CDSN Podcast Network

Епизоди

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  Episode 4.23: Planning for the Next Pandemic with CAF’s Surgeon General, MGen Scott Malcolm 09.09.2026 56мин

  Welcome to a new academic term and a new episode of Battle Rhythm, Steve Saideman and Dr. Linna Tam-Seto (Assistant Professor Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto) discuss updates on civil military relations from the American Political Sciences Association (APSA) Conference in Boston; why Canada is turning its back on our peacekeeping traditions; along with a lesson in leadership from Gen. Jennie Carignan while Hegseth leaves his troops stranded aboard the USS Lincoln along with commemorating 9/11. For today’s feature interview, Linna speaks with Surgeon General MGen Scott Malcolm about health security cooperation. Both Dr. Tam-Seto and MGen Malcolm will be speaking at CIMVHR’s Annual Forum from October 19-21, 2026 – in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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  Episode 4.22: The Next Generation of Security and Defence 26.08.2026 1ч 3мин

  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 the Canada - US trade war and its implications for defence, a review of the 2026 Summer Institute including the briefing from NDHQ, along with a NATO Summit post mortem. For today’s feature interview, Anessa Interviews 4 Student Delegates about their Model NATO experience, Emma Breton-Chénier, Xavier Antonuk, Adrien Risch, Amal Belhaj share the highlights and opportunities of participating in this international learning experience. The Laval University Delegation for NATO Simulation, founded in 2007, is mandated to represent Laval University at the International Model NATO, which takes place annually in Washington DC. These events bring together around a hundred students from various universities, mainly North American, who represent the different member countries of the organization. The delegates embody the diplomats of the Member State they represent through various committees and address various topics submitted to the agenda by the organizers. This simulation presents an incredible opportunity to study the structure and functioning of NATO, as well as to better understand the various challenges and problems the organization faces. It also allows us to learn more about the states they represent.
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  Unequal Dialogues Episode 1: The Civil Military Relations Network with Dr. Stephen Saideman 10.08.2026 19мин

  Welcome to the first episode of “Unequal Dialogues,” a podcast on civil-military relations by the Civil-Military Relations Network. Hosted by Dr. Manaswini Ramkumar, this episode features Dr. Stephen Saideman discussing the evolution from the Canadian Defence and Security Network to the Civil-Military Relations Network. We explore the complexities of civil-military relations, the importance of maintaining democratic norms, and the challenges posed by political and military dynamics worldwide. This engaging dialogue aims to inform and spark conversation on the vital role of civil oversight in military affairs. Join us in understanding the intricate relationship between civil authorities and military forces. This episode is brought to you by the 9 of Spades, to view all the cards and learn more, visit our partner’s website: the Centre for Military Ethics at Kings College London. www.militaryethics.uk/en/playing-cards/military/spades/9 For further reading into this topic, we recommend the book: Supreme Command: Soldiers, Statesmen, and Leadership in Wartime by Eliot A. Cohen
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  Episode 4.21: The Private Sector and National Defence 05.08.2026 49мин

  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 Canadian spies and security clearances, recruitment gains for the Canadian Armed Forces and what may be motivating more Canadians to join. For today’s feature Interview, Steve speaks with Al Vigier, CEO of Caseway. Caseway was founded by Alistair Vigier, a former Canadian Army soldier turned legal-tech entrepreneur. Raised in a military family, Alistair spent seven years in the Canadian Armed Forces, including passing pre-selection for JTF2. That experience instilled a discipline-first mindset and a bias toward action—qualities that continue to define Caseway’s culture. After an injury ended his military career, Alistair transitioned into the legal world, working as a law firm business development manager. There, he helped grow a firm’s revenue to over $3.5M and earned BC Business 30 Under 30 recognition. But he also saw how resistant the legal industry was to change. That frustration led him to entrepreneurship. In 2021, Alistair founded Clearway, which became the largest lawyer-review platform in Canada and the UK, serving hundreds of thousands of users per month. That experience revealed an even bigger opportunity: legal research itself was the bottleneck. In September 2024, he founded Caseway with a clear vision—to use technology to make legal information radically more accessible.
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  Episode 4.20: The Politics of Defence and Security 08.07.2026 52мин

