harm and the ongoing struggle for justice. Our guests bring deep expertise and lived commitment to this topic: Murwarid Ziayee, Senior Director at Right to Learn Afghanistan, reflects on how women’s rights and safety have been systematically eroded under Taliban rule—and the quiet networks still keeping hope alive. Sheila North, journalist, filmmaker, and former Grand Chief of MKO, shares hard-won insights from her work on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada, including her acclaimed documentary 1200+ and memoir My Privilege, My Responsibility. Soma Bidarpour, Kurdish scholar and PhD researcher at the University of Ottawa, unpacks how authoritarian regimes in Iran and Afghanistan weaponize control over women’s bodies as a form of state violence. Together, they examine how impunity is sustained, how journalism and advocacy can shift narratives, and how communities across Afghanistan, Iran, and Canada are resisting and reshaping their futures. Listeners will come away with both structural insights and concrete actions—from survivor-centered reporting to data sovereignty, legal reform, and transnational solidarity.

Welcome to autumn and to a new season of Battle Rhythm, with co-host Thomas Hughes, Assistant Professor at Mount Allison University. Steve and Thomas discuss the US Department of War/Defence’s public GOFO lecture, National Guard deployments and Thomas reports on the reactions in Belgium as drones fly over NATO Airspace, finally what are we learning from all of this when it comes to theory? (A: the Huntingtonian model is out) Today’s feature interview is with Michelle Douglas, Michelle is a veteran, a former military officer, a survivor of Canada’s “LGBT Purge” and an activist in the movement to seek legal equality for the 2SLGBTQ+ community over the past 30 years. She is a bridge-builder. Michelle served as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces from 1986 to 1989. Despite a distinguished service record, she was honorably discharged after being deemed “Not Advantageously Employable Due to Homosexuality.” After being fired by the military, Michelle’s landmark legal challenge in 1992 ended Canada’s formalized discriminatory policy against LGBT members of the military. This experience launched a decades-long commitment to volunteerism and activism for Michelle. She has been a part of many legal challenges to seek equality for the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Professionally, Michelle had a 30-year career in public service. She retired from the federal Department of Justice in 2019 where she held the position of Director of International Relations. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the LGBT Purge Fund. Michelle is a member of the board of directors of the Michaëlle Jean Foundation. She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and was presented with the Canada Pride Citation in 2023. She was recently named an Honorary Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces; she is assigned to the organization known as the Chief Professional Conduct and Culture. Michelle is a graduate of Carleton University.

In this episode, we’re diving into what may be one of the most debated topics in security circles today: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. For some, it’s only a lightning rod. For us, and especially for our guests, it’s foundational to how Canada thinks about Women, Peace and Security. Joining our WIIS-C co-hosts, Dr Colleen Bell and Frieda Garcia Castellanos, are two guests who bring both operational credibility and deep policy expertise to this conversation: Dr. Sara Greco, a political scientist with experience across the Defence Team—from advising senior leaders, to teaching at the Canadian Forces College, to shaping policy within Chief Military Personnel. She is also a WIIS-Canada board member and a research collaborator with the Canadian Defence and Security Network. And, LCol Riel “Guns” Erickson, one of Canada’s first five female fighter pilots. Over nearly three decades in uniform, she has flown the CF-18 Hornet, trained the next generation of pilots, and made history intercepting Russian bombers in Canadian airspace. Today, she serves as the CAF Liaison Officer to Canada’s Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security. Together, we’ll explore what EDI and WPS look like when they move off the page and into practice what works, what resists change, and why Canada’s experience stands out at a time when some of our allies are moving in the opposite direction.

Welcome to autumn and to a new season of Battle Rhythm, with co-host Artur Wilczynski, retired DG of Foreign Intelligence Operations Canada and Senior Fellow GPSIA, University of Ottawa; Artur and Steve discuss Russian incursions on NATO airspace, the legacy of Charlie Kirk and implications for the US, Canada and the world; along with Canada’s official recognition of the state of Palestine and the Netanyahu effect. Today's Feature Interview is with co-author of the book (with Stephen Saideman and David P. Auerswald) "Overseen or Overlooked? Legislators, Armed Forces and Democratic Accountability" Philippe Lagassé is associate professor and the Barton Chair at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. His research focuses on defence policy and military procurement, as well as civil-military relations and the role of institutions in international policymaking in the Westminster tradition. He teaches courses on defence policy and strategic studies. Between 2012-2014 he served as a member of the Independent Review Panel overseeing the evaluation of options to replace Canada’s CF-18 fighter aircraft, and he is currently a member of the Independent Review Panel for Defence Acquisition within the Department of National Defence.

