Secure Line

Jessica Davis, Stephanie Carvin, Leah West (A CASIS podcast)
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Canada's intelligence landscape is as unique as the country itself. In an evolving global threat environment, fostering informed discussions on intelligence has become increasingly vital to the national security discourse. Secure Line Podcast is designed to influence and inform the national dialogue on security and intelligence in Canada, and internationally. Secure Line is brought to you by the Canadian Association for Security & Intelligence Studies (CASIS).

  1. The Festivus Episode

    DEC 18

    The Festivus Episode

    Steph, Leah, and Jess kick off Secure Line’s first-ever video “Festivus” episode with a holiday tradition: the airing of the grievances. After a quick tribute to producer Lena (the only person exempt from criticism), the trio runs through what’s been frustrating them most about Canada’s national security landscape—and what they think needs to change. Leah opens with a perennial—and increasingly urgent—complaint: Canada still doesn’t have a national security strategy, and the absence of a clear “North Star” is starting to miss the moment with Canadians and allies alike. Jess follows with a hard look at the state of terrorism research: weak definitional consensus, inconsistent measurement, and a field that sometimes struggles to generate actionable insight—especially as governments broaden terrorism definitions in ways that blur already-messy lines. From there, the conversation turns to threat assessments and the purpose (and practical impact) of ITAC, including its evolving mandate, its communication style, and whether “permanently medium” threat levels are actually useful for Canadians. Steph’s grievances hit institutional accountability: national security being framed too narrowly through defense, the government’s stalled reform agenda, ongoing RCMP reform debates, and pointed criticism of the Public Safety portfolio—particularly at a time when Canada’s reliance on the U.S. is becoming less predictable across the full spectrum of national security issues. The crew then shifts to a rare moment of self-critique: Jess rethinks crypto as not just “agnostic,” but increasingly inseparable from illicit finance architecture; Leah reassesses whether Canada can afford to keep avoiding a foreign intelligence capability; and the group reflects on how deep U.S. institutional deterioration is becoming under Trump 2.0—and what that means for trust, intelligence, and long-term cooperation. Finally, the mood turns lighter as they share wins from the year—big professional milestones, personal achievements (including Leah’s Ironman Worlds in Kona), and the podcast itself—before looking ahead to 2026: major legislation files to watch, reform questions still unresolved, and what they’re tracking as Canada tries to navigate a rapidly shifting security environment.

    1h 6m
  2. “The Problem of America”: The Economist’s Shashank Joshi on Global Security in 2025

    DEC 16

    “The Problem of America”: The Economist’s Shashank Joshi on Global Security in 2025

    Secure Line closes out 2025 by taking stock of a year defined by geopolitical whiplash: grinding wars in Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine; rising tension in the Indo-Pacific; instability across Africa’s “coup belt”; and a U.S. foreign policy that’s reshaping alliances as much as it’s responding to threats. With a newly released U.S. National Security Strategy pointing toward a more transactional, hemisphere-first approach—and allies scrambling to adapt—Steph, Leah, and Jess ask what this all means for 2026. To unpack the year, the hosts are joined by Shashank Joshi, Defence Editor at The Economist and former RUSI senior research fellow. Joshi reflects on what he heard during a recent trip to Canada, arguing that Canada may be in the most exposed position of America’s allies—highly dependent, economically vulnerable, and increasingly alarmed. From there, the conversation ranges widely: Europe’s growing distrust of Washington, the strategic logic behind a revived Monroe Doctrine, Canada’s dilemma over diversifying defence procurement (including the F-35 vs. Gripen debate), the lessons—and limits—of learning from Ukraine’s drone war, and the mounting risks of Russian “active measures” across Europe. Joshi closes with the key watch-items for the year ahead: how (and on what terms) Ukraine’s war may culminate, the risk of U.S. escalation in Venezuela, and whether Indo-Pacific flashpoints continue to sharpen as China’s military timeline and regional reactions accelerate. The episode ends with a teaser for the team’s upcoming Festivus special—an airing of national security grievances before the holiday break.

    48 min
  3. From Promises to Procurement: Can Canada Actually Spend $81.8 Billion?

    NOV 27

    From Promises to Procurement: Can Canada Actually Spend $81.8 Billion?