  Welcome to a new episode of Battle Rhythm with co-host Thomas Hughes, Assistant Professor at Mount Allison University. Steve and Thomas discuss UK politics and the upcoming NATO Summit along with submarine procurement and the progress on a Defence, Security and Resilience Bank in Canada (or elsewhere). Today’s feature interview is with CDSN Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dr. Sanjida Amin. Sanjida Amin is the CDSN Postdoctoral Fellow (2025–2026) at the Centre for International and Defence Policy (CIDP) at Queen’s University. She is currently completing her PhD in Political Science at the University of Toronto, where her research focuses on foreign sponsorship of insurgent groups, insurgent-state relations, and the international dimensions of civil war. Her book project examines how external support from foreign states shapes internal conflict dynamics, particularly by driving insurgent fragmentation during peace negotiations. Her broader research interests include international peacebuilding, alliance politics, and Canadian foreign and defense policy. Her current postdoctoral project investigates how U.S.-Canada security relations influence Canada’s evolving engagement with UN peacekeeping, situating this within the broader context of multilateralism and shifting global security priorities. Sanjida’s research has been supported by Fulbright Canada, the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship (SSHRC), and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. She aims to contribute to more effective peacebuilding and mediation strategies in protracted conflicts, as well as to informed debates on Canadian international security policy.
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  Episode 4.19: Unequal Dialogues with Dr. Manaswini Ramkumar 24.06.2026 57мин

  Welcome to summer and 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 World Cup excitement as President Trump’s kaleidoscope of grift continues, along with deal or no deal between the US and Iran and what that means for Lebanon and Israel along with freedom of navigation and new frontiers for conflict. Finally the hosts discuss why and how to move forward on establishing a Canadian foreign human intelligence agency. For today’s feature interview, we preview our new Civil Military Relations podcast “Unequal Dialogues” with host Dr. Manaswini Ramkumar, starting this summer. Learn more about the new Civil Relations Network here: www.civmil.org
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  Episode 4.18: Pragmatic Flexibility in the Indo Pacific with Dr. Kai Ostwald 10.06.2026 57мин

  Welcome to a new episode of Battle Rhythm with Dr. Steve Saideman and Dr. Linna Tam-Seto (Assistant Professor Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto). Steve and Linna discuss CAF setting its sights on recruiting gamers and the implication on culture change efforts; Pride Winnipeg has banned military personnel from marching in uniform in this year’s parade despite post-Purge gains for CAF members; and how the US war on Iran is exacerbating a long-term global hunger crisis. In today’s feature interview, Steve speaks with Dr. Kai Ostwald on the challenges Canada faces in pursuing its Indo Pacific Strategy including capacity, timing and perceptions. Kai Ostwald is the HSBC Chair in Asian Research and an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, jointly appointed in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and the Department of Political Science. He also serves as Director of UBC’s Institute of Asian Research and Associate Editor for Pacific Affairs. His work focuses on political economy, governance, and development in Southeast Asia, with a particular emphasis on democratization, geopolitics, and Canada’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific. Kai connects academic research with real-world policy challenges, working closely with practitioners across governments, international organizations, and think tanks. He regularly participates in Track 1.5 and Track 2 diplomatic dialogues, contributing to discussions on geopolitics and regional cooperation. He has testified before Canadian parliamentary special committees and has delivered training sessions and briefings to Global Affairs Canada, the US State Department, and the Canadian Forces College on regional geopolitics and governance. Kai is a Senior Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, an Associate Senior Fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, and a Distinguished Fellow at the Penang Institute in Malaysia. He has also conducted consulting work with organizations including the International Development Research Centre, the World Bank, and the Canada-ASEAN Business Council, among others. His research and policy commentary have been featured in leading academic journals such as the American Political Science Review, Democratization, Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, Political Science Research and Methods, Journal of East Asian Studies, and Asian Survey. His insights have also appeared in major media outlets, including The Atlantic, Bloomberg, CBC, Nikkei Asian Review, Globe and Mail, The Guardian, and the South China Morning Post. Kai Ostwald: Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy requires rethinking ‘like-mindedness’: https://eastasiaforum.org/2026/03/29/canadas-indo-pacific-strategy-requires-rethinking-like-mindedness/ Nathan Chizen · CBC Arts: What tactics are the Canadian Armed Forces using to recruit gamers? Rosanna Hempel · CBC News: Pride Winnipeg’s decision to ban military uniforms in parade draws criticism, support Edna Mohamed -Al Jazeera: US-Iran war pushing millions into food crisis, warns UN
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  Episode 4.17: Risks, Resiliency and Defence Tradeoffs 27.05.2026 1ч

