In recent years, there has been increased recognition of the need for a more coordinated and holistic approach to government security operations. To this end, various Canadian government departments have been investigating the effectiveness of a new collective approach to security operations known as the Comprehensive Approach. Such an undertaking would bring together the efforts of government departments, non-governmental organizations, and private sector entities to work towards a shared goal.

Considerable progress has been made with this approach but questions remain regarding its sustainability. The authors demonstrate that the research and experience of academics and practitioners can be consolidated as Canada attempts to create a new standard for dealing with the security challenges of the 21st century.