Col Guillaume Tremblay joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1999 under the Regular Officer Training Plan and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston in 2004 with a double major in Business Administration and Politics and Economics (B.A.). Col Tremblay completed the Air Traffic Control course at the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Control Operations in Cornwall in 2005 and operationally qualified as Tower Controller at 3 Wing Bagotville in 2006. In 2008, Col Tremblay was posted to 1 Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg where he was employed in the Strategic Plans and the Air Mobility Divisions. In 2010, Col Tremblay returned to 3 Wing Bagotville as the Chief-Controller of the Military Aerodrome Control Unit and was promoted to the rank of Major in 2012. He served as the 3 Wing Air Traffic Control Officer until 2014 and was then deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as the Canadian Liaison Officer at the US Central Command Combined Aerospace Operations Centre under OP FOUNDATION. In 2015, Col Tremblay was selected to attend the Joint Command and Staff Program at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto where he completed a Master of Defence Studies (MDS). In July 2016, Col Tremblay took command of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Atlantic in Halifax. Promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 2017, he held the position of Gender Advisor to the Commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command in Ottawa until June 2018. In July 2018, Col Tremblay was given the privilege of being the first Royal Canadian Air Force officer to command the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. After commanding the largest training establishment of the Canadian Armed Forces for two years, Col Tremblay was posted to the NORAD Headquarters in Colorado Springs as the Executive Assistant to the NORAD Deputy Commander. Promoted to his current rank in 2021, Col Tremblay was appointed Chief of Staff for the formation of Canadian Element NORAD for a period of two years. On June 27th 2023, Col Tremblay was honored to assume command of the Royal Military College Saint-Jean. Col Tremblay also holds a master degree in Organizational Management (M.Sc.) from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. Throughout his career, Col Tremblay has been actively involved in the Canadian Armed Forces Regional and International (CISM) volleyball programs.

Welcome back to class and to a new season of Battle Rhythm, with co-host Anessa L. Kimball, Ph.D., Professor at Université Laval; Steve Saideman and Anessa discuss The United States president renaming the Department of Defence to the Department of War after destroying a boat in the Caribbean; the Canadian Department of National Defence is ready to spend as it commits to extend the CAF’s mission in Latvia along with deploying fighter pilots in a NATO exercise. In today's feature interview, our Post-doctoral Fellow, Dr. Manaswini Ramkumar interviews Dr. Sarah Meharg and Major-General (Retired) Craig Aitchison, co-editors of the Canadian Military Journals Special Issues on Human Security: https://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/cmj-25.2-toc-en.html Dr. Sarah Jane Meharg is Adjunct Professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and the Senior Research Associate at the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre in Ottawa Canada. She is Canada's leading post-conflict reconstruction expert and specializes in the research and implementation of advanced technologies for reconstruction initiatives. Dr Meharg focuses on economic acceleration in regions experiencing economic transitions, including post-conflict and post-disaster environments such as Afghanistan, Haiti and the Balkans. Dr Meharg has received numerous commendations for developing her unique theory of conflict- identicide (1997) -which defines the precursor stages of genocide. Major-General (Retired) Craig Aitchison is proud to have served Canada for over 38 years. A passionate and lifelong learner, he has earned a certificate in Culinary Arts from Saint Lawrence College, an undergraduate in Business Administration from the University of New Brunswick, and master’s degrees from Royal Military College and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He deployed overseas five times including Afghanistan and Iraq, and commanded the Infantry School, Combat Training Centre and the Canadian Defence Academy. He was also very fortunate to act as the Deputy Commanding General for Operations for U.S. Army Alaska, now 11th Airborne Division (Arctic Angels). In 2023 he was invested into the Order of Military Merit at the rank of Commander. He has also been twice (2019 and 2021) awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit at the rank of Officer. His extensive experience in the military training and education system has created a very strong foundation and focused energy toward leader development, strategy development and design thinking.

Welcome to Bylines and Frontlines, the official podcast of Women in International Security - Canada. In this inaugural episode of Bylines and Frontlines, WIIS Canada Chair Erin Koenig and CDSN Director Dr. Steve Saideman sit down with Dr. Stefanie von Hlatky, founder of WIIS Canada to trace the organization’s roots, reflect on the current moment, and explore where it’s headed next. Stéfanie von Hlatky is the Canada Research Chair on Gender, Security, and the Armed Forces, Full Professor of political studies at Queen’s University, and Fellow with the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation. Her latest books are Deploying Feminism: The Role of Gender in NATO Military Operations (2022) and Total Defence Forces in the 21st Century (2023). She is the founder of Women in International Security – Canada and the Honorary Colonel of the Princess of Wales’ Own Regiment. This episode lays the groundwork for a podcast series that goes behind the headlines and into the stories of those changing the field.