  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 new NATO financial commitments for Ukraine being discussed in Europe while Canada rejects the proposal, Quebec’s new Civil Security Emergency Response Reserve (RIUSC) and NATO resiliency along with drone defence capabilities ramping up on CAF bases. For today’s feature interview, Prof Anessa Kimball speaks with Federico Chaves Correa. They discuss Canada’s evolving relationship with Latin American countries in an era of constantly hemispheric security and defence issues. Federico Chaves Correa is a doctoral candidate in political science at Laval University under the supervision of Aurélie Campana and Pamela Colombo. He also holds a master’s degree in political science from Laval University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario. He was a doctoral researcher on the FrameNet project, co-organized by several universities in Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom, funded by the Open Research Area (DFG, SSHRC, ESRC). He is currently a member of the Roméo Dallaire Chair in Leadership in Teaching Civil Conflict and Sustainable Peace. Webpage: https://www.conflits-et-paix.cle.ulaval.ca/en/team/federico-chaves-correa Article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcms.70079
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  Episode 4.16: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) with Dr. James Milner 20.05.2026 1ч 4мин

  Welcome to a new episode 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 and Wendy discuss the role of academic voices in public information spaces; along with the Permanent Joint Board on Defence suspension and what it means for US-Canada defence relations. In today’s Feature Interview, Steve speaks with Carleton University colleague and fellow SSHRC Partnership Director, Dr. James Milner of LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network. Dr. Milner highlights the present crisis in global systems meant to protect refugees in the midst of more civilian targets and conflict induced brutality around the world in anticipation of a new co-authored book: Canada’s Role in Global Refugee Responses by Nathan Benson, James Milner, and Delphine Nakache from McGill-Queen’s University Press. Bringing together leading experts from multiple disciplines, Canada in the Global Refugee Regime explores how Canada has influenced global refugee responses and where its impact has been more muted. Chapters examine the country’s actions in international forums; its resettlement and sponsorship initiatives; its engagement in key regional contexts such as Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East; and the links between refugee policy and foreign policy. Contributors reflect on the relationship between Canada’s international leadership and its domestic practices, offering a nuanced account that moves beyond simplistic narratives of benevolence.https://www.mqup.ca/Recent-News/2026/05/Canada-s-Role-in-Global-Refugee-Responses-by-Nathan-Benson-James-Milner-and-Delphine-Nakache James Milner is a Professor of Political Science at Carleton University. He is currently Project Director of LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network, a 7-year, SSHRC-funded partnership between researchers and civil society actors primarily in Canada, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon and Tanzania. He is also Director of the Migration and Diaspora Studies program at Carleton University, Co-Chair of the Global Academic Interdisciplinary Network, and Canada’s first De Mello Chair. He has been a researcher, practitioner and policy advisor on issues relating to the global refugee regime, global refugee policy, meaningful refugee participation and the politics of asylum in the global South. He has undertaken field research in Burundi, Guinea, Kenya, India, Tanzania and Thailand, and has presented research findings to stakeholders in New York, Geneva, London, Ottawa, Bangkok, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and elsewhere. He has worked as a Consultant for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in India, Cameroon, Guinea and its Geneva Headquarters. He is author of Refugees, the State and the Politics of Asylum in Africa (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009), co-author (with Alexander Betts and Gil Loescher) of UNHCR: The Politics and Practice of Refugee Protection (Routledge, 2012), and co-editor of Refugees’ Roles in Resolving Displacement and Building Peace: Beyond Beneficiaries(Georgetown University Press, 2019) and Protracted Refugee Situations: Political, Human Rights and Security Implications (UN University Press, 2008).
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  Bylines & Frontlines Episode 8: Localization as Strategy. Rethinking WPS from the Ground Up from WIIS-C 06.05.2026 45мин

