BACK TO WORK
Ladies and gentlemen, August was intentionally quiet, but now that summer is heading out the door and I've returned from a couple of weeks in Texas, it's time to get back to work.
I'll be bringing the CIN/RCR website up to date over the next few days and will highlight some upcoming intelligence events, particularly those held by CASIS Vancouver.
I'll also explain other news in detail in the days ahead, but for now an outline follows:
a. We do not need to hold an autumn Board meeting, but I will pursue approval of a couple of resolutions secretarially online;
b. I am happy to announce that Todd Mitton has agreed to be our volunteer accountant. I've known Todd for years. He was a career finance officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, retiring with the rank of Colonel, followed by years in government as Director General and Deputy Chief Financial Officer in Health Canada. I will table an online resolution for the Board to approve his appointment until he can be elected by the full membership at the next AGM;
c. I have been asked to lead the Canadian Military Intelligence Association (CMIA) planning for the Canadian National Intelligence Conference next spring (CANIC 2023). I have agreed to do so. CIN/RCR will have some profile;
d. Over the summer, I met with nine (9) different senior influencers in various sectors with a national security connection (academia, government, corporate/commercial, municipal law enforcement, provincial public safety, and media). These initial discussions centered on the need to recognize a core intelligence education component for all sectors. All responses were positive. The next step is to gather this select group in person, around a table here in Ottawa and have a collective discussion about what is needed by each sector, to help itself and help the others. Depending on what comes of that, the following step could be a national, online discussion.
e. For those of you who teach intelligence courses, I ask that you consider posting your course outline/syllabus on the CIN/RCR website. You'll see my syllabus on the Intelligence Education in Canada page;
f. I hope to have another Intelligence Coffee Shop discussion set up in the next couple of weeks. I'll send a notice separately; and
g. Here in Ottawa, I will also be convening a fall gathering of the Ottawa Intelligence Dinner Club. We have had three successful evenings so far. Our last one with Vincent Rigby, the former National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister was particularly interesting.
Please let me know if have any ideas for CIN/RCR activity over the fall. Giles Crouch has mentioned a longer term project in this forum that is worth moving forward.
Best regards,
Jim