Speaker: Elizabeth Anderson
Subject: A Battle for Hearts and Minds: Cognitive Warfare and Democratic Defence from Europe to Canada
Time: 28 Jan 2026 13:30 Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Summary:
Our adversaries are targeting the cognitive domain: deliberately manipulating citizens’ perception of reality to undermine democratic governance. The objective is not persuasion but paralysis—democracies that cannot think clearly cannot act collectively. Whether delivered through missiles on power grids or algorithmic manipulation, the target is always the same: the citizen’s capacity to understand reality, trust institutions, and sustain political will.
Drawing on field research across 15 European countries, Elizabeth Anderson examines how frontline democracies have built practical defences against cognitive warfare. From Sweden’s Psychological Defence Agency to Finland’s world-leading societal resilience, from France’s active defence model to Estonia’s digital governance innovations, she identifies what works and what Canada can adapt.
At a moment of rupture in the international order—what Prime Minister Carney has called the end of a “pleasant fiction”—middle powers must build their strength at home and act together. The question is not whether we will face these challenges but instead, whether we will recognize these threats and act decisively to defend our democratic way of life.
Biography:
Elizabeth is a tenacious, intellectually curious, and passionate Canadian leader, dedicated to strengthening Canada’s role in the world through the renewal of its security architecture and the defence of democratic principles.
A former Fulbright Scholar, Elizabeth focuses on defending democracies in the digital age. Her work centres on cognitive and grey-zone warfare—particularly psychological and influence operations—and digital authoritarianism, ensuring that Canada, its Allies, and partners are prepared for 21st-century threats across the cyber, space, and electromagnetic domains. She concentrates on three core themes: (1) cognitive and grey-zone warfare; (2) Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression and transatlantic security; and (3) Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy. Beyond these priorities, Elizabeth engages broadly with Canadian foreign and defence policy. She applies a whole-of-society approach—drawing on Finland’s comprehensive-security model—and advanced technologies, including AI and quantum, to strengthen democratic resilience.
Elizabeth previously served as Director of Operations and Senior Advisor for International Security to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, and brings more than seven years’ experience across multiple Government of Canada portfolios.
Her work is guided by an abiding commitment to ensuring that Canada meets the challenges of a more dangerous world while upholding human rights, the rule of law, and democracy on the world stage.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
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