  What if localization isn’t just a principle of good practice—but a strategic necessity? In this episode of Bylines & Frontlines, Frieda Garcia Castellanos sits down with Katrina Leclerc, a leading expert on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS), to unpack what localization really means—and why it matters now more than ever. Drawing on experience across the United Nations, national governments, and grassroots peacebuilding, Katrina challenges conventional approaches to WPS implementation. This conversation moves beyond checklists and compliance to examine localization as a process of shifting power, resourcing local actors, and building legitimacy from the ground up. From a defense and security perspective, this episode explores localization not as a constraint—but as a force multiplier. Together, Frieda and Katrina discuss how locally grounded approaches can strengthen trust, improve early warning, and enhance operational effectiveness in complex environments. They also confront difficult questions: * Why does localization so often become tokenistic in practice? * What are we getting wrong in how we measure success? * And who must be willing to give up power for localization to truly work? This is a conversation for practitioners, policymakers, scholars, and anyone working at the intersection of security, governance, and community resilience.
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  Episode 4.15: Mistrusted to Serve? with Dr. Jean-Christophe Boucher 29.04.2026 59мин

  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 what Canada’s military is doing in the Philippines to reinforce our Asia Pacific Strategy, while back at home the CAF is under media scrutiny after senior military leaders get caught trying out propaganda and surveillance techniques on Canadians. Today’s feature interview is with CDSN Co-Director, Jean-Chritophe Boucher. Steve and JC discuss capturing Canadian attitudes on defence through survey work in advance of their co-authored paper Mistrusted to Serve? Discrimination in the Military and Its Impact on Public Support in Armed Forces & Society Jean-Christophe Boucher is an Assistant Professor at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary. He is currently a director of research in civil-military relations at the Canadian Defence and Security Network funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council. A fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute; a research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Security and Development at Dalhousie University; Senior Fellow at the Centre interuniversitaire de recherche sur les relations internationales du Canada et du Québec. He holds a BA in History from the University of Ottawa, a MA in Philosophy from the Université de Montréal and a PhD in Political Science from Université Laval. He specializes in international relations, with an emphasis on Canadian foreign and defence policies, international security, and methodology. References: Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: https://www.international.gc.ca/transparency-transparence/indo-pacific-indo-pacifique/index.aspx?lang=eng Message from David Hartman, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines: https://www.international.gc.ca/country-pays/philippines/manila-manille-rep.aspx?lang=eng Burke, Ashley. How Canadian military members violated intelligence-gathering rules during COVID-19. 7 April 2026, CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/military-intelligence-gathering-violations-pandemic-9.7152467 Feaver, Peter D., Thanks for Your Service: The Causes and Consequences of Public Confidence in the US Military (New York, 2023; online edn, Oxford Academic, 20 July 2023), https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197681121.001.0001,
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  Episode 4.14: People Centered Security and Defence 15.04.2026 42мин

