Digital Sovereignty: Why Control, Continuity, and Lawful Authority Matter for Canada's Data Future
Canadian Government Executive Radio
Release Date: 04/29/2026
Digital Sovereignty: Why Control, Continuity, and Lawful Authority Matter for Canada's Data Future
Canadian Government Executive Radio
In this episode of CGE Radio, host J. Richard Jones sits down with Craig McLellan, Founder & CEO of , one of Canada’s leading voices in secure cloud infrastructure, sovereign data protection, and resilient digital systems. As organizations increasingly rely on global cloud platforms, AI tools, and cross-border data services, a critical question emerges: Who truly controls your data? Craig explains why data sovereignty has become a strategic business issue—not just for governments, but for every Canadian organization that depends on digital infrastructure. Drawing on more than 25...
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Canadian Government Executive Radio
In a market crowded with options, understanding which platforms truly safeguard sensitive government communications has never been more critical. In this episode of CGE Radio, J. Richard Jones speaks with Maaz Yasin, Global Head of Government Solutions - Secure Communications, Blackberry, and David Wiseman, Vice President of SecuSUITE, Blackberry, to break through the noise. Listeners will learn: Why “secure messaging” alone doesn’t guarantee secure communications The four key ways BlackBerry’s platform goes beyond basic encryption to protect data How BlackBerry aligns with...
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Canadian Government Executive Radio
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Canadian Government Executive Radio
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Canadian Government Executive Radio
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CGE Weekly - Mark Carney’s Leadership Victory & Canada’s Political Future
Canadian Government Executive Radio
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CGE Weekly: Trump Tariffs Trouble
Canadian Government Executive Radio
In this episode of CGE Radio, host J. Richard Jones sits down with Lori Turnbull, Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Government Executive Media, and David McLaughlin, Executive Editor, to unpack the latest political and economic turbulence between Canada and the U.S. With Trump's proposed tariffs looming, the discussion delves into the potential economic fallout, Canada’s response, and the broader implications for trade and national security. The conversation also explores Canada’s internal challenges, from the fentanyl crisis to gang activity, and how these issues intersect with border security....
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A Close Election, Trump’s Victory, and its Impact on Canada
Canadian Government Executive Radio
In this episode of CGE Radio, host J. Richard Jones sits down with Lori Turnbull, Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Government Executive, to unpack the results of the U.S. presidential election. Lori shares her insights on the tight race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the decisive outcome, and what it might mean for U.S.-Canada relations. They explore the potential implications of Trump’s policy agenda on trade, tariffs, and energy, and how Canada might navigate this new political landscape. Lori also discusses the broader lessons for Canadian politics, including how affordability...
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Canadian Government Executive Radio
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CGE Weekly: Welcoming David McLaughlin, New Executive Editor of CGE Media
Canadian Government Executive Radio
In this episode of CGE Weekly, J. Richard Jones introduces David McLaughlin, the new executive editor, as they discuss the current political landscape in Canada and the potential challenges ahead for public services. With a federal election looming and possible changes to government leadership, they explore what this means for public servants, policy changes, and key issues such as fiscal management, climate change, and AI implementation. David McLaughlin shares insights into how public servants can prepare for the shifting dynamics, whether it’s managing technological innovations like AI or...
info_outlineIn this episode of CGE Radio, host J. Richard Jones sits down with Craig McLellan, Founder & CEO of ThinkOn, one of Canada’s leading voices in secure cloud infrastructure, sovereign data protection, and resilient digital systems.
As organizations increasingly rely on global cloud platforms, AI tools, and cross-border data services, a critical question emerges: Who truly controls your data? Craig explains why data sovereignty has become a strategic business issue—not just for governments, but for every Canadian organization that depends on digital infrastructure.
Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in technology innovation and security, Craig breaks down the growing importance of maintaining lawful authority, operational continuity, and strategic independence over data, systems, and digital assets. He also explores the broader concept of digital sovereignty, including how infrastructure, software, networks, storage, algorithms, metadata, tokens, and encryption keys all play a role in protecting national and organizational interests.
Listeners will gain practical insights into how businesses can balance innovation with control, leverage cloud technology responsibly, and ask the right questions before handing critical information to vendors or third-party platforms.
About the Guest:
Craig McLellan is the Founder and CEO of ThinkOn, a Canadian-owned cloud services provider recognized for leadership in sovereign cloud infrastructure and secure data protection. Under his leadership, ThinkOn has been named one of Canada’s fastest-growing companies by Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50™ and The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business, and was recognized by Broadcom as Sovereign Cloud Provider for the Americas.
In This Episode, We Explore:
- What data sovereignty really means for everyday business owners
- Why Canada’s digital independence matters now more than ever
- The hidden risks of storing data with hyperscalers like AWS and Azure
- AI sovereignty risks when proprietary data enters third-party models
- Why metadata, tokens, and encryption keys matter as much as the data itself
- How to balance sovereignty with the benefits of global cloud infrastructure
- What to ask vendors before signing SaaS or cloud contracts
- How different national approaches to digital sovereignty impact global business