Richard Fadden

Richard Brian Marcel Fadden (born September 1951) is a Canadian former civil servant who was the national security advisor to the prime minister of Canada and an associate secretary to the cabinet. He retired from that position on March 31, 2016. He had previously served as the deputy minister for the Department of National Defence from 2013 to 2015. From 2009 to 2013, he was the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). He was previously the deputy minister for Citizenship and Immigration Canada from 2006 to 2009.

Early life and education Born in September 1951, Fadden attended McGill University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science, the Université de Montréal where he earned a Bachelor of Laws, and the University of Ottawa, earning a Graduate Diploma in Law.

Career Fadden spent his career as a civil servant, beginning in 1978 as a Foreign Service Officer in the Department of External Affairs.

Several others have criticized Fadden for his remarks, especially since they were in a CBC National interview released just before the G8 and G20 summits in Ontario; the interview was conducted earlier in the year, after the CBC approached Fadden to repeat statements he had made in a private (albeit videotaped) speech at the Royal Canadian Military Institute. Although no countries were named, the National Post, Globe and Mail, CBC, CTV, and several other Canadian media outlets have speculated that Fadden is referring to China.

In April 2013, it was announced that Fadden would step down from his position on May 13 to become Deputy Minister of National Defence. Deputy Director of Operations Michel Coulombe was designated as Fadden's replacement, in an interim role until a new director is appointed.

National Security Adviser Fadden was appointed National Security Adviser in early 2015 by Stephen Harper.

As national security and intelligence adviser, Fadden's "insistence that foreign powers, notably the Chinese Communist Party, had cultivated agents of influence at various levels of government in Canada" hurt his standing with the Liberal Party of Canada, which became the governing party of Canada in late 2015. Fadden was replaced by Daniel Jean, who lacked experience in either national security or intelligence.

Fadden's concerns have since been borne out by a series of revelations, including a Financial Times investigation that cast light on "an internal document prepared by the overseas section of Beijing’s United Front Works Department" that showed how China was influencing electoral politics in foreign countries.

Honours In 2017, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General David Johnston for "distinguished leadership in the federal public service".