  CDSN Podcast Producer Melissa Jennings steps in for Steve Saideman as she and Dr. Linna Tam-Seto (Assistant Professor Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy within the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto) discuss some long-term community security implications for Canadians that have been overlooked in all the defence spending news. This includes the effects of budget cuts to Veterans Affairs Canada, housing availability, disaster/emergency preparedness mitigation and planning in the provinces as well as research on the health impacts of new equipment and mandates for CAF members. Steve still had time to interview CDSN/Norman Paterson School of International Affairs’ Visiting Defence Fellow, Col. Shawn Guilbault. Colonel Shawn Guilbault is currently Visiting Defence Fellow at Carleton University’s Norman Patterson School of International Affairs. An RCAF base brat, he began his military career with the Governor General’s Foot Guards in Ottawa before commissioning as an Aerospace Control Officer. His postings span mobile radar, air defence sector, and E-3 AWACS operations in Canada and the United States, including the privilege of commanding 51 Aerospace Control & Warning [Operational Training] Squadron and the Canadian Detachment at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City. Staff tours include lead air battle management standards at 1 Canadian Air Division, Chief Combat Systems Integration and, most recently, as Director Plans North America within the Strategic Joint Staff. Shawn is a graduate of the Fighter Weapons Instructor Course and the UK’s Advanced Command and Staff Course. He is married and a proud father of three amazing daughters. Links referenced for this episode: Unions, MPs warn funding cuts could affect services for veterans. The Canadian Press. Updated: March 13, 2026 at 6:16PM https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/unions-mps-warn-funding-cuts-could-affect-services-for-veterans/ Mixed reactions in the North to Carney’s $35B defence and major projects announcement: N.W.T. leaders welcome announcement, but some Yukon leaders say they’re underwhelmed. Sarah St-Pierre · CBC News · Posted: Mar 13, 2026 9:54 AM EDT | Last Updated: March 13https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/mixed-reactions-carney-35b-defence-major-projects-announcements-9.7126958 Lack of air quality monitoring in rural B.C. raises concerns as wildfire smoke risks grow: Death of 9-year-old Carter Vigh in July 2023 highlights health risks and gaps in air quality monitoring. CBC News · Posted: Mar 28, 2026 10:00 AM https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/wildfire-smoke-and-air-quality-monitoring-in-b-c-9.7145399 Peguis evacuation owing to flooding may be inevitable: minister. Winnipeg Free Press Posted: 7:03 PM CDT Tuesday, Apr. 14, 2026 https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/04/14/peguis-evacuation-owing-to-flooding-may-be-inevitable-minister?utm_campaign=headstart&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--l3gYpei5pbmHuJ4dncIYCzgVhmCDrzc_AsU36J13LaH7vHHUXjPPn9nk5cHkLrF4JRWtPxLJjBnRUuV_VYoCUG-o9L8soPl7V1o4KRdqjeKdEkxM&_hsmi=16045117&utm_source=hubspot IDMC's Internal Displacement Updates (IDU) Canada. https://www.internal-displacement.org/countries/canada/
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  Episode 4.13: Exercising Restraint and Evaluating Trade-Offs with Dr. Andrea Charron 01.04.2026 1ч 15мин

  Welcome to Spring and to a new episode of Battle Rhythm, with co-host Thomas Hughes, Assistant Professor at Mount Allison University. Steve and Thomas discuss European reactions to the US demands for assistance and how this may affect the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara as Canada meets its 2% of GDP defence investment and the New York Times reporting that the arctic may be too cold for the Canadian Armed Forces to operate in. Today’s Feature Interview is with CDSN Co-Director and Continental Defence expert, Dr. Andrea Charron. Dr. Charron holds a PhD from the Royal Military College of Canada (Department of War Studies). She obtained a Masters in International Relations from Webster University, Leiden, The Netherlands, a Master’s of Public Administration from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Queen’s University. Dr. Charron worked for various federal departments including the Canadian Privy Council Office in the Security and Intelligence Secretariat. She is now Professor (IR), Political Studies and Director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies. Dr. Charron has been featured in the Economist twice for her Canadian foreign policy and NORAD expertise (2019 and 2021) and on the CBC radio show Ideas (2020). She has 4 peer reviewed books (2011, 2022, 2023, 2023) on NORAD, sanctions and 9/11. She is on the editorial board of the Canadian Foreign Policy Journal, the Journal, the Canadian Naval Review and the Army Journal. She has peer-reviewed articles in International Affairs, International Studies, Strategic Studies Quarterly, International Journal, Canadian Foreign Policy Journal and others. Check-Out Thomas’s forthcoming book: Military Exercises and Threat Perception in Europe: NATO, Russia, and the Politics of War Games, 1975–2018 https://www.routledge.com/Military-Exercises-and-Threat-Perception-in-Europe-NATO-Russia-and-the-Politics-of-War-Games-1975-2018/Hughes/p/book/9781041234210
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  Episode 4.12: Space Lords with Commander of 3 Canadian Space Division, Brigadier-General C.J. Horner 19.03.2026 1ч 1мин