    In this episode of Secure Line, Leah West and Stephanie Carvin break down the most consequential defence budget Canada has seen in generations—joined by special guest Philippe Lagassé, Chair in International Affairs at NPSIA and author of Debating Canadian Defence. With Jess Davis away this week, Leah and Stephanie dive into the headline-grabbing $81.8 billion defence package unveiled in Budget 2025: what it means, why it matters, and where the uncertainties lie. Phil helps unpack the sheer scale of the investment, the federal government’s unusual “money first, details later” strategy, and the emerging battle lines between political direction, military preference, and industrial ambition. Together they explore the shifting terrain of defence procurement—from submarines to sovereign cloud—and the political risks of moving this much money, this fast, through a bureaucracy conditioned to avoid risk. They also tackle the deeper tension running beneath the budget: whether Canada continues to rely primarily on the United States or finally builds real sovereign capability. Smart, candid, and often pointed, this conversation offers essential context for anyone trying to understand the future of Canada’s defence posture and the political, bureaucratic, and strategic fights that will shape it.

    36 min
  4. Line Items & Limelights: The Budget’s Eurovision Bet and NatSec Status Quo

    NOV 12

    Line Items & Limelights: The Budget’s Eurovision Bet and NatSec Status Quo

    From balance sheets to ballads, the 2025 budget doubles down on soft power and spectacle, but keeps Canada’s national security stuck in the same old song. In this episode of Secure Line, hosts Stephanie Carvin and Jessica Davis dive into the 2025 Canadian federal budget — a self-proclaimed “transformative” plan that, on closer inspection, mostly reinforces the national security status quo. From record defense spending to long-delayed reform, Steph and Jess unpack what the budget really means for Canada’s intelligence, enforcement, and foreign policy landscape. They debate whether the long-promised National Security Strategy will finally materialize and take a close look at the newly resurrected Canadian Financial Crimes Agency — a long-talked-about but still-undefined enforcement body meant to fix Canada’s chronic money-laundering and financial crime failures. The hosts also explore what cuts to Global Affairs Canada and the Privy Council Office mean for diplomacy, development, and intelligence coordination, and they catch a surprising “Easter egg” about foreign bank investment reviews that could reshape national security screening in the financial sector. Between witty asides about “making it rain” for the Canadian Armed Forces and an unexpected detour into Eurovision diplomacy, the episode captures the blend of sharp analysis and humour that Secure Line is known for.

    34 min
  5. Catherine McKenna: From Climate Battles to Democratic Security

    NOV 3

    Catherine McKenna: From Climate Battles to Democratic Security

    In this episode, former Canadian environment and infrastructure minister Catherine McKenna joins Secure Line to discuss her memoir Run Like a Girl and the escalating threats faced by public officials—especially women—working on contentious files like climate policy. McKenna recounts how online harassment (“Climate Barbie”) evolved into offline intimidation during and after her time in office, and reflects on the Ottawa convoy as a failure to protect vulnerable communities and Canada’s international reputation. She describes inconsistent security support, jurisdictional buck-passing, and slow recognition of gendered extremism, bot-driven rage farming, and foreign interference. The conversation shifts from personal experience to systemic fixes: serious threat briefings and protection for candidates, properly scoped online harms legislation, accountability for social platforms, and higher standards for political discourse. McKenna urges more women to enter politics, argues climate is a national security issue, and insists most Canadians are still reasonable—if leaders act with focus and courage. The hosts close by tying these lessons to Canada’s broader democratic resilience.

