Director of The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto appointed to the Order of Canada

OTTAWA—Ronald Deibert, director of the cybersecurity and human rights organization the citizen laboratory at the University of Toronto, is one of this year’s appointments to the Order of Canada.

“It’s really sobering and surreal. Earning this honor is truly something else. I am over the moon and feel so appreciated by this recognition,” said Deibert, who was named an officer of the order in the appointments announced Thursday.

Deibert was honored for his groundbreaking work in global cybersecurity and human rights with Citizen Lab, which exposes espionage against civil society, social media misinformation, and malicious spyware. His recent activities include uncovering a spy campaign targeting pro-democracy protesters in Thailand and targeting cyberattacks on the UK Foreign Office.

“It’s no secret that I’ve been very critical of our lack of accountability around intelligence and law enforcement agencies, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a patriot,” Deibert told the Star of receiving a government honor. Canadian.

“I am very proud to be Canadian. I couldn’t do this research in any other country except Canada, at an institution like the University of Toronto. Anywhere else, it would be closed.”

Deibert’s appointment to the order was one of 99 announced Thursday. They also include notable Torontonians such as Eva Grunfeld, for her research in cancer prevention, Dr. Lori Haskell, for her research in the treatment of violence and trauma, and Eli Rubenstein, for her significant contributions to education about the Holocaust.

Calling himself a “street kid” from a working-class family, Deibert attributed his achievements to his co-workers and deceased parents, saying they would be very proud of him if they were still alive.

Deibert also paid tribute to his late friend Gord Downie, the singer of The Tragically Hip who died of brain cancer in 2017. Downie was awarded the Order of Canada for his advocacy for First Nations.

When Deibert learned of his own appointment, “my thoughts immediately went to Gord,” he said. “We played ice hockey together. He was a goalkeeper for my team. I wish I was around, I could tell him we’re on the same team again.”

In the early 1990s, Deibert worked for the Canadian government’s arms control verification unit, examining agreements on chemical and nuclear weapons, land mines, and satellite imagery. That formative experience led him to pursue a career in security research.

“Obviously it was something super secret. I was amazed. Nobody in international relations was really writing about those things,” she said.

“I really didn’t fully understand the full scope of what was happening and what would later be revealed by people like Edward Snowden,” he added, referring to the American whistleblower who leaked classified information from the US National Security Agency.

Deibert founded The Citizen Lab in 2001 as “a watchdog of all governments” through evidence-based investigations into intelligence gathering.

“There was some animosity in some agencies about our work and the criticism that I have leveled at the RCMP and CSIS, but there are people (in the federal government) who are very appreciative of our work,” he said, adding that his critics are not confined to Canada.

“I have received warnings from government officials, including Canada, not to go to China. They considered me an enemy of Chinese interests,” she said. “I know that my name has appeared on various blacklists.”

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