Blog
June 25, 2026
It has never been cheaper or easier to commit crime
The recent arrests and police press conference about a “guns for hire” network highlight that these days it’s never been easier to commit a violent crime. All you need to do his hire some kid.
This cheap outsourcing model changes the cost-benefit analysis for bad guys. Organized crime, extremist groups, and even foreign states can pay relatively small amounts of money to get somebody else to do the work while reducing their own risk. That’s why we’re seeing so many synagogue shootings, vehicle thefts, home invasions and other crimes being carried out.
Hopefully continued arrests and meaningful sentences will tilt the scales, raise the cost, and discourage this trend. Until it does I think businesses and private residences will still need to invest in additional home security measures to meet this threat.
Research security and looking abroad
I recently attended a research security conference in Winnipeg. If I had to summarize one of the recurring themes, it would be this: how do we continue to protect ourselves as Canada looks abroad for new trade opportunities and partnerships with countries that continue to conduct intellectual property theft, espionage, and foreign interference?
It’s clear that Canada is looking to diversify its relationships and is willing to accept some risk in doing so, perhaps believing those risks can be managed.
Companies may be thinking the same way. And seeing the money that Ottawa is going to be throwing around may make taking foreign partners or investments look more attractive.
One thing I would caution organizations about is using Canada’s position as their only reference point.
The United States and the United Kingdom have traditionally maintained much stricter restrictions around foreign partnerships, state-owned enterprises, data sovereignty, and sensitive technologies. If your long-term plan includes selling into the United States, the United Kingdom, or other allied markets, you’ll want to make sure you’re still compliant with their requirements as well.
A partnership or money that opens doors in Canada may close them somewhere else.
Event-specific risk
We’ve been conducting a number of security assessments for private clubs recently.
Most of the concerns tend to focus on threats to high-profile members and guests or elevated security concerns because of proximity to major infrastructure, government buildings, or other sensitive locations.
Private clubs are also event venues. A club’s day-to-day operations may present one level of risk. A private event may present a completely different one.
Ford Fest this weekend attracted union protesters. Casa Loma became the focus of demonstrations when hosting a fundraising dinner featuring a former Israeli UN Ambassador. Public libraries have repeatedly found themselves at the centre of controversy after renting space to groups whose events attracted protests and counter-protests.
A risk assessment can help identify appropriate controls for normal operations and strategies for mitigating elevated risk. It’s also important to conduct event-specific assessments to evaluate when additional measures may be required and how they should be deployed.
We aren’t suggesting organizations avoid controversial events. The goal is to understand the risks involved and ensure they can be managed so the event can proceed safely and without incident.