Print Page

Study Tours

Cyberspace and National Security – CNS Research Mission

November 3 – 5, 2010 – Washington DC

The state of cyber insecurity has been described as an “economic and national security crisis”, whereas advancements in cyber security have been identified as a “strategic advantage”. The recent debate surrounding the discovery of the “Stuxnet” worm illustrates the worldwide concern about increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks.

But we have also seen that the collective security challenges of cyberspace and national security are virtually inseparable from issues of organizational and individual security and privacy. As a result, both public and private organizations have been asking themselves how best to adapt their strategies, policies, and resources to a quickly evolving threat that has been difficult to identify, locate, and understand.

On this research mission, participants will engage with a diversity of recognized thought leaders and senior decision-makers to: 

  • Dispel persistent myths about the cyber threat and separate fact from fiction; 
  • Identify and analyse the strategic and policy issues; 
  • Determine the business imperative and the value proposition of cyber security, and 
  • Identify the opportunities to prepare all members of society for the cyber age.

We hope you will find this CNS research mission both challenging and rewarding.

Agenda

For more information contact Deborah Fleck at fleck@conferenceboard.ca.

Disruptions to the Supply Chain: Lessons for Security and Continuity

June 2-4, 2009

Significant disruptions to supply chains can have ramifications far beyond a single organization. The 2002 lockout of longshoremen at ports on the U.S. West Coast and 2005 strike at the Port of Vancouver demonstrated this all too well. With the realization that many supply chains are fragile, public and private organizations have had to modify their business and security operations.

The tour will enable participants to exchange ideas and experiences from those who managed the response to the lockout and strike, and learn what mattered during the crisis and what changes have been made since.

This is your opportunity to discuss and see first-hand the challenges and changes to enhance supply chain and port security. Traveling to the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Vancouver, you will learn the lessons brought about by the stoppage of work at three of North America’s key ports.

Draft Agenda

For more information contact Deborah Fleck at fleck@conferenceboard.ca.

Response and Resilience: Lessons on Information Sharing from 9/11

April 14-18, 2008 -- Boston, New York and Washington DC

A key issue that became evident during the response to the terror attacks was the challenge of information sharing—between first responders as well as between the public and private sectors. This study tour offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to meet with senior individuals involved in the response, see first-hand the attack sites, and examine how information sharing practices have been radically transformed. This will be an intense and highly-focused event for senior leaders from public and private sector organizations responsible for the protection of critical assets, development of resilience and business continuity plans, and information sharing across organizations

Learning from Katrina

November 14-16, 2006 -- New Orleans

When Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the city of New Orleans was devastated. The wind, rain and water exposed not only the weak infrastructure, but also the weak governance framework in place. The Conference Board of Canada led a study tour to New Orleans that gave participants direct access to the leaders of the response and allowed them to witness first-hand the devastation. Participants had in-camera access to a range of senior leaders from a range of organizations involved in the response including FEMA, Wal-Mart, US Coast Guard, Shell, Louisiana State Troopers and the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Louisiana. Participants left with a clear understanding of what really devastated New Orleans and actions they could take in their own organizations and with their partners to avoid a similar outcome