  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 perspectives on the Iran war, US Secretary of Defense’s war crimes announcement, and Canada’s role in it as an oil producing middle power. The hosts also discuss PM Carney’s ‘our north, strong and free’ tour to friendly Arctic nations and what the future trade-offs may be for more alliance relationships. In today’s feature interview, Steve speaks with Canada’s Space Division Commander, Chris Horner. Brigadier-General (BGen) Christopher Horner joined the Canadian Armed Forces as an Aerospace Controller on 20 Jun 1998. After graduating from the Royal Military College of Canada and completing his initial training at Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Control Operations in 2003, he began his career as an Air Battle Manager. Over the course of the next decade, BGen Horner held various operational positions from deep within NORAD’s underground complex of Canadian Air Defence Sector, served as an Air Weapons Officer and Evaluator Senior Director with the United States Air Force E-3 AWACS Program, and finally as Mission Crew Commander and Director of Operations within 21 Aerospace Control and Warning Squadron, North Bay. Operating with Joint and Allied forces around the globe, BGen Horner amassed nearly 1,300 hours on the E-3 AWACS including over 430 combat flight hours supporting Operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM, in counter-narcotics missions supporting Operation CARRIBE, and both in the air and on the ground throughout the United States and Canada actively supporting Operation NOBLE EAGLE counter-terrorism missions. Prior to assuming command of the Canadian Joint Warfare Centre in July 2022, BGen Horner was fortunate enough to command 51 Aerospace Control and Warning Squadron (2013-15) and later serve as Commandant of the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Control Operations (2017-19). Apart from his operational focus and command appointments, BGen Horner filled various staff roles at 1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters, the Strategic Joint Staff at National Defence Headquarters, and within CAF Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct. Having admitted to once owning a Commodore 64, he returned to operations and was appointed Deputy Joint Force Cyber Component Commander in 2019 where he remained until his selection as Special Advisor to the Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command in 2021. BGen Horner was promoted to his current rank and assumed the role of Commander 3 Canadian Space Division in 2024. BGen Horner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Economics and Political Science, a Master of Arts in Defence Management and a Master of Science in Leadership. He is a graduate of the Canadian Forces College Joint Command and Staff Program and the United States Air Force Air War College. Together with his spouse and their three boys, BGen Horner tries hard to find balance between hobbies that won’t be fatal and life experiences that make great memories. Of all his adventures, those he shares with his family remain his greatest passion.
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  Bylines & Frontlines Ep 7: Canada’s Leadership in Gender-Responsive Military Design 25.02.2026 58мин

  This episode examines Canada’s emerging leadership in integrating sex-specific data and human systems integration into military equipment design, with implications for both domestic force readiness and international support to Ukraine. Although women now constitute over 16% of the Canadian Armed Forces and nearly 14% of NATO forces, legacy validation standards for ballistic protection, load carriage systems, and personal protective equipment were historically based on homogeneous male datasets. This structural bias shaped procurement processes and industrial design incentives across the Alliance. Canada has begun to shift this paradigm. Through deliberate incorporation of women’s morphology into testing standards, expanded anthropometric datasets, dynamic biomechanical analysis, and targeted user trials, Canada is moving beyond “general usability” toward survivability-centered design for the full force. Frieda Garcia Castellanos is joined by Dr. Linna Tam-Seto (University of Toronto), Emma Moon (Department of National Defence), and Melanie Lake (Deputy G1 of the NATO Committee on Gender Perspectives). The discussion highlights: ● The integration of women’s morphology — including breast tissue considerations — into global ballistic testing standards ● Canadian field trials evaluating operational performance under varied armor configurations ● NATO Summary of National Reports data demonstrating uneven equipment adaptation across allies ● Emerging battlefield lessons from Ukraine linking equipment fit to fatigue, secondary injuries, and survivability under delayed evacuation Canada’s approach reframes equipment adaptation as a combat effectiveness and casualty - reduction imperative, rather than a symbolic inclusion measure. At stake is a fundamental institutional question: whether defense modernization will continue to operate from a legacy “default body” model, or whether it will deliberately design for the full operational force from the outset. Produced by Frieda Garcia Castellanos
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  Episode 4.10: Buying Security with Dr. Bohuslav Pernica 18.02.2026 55мин