    37 min
  6. Power Plays and Peace Deals: The Middle East’s Wild Year 

    OCT 29

    Power Plays and Peace Deals: The Middle East’s Wild Year 

    In this episode of Secure Line, Stephanie Carvin, Leah West, and Jessica Davis speak with returning guest Thomas Juneau to unpack a turbulent year in the Middle East and what it means for Canada. Juneau argues that U.S. policy under President Trump lacks a consistent doctrine and is driven largely by personal involvement that helped force a fragile Gaza ceasefire through pressure on Israel and coordination with key regional actors. He adds that Canada’s recognition of Palestinian statehood is not a historic shift but a calibrated diplomatic signal aligned with Europe and meant to strengthen the Palestinian Authority while maintaining Canada’s long-standing proximity to Israel. The discussion surveys a shifting balance of power. Juneau says Iran has endured its hardest stretch in decades: Assad is gone, Hezbollah and Hamas are weakened, and direct clashes with Israel exposed Iran’s conventional military limits. Syria’s new leadership under Ahmed al-Sharaa is fragile and pragmatic, with Turkey emerging as a relative winner. Qatar’s mediator role is reaffirmed—despite the shock of an Israeli strike in Doha and ensuing U.S. damage control that highlighted Qatar’s importance and accelerated ties amid a luxury-plane controversy. In Yemen, the Houthis have effectively won the civil war; U.S. strikes without a political strategy are counterproductive, and threats to Red Sea shipping are likely to resume. For Canada, Juneau is blunt about limits. Ottawa will not lead peace talks, but it can matter by acting with allies through humanitarian and development assistance, security-sector training for Palestinian forces, and modest re-engagement with Gulf partners as part of broader trade and security diversification. He also notes China’s growing commercial footprint alongside a deliberately constrained security role, and he questions how long that gap can persist without deeper political or military commitments.

    48 min
  7. Vibes Over Evidence: How Governance Failures in Counterterrorism Threaten the Rule of Law 

    OCT 22

    Vibes Over Evidence: How Governance Failures in Counterterrorism Threaten the Rule of Law 

    In this episode of Secure Line, hosts Stephanie Carvin and Jessica Davis unpack the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency’s (NSIRA) October 2 report on the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). The review examined the CRA’s handling of audits on charities for potential terrorist financing, following long-standing allegations of bias against Muslim-led organizations. Davis explains how NSIRA — created in 2019 to review Canada’s expanding national security powers — found not evidence of bias, but rather an alarming lack of internal governance, documentation, and methodology that made determining bias impossible. This “vibes-based” decision-making, as Davis calls it, reveals deep flaws in how Canada’s counter-terrorism powers are exercised and reviewed. The discussion expands to the broader implications for rule of law, transparency, and the politicization of Canada’s terrorism listings process, with both hosts urging stronger oversight and governance to prevent bias, ensure accountability, and rebuild trust. The episode closes with a call for NSIRA to review Canada’s terrorism listings next — before “vibes creep” takes over more elements of national security policy.

    27 min
  8. Bugs, Bytes, and Blackletters: International law and espionage

    OCT 21

    Bugs, Bytes, and Blackletters: International law and espionage

    This episode asks the deceptively simple question: is espionage legal? Host Leah West sets the stakes for Canadian operators—CSIS and the CAF must comply with international law unless clearly authorized otherwise—before welcoming scholars Asaf Lubin and Russell Buchan to square off on how international law actually treats spying. Using the African Union–Huawei affair as a provocation, Lubin argues we’re moving toward (and should embrace) a bespoke international law of intelligence that recognizes pervasive state practice and constrains it with principles like necessity, proportionality, and efficacy—even when activities pierce sovereignty. Buchan agrees international law applies, but says we’re not there yet: current rules (sovereignty, diplomatic inviolability, human rights, IHL) already regulate espionage, and declaring a new custom risks handing blank checks to powerful states. The trio parse peace-time vs wartime rules, Canada’s evolving positions (including the “de minimis” cyberspace view), and the Federal Court’s inconsistent jurisprudence, highlighting how secrecy, strategic ambiguity, and politics complicate “opinio juris.” The upshot: states spy constantly; the legal question is whether to formalize tailored guardrails now—or keep operating in the grey.

    58 min
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About

Canada's intelligence landscape is as unique as the country itself. In an evolving global threat environment, fostering informed discussions on intelligence has become increasingly vital to the national security discourse. Secure Line Podcast is designed to influence and inform the national dialogue on security and intelligence in Canada, and internationally. Secure Line is brought to you by the Canadian Association for Security & Intelligence Studies (CASIS).

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  • Creator
    Jessica Davis, Stephanie Carvin, Leah West (A CASIS podcast)
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jessica Davis, Stephanie Carvin, Leah West (A CASIS podcast)
  • Show Website
    Secure Line

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