Joint Operations Symposium 2026 explores Canada's evolving security environment

July 9, 2026 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time: 1:31

As Canada faces an increasingly complex security environment, senior military, defence, and national security leaders gathered on May 20 to discuss how the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) must evolve to defend Canada and North America across all domains.

Hosted at the Canadian War Museum, the Joint Operations Symposium 2026 (JOS 2026) brought together Canadian and allied leaders to examine operational challenges and opportunities associated with the "All-Domain Defence of Canada and its Approaches."

Chief of the Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan emphasized that, in today's security environment, "an integrated all-domain approach is no longer optional - it is essential."

Deputy Minister Christiane Fox highlighted the importance of maintaining a national conversation on defence that includes Canadians, industry, academia, and all levels of government.

Keynote speaker Dr. Andrea Charron of the University of Manitoba described a deteriorating threat environment in which emerging risks increasingly compound existing challenges. She noted that pan-domain operations extend beyond the traditional ones of land, sea, air, space, cyber, and information.

"Other parts of government will have to shoulder the defence of Canada," she said, emphasizing the important role Canadians play in strengthening national resilience and security.

Lieutenant-General Steve Boivin, Commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC), underscored the importance of maintaining an all-domain posture to detect, deter, and defeat threats. For CJOC, that means continuing to monitor adversaries' capabilities and intent.

He highlighted the need for a synchronized approach involving federal, provincial, territorial, and international partners as a cornerstone of the evolving Canadian All-Domain Defence Plan (CADDP), meant to address the full spectrum of competition, crisis, and conflict.

Throughout the day, speakers and panelists examined how Canada can make faster, more informed decisions in an increasingly contested operational environment. Discussions emphasized integrating capabilities across domains while adopting a broader whole-of-society approach to defence and security.

More than 900 CAF and Department of National Defence personnel participated virtually, alongside representatives from 16 countries. They witnessed the breadth of experience of the speakers and panelists, whose insights will help shape discussions on the future of Canadian defence.

Watch the wrap-up video for the JOS 2026 at: https://vimeo.com/1200195871/02e6f9c341?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci