From October 27 to November 1, Tomáš Krejčí, Deputy Director of the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NÚKIB), accompanied by Cyber Attachée Berta Jarošová, visited Canada. During the visit, representatives of NÚKIB met with experts from the federal government, private sector, and academia. This visit took place within the framework of the Economic Diplomacy Projects (PROPED) program of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized by the Czech Embassy in Ottawa and the Consulate General in Toronto with support from NÚKIB. Selected Czech companies in the field of cybersecurity interested in exploring opportunities in Canada also participated in this mission.
In Ottawa, NÚKIB representatives met with federal government partners to discuss ways to strengthen collaboration in countering cyber threats and protecting critical infrastructure. They met with Bridget Walshe, Director of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, as well as representatives from Public Safety Canada and Global Affairs Canada. “Our discussions with Canadian counterparts confirmed that both the Czech Republic and Canada are currently facing very similar challenges in terms of cyber threats and regulation. Operational cooperation, especially timely information sharing, therefore remains key for us. In the past, thanks to warnings from Canadian partners, we were able to detect potentially malicious activities in the Czech Republic in a timely manner. I’m pleased that we are able to continue to develop and deepen this cooperation,” added Deputy Head Tomáš Krejčí.
During the visit, the Deputy Director also spoke at the InCyber Forum international conference in Montreal, where he discussed the implementation of the NIS2 directive and the preparation of Canada’s federal Bill C-26 on cybersecurity alongside representatives from Canada, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. On the sidelines, the delegation also met with officials from Quebec’s Ministry for Cybersecurity to explore potential areas for sharing expertise between Czech and Quebec experts.
In Toronto, the Deputy Director launched the second annual Czech Cyber Security Forum, attended by representatives from Czech companies as well as Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development, universities, and technology companies. The trip also aimed to discuss topics resonating on both sides of the Atlantic that are critical to national security. For this reason, NÚKIB representatives visited the labs of BlackBerry, Canada’s largest software company, where they discussed securing electronic communications and the growing importance of security of connected vehicles.
Another crucial topic was the exchange of experiences in science and research. Strengthening international cooperation in cyber security research and development has long been a priority for NÚKIB. The Czech delegation held numerous meetings with representatives from key research institutions, including CyberEco, the Multidisciplinary Institute for Cybersecurity and Resilience, Canada’s cybersecurity cluster In-Sec-M, and the University of Toronto. “Canada has top research institutions dedicated to the impact of artificial intelligence on cybersecurity and post-quantum cryptography, which are not only priorities for NÚKIB but are also vital for transatlantic relations in general. In the future, we hope to foster connections between Czech and Canadian academic institutions. Potential joint projects could also benefit from the Horizon Europe program, which Canada joined in July 2024,” concluded Cyber Attachée Berta Jarošová.