A new Department of National Defence survey has found that Canadians view Russia as the leading threat to national security, though overall concern has declined since 2023. Blacklock's Reporter says the report, based on questionnaires and focus groups, also found that 70% of respondents trust the Canadian Armed Forces to keep the country safe.The Views Of The Canadian Armed Forces 2025 Tracking Study found that 6% of Canadians named Russia as the top threat to national sovereignty. Other concerns included terrorism and Arctic sovereignty (5% each), war or conflicts (4%), proximity to the U.S. (4%) and immigration policies (4%). Only 2% named China, while another 2% pointed to Donald Trump.The report noted that concern about Russia had dropped significantly compared to previous years. Regionally, residents of Atlantic Canada and Alberta (9% each) were more likely to cite Russia as a major threat, while fewer in Ontario and British Columbia (4%) felt the same..The study was conducted by Ottawa-based Quorus Consulting Group Inc. at a cost of $125,057, using input from 2,317 people across the country and 12 focus groups.When asked about trust in the Canadian Armed Forces, 40% of respondents said they had “high trust” that the military was prepared to protect Canadians, while 15% expressed doubt.The latest findings contrast with a 2021 Canadian Security Intelligence Service report that identified China as the greatest threat to national security.At the time, 58% of respondents saw China as the top concern, far ahead of Russia (18%), North Korea (10%), and Syria (4%)..That earlier report also found Canadians were split on the nature of foreign espionage threats, with 50% more worried about economic espionage against domestic companies than about classified government secrets.Former CSIS director Richard Fadden testified to Parliament that Canadians are often unaware of the subtle nature of foreign interference. “There is no smoking gun,” he said. “The great difficulty we have in Canada is the general public has trouble understanding that we’re threatened. We feel very comfortable.”
