Blog
October 2, 2026
Prepared, Not Paranoid
The shooting at a synagogue in Belleville appears to have been a hate-motivated attack targeting the Jewish community. We can debate whether it meets the definition of terrorism, but from a security perspective, I’m not sure the label really matters.
If you had asked me whether an attack against a Jewish institution in Canada was realistic, I would have said yes. If you had asked me where, a small synagogue in Belleville with a congregation of fewer than 50 people probably wouldn’t have made my list. We can understand the threats we face without being able to predict exactly where they will materialize.
For me, this is an argument for situational awareness and preparedness, not paranoia. The Jewish community has had to develop a realistic understanding of the threats we face and take appropriate measures to protect ourselves. Our thoughts are also with the officers and first responders whose actions prevented an even greater tragedy.
Is Your Security Assessment Out of Date?
September means back to school and back to work. It also means RFPs and proposals submitted in the spring are turning into projects. We’re starting a number of security assessments this fall, including reassessments of sites that were last reviewed several years ago.
One was last assessed in 2018 and is in the same general area as the Toronto van attack that year. Another was assessed in 2020, when COVID shaped both the threats organizations were considering and how buildings operated. Some of the measures from that period, including plexiglass barriers, have since been removed.
Security assessments are snapshots in time. Threats change, buildings change and the way we use them changes. There is nothing wrong with an assessment from 2018 or 2021, but it was designed for the environment that existed then. If yours is several years old, it may be worth asking whether it still reflects the risks you face today.
Stranger Danger Goes Digital
Another day, another cyber scam or fraud. We’ve talked about adults losing money to crypto investment scams, but with everyone back at school, I’ve been thinking about the risks our kids face online.
My 11-year-old son is in his first fantasy football league. He watches YouTube the way I watched network television as a kid. His friends are starting to get Apple Watches and, obviously, he wants one too. Every parent will make their own decisions about technology, but our kids are spending more of their lives online and we need to talk to them about how to do it safely.
In many ways, the rules aren’t that different from when we were kids. Don’t talk to strangers. Keep your privates — passwords and codes included — private. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. And if something online makes you uncomfortable, tell an adult.
We’ve put together a one-page guide with some simple online safety tips for kids. If you’d like a copy, get in touch and I’d be happy to send it along.