OTTAWA — As Canada’s national security and intelligence adviser prepares to leave her post, there are questions about the exact role her successor will play.
Early this month, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that David Morrison, currently deputy minister of foreign affairs, would become his senior diplomatic and international affairs adviser and his representative for the G7 and G20 summits.
Carney said Dominic Rochon, now chief information officer of Canada, would be deputy secretary to the cabinet for national security and intelligence.
It briefly seemed the national security adviser’s role had disappeared, but the Privy Council Office subsequently said Morrison would also take on that job.
But PCO has not yet answered questions about Morrison’s duties, such as whether he will be secretary to the national security council, lead the formulation of a promised new national security strategy or head up the government’s intelligence priority setting process.
The current national security adviser, Nathalie Drouin, begins her new role as ambassador to France and Monaco on March 23.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2026.
Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
