This paper seeks to understand the nature and characteristics of Canadian national intelligence culture post–Cold War using the analytical insights of the strategic culture and intelligence culture literature. Previous studies have focused on an organizational description or historical studies of Canadian intelligence during the Cold War or after 9/11. Yet, no studies have examined the characterization of a national intelligence culture in Canada and proposed to contextualize the Canadian intelligence system in light of its national intelligence culture. Building on a culturalist approach of national intelligence systems, this paper proposes an operationalization of the national intelligence culture concept drawn on the strategic and intelligence culture literature. The paper concludes that Canada’s national intelligence culture is mostly defensive and minimalist. However, we note that recent changes in the Canadian intelligence apparatus have led to a gradual evolution of Canadian intelligence from defensive to offensive.

本文旨在利用战略文化和情报文化文献的分析见解，了解冷战后加拿大国家情报文化的性质和特征。以前的研究集中在冷战期间或 9/11 之后对加拿大情报的组织描述或历史研究。然而，没有研究检查加拿大国家情报文化的特征，并建议根据其国家情报文化将加拿大情报系统置于背景中。本文以国家情报系统的文化主义方法为基础，提出了基于战略和情报文化文献的国家情报文化概念的可操作性。该论文的结论是，加拿大的国家情报文化大多是防御性的和极简主义的。然而，我们注意到加拿大情报机构最近的变化导致加拿大情报从防御性向进攻性逐渐演变。