Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security Meeting Summary - Radicalization Leading to Violence

June 20-22, 2008, Ottawa, Ontario

Participants: The Minister of Public Safety, the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister, the Director of CSIS and senior government officials from the Public Safety Portfolio (RCMP, and CBSA), Justice, Canadian Heritage, a representative from Demos and an academic expert in Sociology and Religious Studies from the University of Waterloo participated in the dialogue with the members.

Issues of Discussion: The tenth meeting of the Roundtable focused on the theme of radicalization leading to violence. Members discussed the mandate and key priorities for the national security portfolio with key senior officials. RCMP informed the Roundtable on the changing nature of security cases, threat assessments, response to events and radicalization leading to violence. A presentation was made on the understanding of charismatic authority and its role in promoting violent behaviour. Roundtable members were consulted on the Demos study on the relationship between violent and non-violent radical Islamist mobilization in Canada. Updates were also provided on the UK's proposed Counter Terrorism Bill and on challenges facing Dutch integration efforts and approaches towards religious diversity.

Outcomes: The Roundtable members agreed to the themes for the work of the Roundtable for 2008-09: radicalization; financing of organized crime; and, terrorism and border and transportation security. Moreover, members offered to act as a bridge between government and communities through the organization of outreach activities on specific national security issues.

Date modified:

2018-02-06