In episode 39 of season 3, co-hosts Linna Tam-Seto (Assistant Professor Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto) and Steve Saideman discuss the lack of women CAF members on current Peacekeeping postings and the challenges of committing Canada’s army to additional operations. They also discuss the implications of a new story of 5 CAF members suspended for hateful behavior and the impacts this may have on recruitment targets in the future. In today's feature interview, Steve discusses oversight and procurement with former Deputy Minister of Defence, Jody Thomas. Jody Thomas recently retired from the federal public service as National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister. Jody has broad and varied experience working at senior levels in the Public Service and in a series of increasingly demanding security operations roles. She joined the naval reserves at age 17 and was among the first women to serve on a Canadian military vessel. Jody began her public service career in 1988 when she was appointed Chief of Business Planning and Administration with Public Works and Government Services Canada’s Atlantic Region. From 1995-2010, she held increasingly senior roles at Passport Canada, culminating in Chief Operating Officer. In 2010, Ms. Thomas joined the Canadian Coast Guard where she held the positions of Deputy Commissioner of Operations and Commissioner of the Coast Guard. In March 2017, she joined the Department of National Defence where she served as Senior Associate Deputy Minister. She was appointed as Deputy Minister of National Defence in October 2017, a role in which she served until January 2022. Jody holds a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton University.

Col Guillaume Tremblay joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1999 under the Regular Officer Training Plan and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston in 2004 with a double major in Business Administration and Politics and Economics (B.A.). Col Tremblay completed the Air Traffic Control course at the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Control Operations in Cornwall in 2005 and operationally qualified as Tower Controller at 3 Wing Bagotville in 2006. In 2008, Col Tremblay was posted to 1 Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg where he was employed in the Strategic Plans and the Air Mobility Divisions. In 2010, Col Tremblay returned to 3 Wing Bagotville as the Chief-Controller of the Military Aerodrome Control Unit and was promoted to the rank of Major in 2012. He served as the 3 Wing Air Traffic Control Officer until 2014 and was then deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as the Canadian Liaison Officer at the US Central Command Combined Aerospace Operations Centre under OP FOUNDATION. In 2015, Col Tremblay was selected to attend the Joint Command and Staff Program at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto where he completed a Master of Defence Studies (MDS). In July 2016, Col Tremblay took command of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Atlantic in Halifax. Promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 2017, he held the position of Gender Advisor to the Commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command in Ottawa until June 2018. In July 2018, Col Tremblay was given the privilege of being the first Royal Canadian Air Force officer to command the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. After commanding the largest training establishment of the Canadian Armed Forces for two years, Col Tremblay was posted to the NORAD Headquarters in Colorado Springs as the Executive Assistant to the NORAD Deputy Commander. Promoted to his current rank in 2021, Col Tremblay was appointed Chief of Staff for the formation of Canadian Element NORAD for a period of two years. On June 27th 2023, Col Tremblay was honored to assume command of the Royal Military College Saint-Jean. Col Tremblay also holds a master degree in Organizational Management (M.Sc.) from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. Throughout his career, Col Tremblay has been actively involved in the Canadian Armed Forces Regional and International (CISM) volleyball programs.

In our thirty-eighth episode of Battle Rhythm season 3, Dr. Wendy H. Wong (Professor of Political Science and Principal’s Research Chair at the University of British Columbia) and Steve Saideman discuss Canada’s plans to recognize Palestine as a State while other options are still on the table (including an embargo on weapons sales to Israel); the prospects of getting to a two-state solution along with examining the lessons learned from the 2008 global economic fallout and Canada’s current guns vs butter dilemma. In today’s feature interview, Steve interviews Major-General Dave Yarker, Commander of Canadian Armed Forces Cyber Command (CAFCYBERCOM). Major General (MGen) Dave Yarker joined the Canadian Forces in 1989, graduating from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston in 1993. Following completion of Graduate studies and Signals officer Training in 1996 he served with 2 Bde as a Signals Officer in both 427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and 2 Combat Engineer Regiment. He has been employed as staff in project management, joint, operational and strategic communications planning and deployed as the Canadian J6 to both Kosovo and Afghanistan. He has had the honour of command at 2 Canadian Mechanised Brigade Group Headquarters and Signals Squadron, the Canadian Forces Network Operations Centre, and the Canadian Forces Information Operations Group. Since 2010, he has had the good fortune to have been employed in the cyber operations field, commanding at Unit and Formation levels as well as holding key staff and liaison positions including with United States Cyber Command and Canada’s Communications Security Establishment. In 2022, he was then appointed as Director General Information Management Operations and the Joint Force Cyber Component Commander which became the Director General Cyber and Command and Control Information System Operation in 2024. On promotion to his current rank, he was appointed Cyber Force Commander He holds undergraduate degrees in Engineering Physics and History, along with master’s degrees in Engineering Physics and Defence Studies. Major General Yarker is married and the couple lives in Ottawa with their son.

Dans cet épisode, Aubin Gonzales Lapos et Sarah-Myriam Martin-Brûlé reçoivent l’Amiral Xavier Païtard. L'Amiral revient sur un parcours exceptionnel, du cockpit d’un chasseur à la planification stratégique de l’OTAN. Nous explorons avec lui l’évolution du rôle de la France dans l’architecture de sécurité euro-atlantique, les enseignements tirés de missions de combat en zones complexes, et les défis actuels liés aux capacités futures, à la cyberdéfense et à la dissuasion à l’ère des conflits hybrides. Une conversation riche sur l’innovation navale, le rôle de la marine dans un monde polarisé, et les responsabilités partagées entre la France et le Canada en matière de sécurité collective.