  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 recent Canadian public opinion on threat perception and translating this into a defence spending strategy, while Vancouver and other Canadian cities jockey to host a new NATO Bank of Investment for Security and Defence and finally who wants more NATO in the arctic and why. In today’s Feature Interview, Anessa Kimball speaks with Dr. Bohuslav Pernica, Assistant professor in the Department of International Relations and European Studies at Masaryk University while he visits Quebec. Lt. Col. (ret.) Dr. Bohuslav Pernica is an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic, a consultant to the Czech Ministry of Defence, and a member of the Czech anti-corruption watchdog (Kverulant). He also served in the Czech Armed Forces from 1992 to 2014. Links: Data Dive with Nik Nanos: Canadians are clamouring for a stronger military: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-data-dive-with-nik-nanos-canadians-are-clamouring-for-a-stronger/
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  Resilience Plus Season 5, Episode 5: Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (CPO1) Cavel Shebib 11.02.2026 36мин

  The team at Resilience Plus encourages everyone to try to take time for the things you love and invest in your resilience bank in a conversation with RMC St. Jean’s CWO, Cavel Shebib. This podcast episode was recorded in January 2025, we are reposting for our broader CDSN audience. Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (CPO1) Cavel Shebib enrolled in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in 1991 as a naval weapons technician in Sydney, N.S. and he feels he has been very lucky to have had the amazing career that he has had thus far. Since 2014 alone, he completed the year-long French course, then sailed for a year each in His Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Fredericton and Ville de Québec as the Combat Systems Engineering Chief Petty Officer, followed by an appointment as the Atlantic Fleet Combat Systems Engineering Chief. After being in that position for a year, he was promoted to the rank of Chief Petty Officer 1st Class and assumed the role of honors and recognition chief for Maritime Forces Atlantic for a year. In 2018, he was appointed as Coxswain in HMCS St. John’s, following that, in August 2020 he was posted to the Chief Warrant Officer Robert Osside Profession of Arms Institute in Saint-Jean, Que., as the Intermediate Leadership Program and then the Senior Leadership Program Director. Following his two years in Quebec, he was appointed as the Atlantic Fleet Chief in July 2022 and in June of 2024, will be appointed as RMC Saint Jean’s CWO. During his career, he has had several deployments all over Europe and the Middle East, including several Standing NATO Maritime Group One deployments, Operation APOLLO in 2001 and Op REASSURANCE in 2015. He was also involved in Op PERSISTENCE, which was the Canadian Armed Forces’ recovery operation after the Swiss Air crash near Peggy’s Cove, N.S., in 1998. His most memorable deployment was in 2010 when he spent eight months patrolling in the Western Panjwai District of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan as a Tactical CIMIC operator and platoon 2 I/C, ending his tour as a CIMIC Platoon Commander. CPO1 Shebib has completed the Defense and Security Certificate Program through Algonquin College and is an avid reader. He is a huge proponent of the positive impacts of exercise and spending time in the outdoors on our mental health and is an avid hiker. CPO1 Shebib and his partner have 4 children between them. Resilience Plus Podcast: Building Resilience, Driving Success, Promoting Excellence Vision: Building resilience through education, training, and research Mission: Empowering individuals to maximize their productivity and effectiveness, through the effective pursuit of personal and professional goals. We provide individuals with necessary resilience skills and tools that can be immediately applied. Values: We deliver evidence-based resilience education, training, and research guided by our commitment to Excellence and Leadership. Social Media: Resilience Plus on Facebook Resilience Plus on Instagram
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  Episode 4.9: The Power Behind the Fire with HFX Forum Peace Fellows 04.02.2026 1ч 6мин

