CANSOF 2030

Abstract

On November 19, 2025, Major General Steve Hunter presented CANSOF 2030 at the 2025 West Coast Security Conference. The presentation examined the evolution of Canadian special operations from their origins in domestic counterterrorism to sustained overseas combat operations and, more recently, to their place in strategic competition. Major General Hunter outlined the expanded mandate of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), emphasizing precision effects, readiness, partnership building, and operations across physical, digital, and human domains. The session also addressed the role of narrative influence and hybrid threats in the gray zone, alongside emerging capabilities such as artificial intelligence.