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Security preparednessCEO Appearance on the 44th General Election before the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

Key Messages

  • The security of the electoral process both from a physical security standpoint and cybersecurity, is a priority concern for the agency.
  • No cybersecurity incident disrupted services to Canadians or the administration of the electoral process in either the 43rd or 44th General Election; however, the agency remains vigilant to emerging threats and works closely with the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and other security partners to remain proactive in security activities.

Facts

  • Elections Canada has put in place an integrated security program that includes personnel security, physical security and cyber security. These programs work together to ensure the security of the agencies staff, assets and information.
  • Prior to the last election, the agency took several measures to strengthen its security posture, notably through enhanced planning and preparation with security partners, improved information technology infrastructure and security awareness training.
  • Elections Canada worked closely with federal security and intelligence agencies aligning our practices with their expert advice and benefiting from the continuous monitoring provided by Government of Canada agencies in all areas of security.
  • All agency staff and key field election administrator positions undergo security screening and must achieve the appropriate security clearance to access agency infrastructure and information.
  • Elections Canada has a comprehensive security awareness program that is mandatory for all staff and includes online training with instructional videos, simulated phishing exercises, ongoing communications and simulated exercises using various scenarios.