  Welcome to 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 Trump’s disrespect for Allied contributions to Afghanistan as a strategy, what Canada’s arctic security strategy means for human security in northern communities and if the Canadian Armed Forces is on track to reach it’s recruitment of women target despite a general increase in recruitment. Steve and Hannah Christensen (host of our Field Notes podcast and MA student at NPSIA) catch an interview with 8 of 2025’s HFX Peace With Women Fellows to discuss whole of society peace efforts, evolving security strategies and lessons learned for upholding the international rules based order as they meet with North American security and defence leaders. The Fellowship is a four-week executive study course that equips senior female military officers from NATO and NATO-partner countries for their future leadership positions. HFX launched the Fellowship in 2018 because women in leadership roles in international security leads directly to more peaceful, more equitable and simply better outcomes. The 2025 Fellows include senior officers from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Hungary, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Republic of Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Group 1: Lt. Col. Annukka Ylivaara, ASG Finnish Security Committee; Col. Marie-Eve Tremblay, Canada, Deputy JAG Group 2: Col. Eszter Skrinyár, Head of Communications of the Hungarian Defence Forces; Col. Tracy Allison, Aus, Dep Chief of Staff; Army, Capt. Maryland Ingham, UK, Lead Mil advisory for Africa, Navy Group 3: Col. Emma Thomas, NZ Chief of Staff, Joint Defence Services, Army; Air Commodore Ellen Meeuwsen-Scholten, Netherlands, Personnel, Air and Space; Col. Kim Saenen, Belgium, Director, Competence Center Mobility/Distribution, Army
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  Bylines & Frontlines, Episode 6: Spotlight on Bibi Hakim. The Power of Policy, and Showing Up 28.01.2026 39мин

  What does it really mean to work in government — and who gets to shape the decisions that affect our lives? In the first episode of our Spotlight series, we sit down with Bibi Hakim, a parliamentary affairs professional and community advocate whose work bridges Parliament Hill, global diplomacy, and grassroots civic engagement. Bibi has supported federal Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, staffed international summits, and helped move complex legislation through committee. But her story doesn’t stop inside government. She’s also deeply invested in youth leadership, mental health advocacy, and building political power within Indo-Caribbean and South Asian communities in Canada. In this conversation, we talk about: ● What working in parliamentary affairs actually looks like behind the scenes ● How young professionals can navigate power without losing their values ● Why civic engagement and voter education are essential to a healthy democracy ● Turning mental health advocacy into real policy change — including her role in advancing accessible, affordable, and inclusive services adopted by the federal government in 2021 ● Mentorship, representation, and what it takes for young women to claim space in public life This episode is for anyone who’s ever wondered how policy gets made, how advocacy becomes action, and how to show up — even when the system wasn’t designed with you in mind. Guest: Bibi Hakim Host: Frieda Castellanos Series: Spotlight
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  Episode 4.8: Safe For Now with Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, LtGen. Speiser-Blanchet 21.01.2026 59мин

  Welcome to 2026 and 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 rollercoasters, PM Carney’s meetings in China, Qatar and Davos and what this means for Canada’s new approach to the world, with Greenland being the first test of Canada and Europe’s resolve. While back on the continent, the US administration readies Alaska National Guard member troops with the Army’s 11th Airborne Division in to assist ICE’s strong-arming Minnesotans with impunity. In today’s feature interview, Steve interviews LtGen. Speiser-Blanchet on her approaches to leading and reshaping Canada’s Air Force for the future. Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1990 and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in 1994 with a degree in Computer Engineering. Earning her pilot wings in March 1996, she served as a Rotary Wing Tactical Aviation pilot flying the CH-146 Griffon helicopter at 1 Wing Kingston. Her operational and staff postings include 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Valcartier, 1 Wing Headquarters, 1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters in Winnipeg, and 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron in Gagetown. Lieutenant-General Speiser-Blanchet served on multiple deployments as a helicopter pilot to include United Nations and NATO missions in Haiti and Bosnia. She also served as Deputy Commander (Operations) for Joint Task Force-IMPACT in Kuwait in 2019. In Canada, she has deployed on numerous domestic operations in response to regional emergencies and in support to other government agencies. Lieutenant-General Speiser-Blanchet has commanded at multiple levels, 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron, the Canadian Forces Intelligence Group, and the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Group. Strategic level appointments include Military Assistant to the Minister of National Defence, Special Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff, and Deputy Commander of the RCAF. A graduate of the Joint Command and Staff Programme and the Defence and Strategic Studies Course in Australia, she holds a Master of Defence Studies from RMC and a Master of Politics and Policy from Deakin University. Lieutenant-General Speiser-Blanchet is a Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM). She was promoted to her current rank in July 2025 and appointed Commander of the RCAF on July 10, 2025. She is married to Janin Blanchet, a retired tactical aviation pilot, and they have three amazing children, Emma, Zachary and Samuel.