Critical Infrastructure and the Indo-Pacific: Canada, Japan, and the New Security Nexus
In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Berkshire Miller, Senior Fellow at the Montreal Institute for Global Security, to explore the growing security importance of critical infrastructure, particularly undersea cables and their role in economic resilience.
Jonathan discusses why infrastructure once seen as purely commercial is now increasingly viewed through a national security lens, highlighting key gaps policymakers still need to address when responding to emerging risks. He also reflects on how partners such as Japan are approaching economic security and infrastructure protection differently from North America and Europe, and what this means for Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Finally, we examine the challenges of attribution in hybrid threats and identify practical opportunities for Canada and Japan to strengthen cooperation on critical infrastructure resilience.
16 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT
Beneath the Ice: The Future of Arctic Connectivity
In this episode, we sit down with Alex Dalziel, Senior Fellow at the Montreal Institute for Global Security, to discuss the future of subsea connectivity and the strategic importance of Arctic infrastructure in an evolving security landscape.
Alex explores how hybrid threats and grey-zone tactics complicate the protection of subsea cables, particularly in regions shaped by climate change, increased economic activity, and geopolitical rivalry. He also examines the challenges of attribution when disruptions occur, and what resilience looks like in practice when designing infrastructure for contested environments. Finally, we discuss the role Canada can play in shaping Arctic connectivity and why a whole-of-society approach is essential for protecting critical infrastructure in remote regions.
16 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT
Japan’s Strategic Shift: Security, Alliances, and Risk in the Indo-Pacific
In this episode, we sit down with Benoit Hardy-Chartrand, Senior Lecturer at Temple University Japan and Adjunct Professor at the United Nations University Tokyo, to examine Japan’s evolving security outlook amid an increasingly complex geopolitical environment in the Indo-Pacific. Benoit discusses recent shifts in Japan’s defence posture, including increased spending and updated strategic frameworks, and what these changes reveal about Japan’s assessment of regional risks.
He also explores the growing importance of economic security in shaping resilience and strategic vulnerability, as well as Japan’s relationships with key partners such as the United States, Australia, and South Korea. Finally, we consider where Canada and Japan can deepen cooperation on shared strategic priorities and what developments policymakers should be watching in the years ahead.
Inside a recent episode
Beneath the Ice: The Future of Arctic Connectivity
Published 16 Apr 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] I mean, the Great Circle routes, think about how your airplane flies to Seoul or to London, you know, it arcs north. So, you know, many of these routes are actually quite short. you know, in pure kilometers. So that's one of the big, I think, attractive reasons for this, particularly for Europe, East Asia connectivity. We also have at the same time, you know, an infrastructure discussion going on more generally, not just about military basing, but, you know, the dual use and multi-use conversations and the need, particularly in the Canadian North, for more infrastructure and calls for more digital, more reliable, extensive digital connectivity in the North have been going on for some time. […]
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