The Spy Game in Canada

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Event Overview

Join us for an insightful panel discussion featuring five distinguished professionals from the fields of counterintelligence, counterterrorism and foreign interference. This event offers a unique opportunity to delve into the careers and lived experiences of our esteemed panelists, who have dedicated their lives to safeguarding our country. Learn about the Pillar Society.

Event Highlights

• Career Journeys: Learn about the diverse career paths that led each panelist to their current roles. Discover the challenges and triumphs they encountered along the way.
• Lived Experiences: Gain firsthand insights into the real-world experiences of our panelists. Hear their stories of resilience, innovation, and dedication in the face of evolving security threats.
• Expert Perspectives: Engage with the panelists as they share their expert opinions on current and future security challenges. Explore the intersection of technology, policy, and human factors in the realm of security and national security.
• Interactive Q&A: Participate in an interactive question-and-answer session, where you can ask the panelists about their experiences, advice for aspiring professionals, and their visions for the future of security intelligence.

Event Agenda

12:45 – 1:00 PM       Registration

1:00 – 2:00 PM.        Panel – The Spy Game in Canada

2:00 – 2:45 PM         Networking Period

Event Moderator

Dan Stanton

Dan Stanton was an intelligence officer at CSIS for 32 years. He has extensive experience in counterintelligence, counterterrorism and counterproliferation. He is the Director of National Security at the Professional Development Institute.

Event Speakers

Iwona Mooney

Iwona Mooney joined the RCMP Security Service as a translator in Counter Intelligence, later transitioning to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in 1984. Over the course of her distinguished career, she held various roles, including Intelligence Officer, Counter Intelligence Analyst, and Chief of Operational Policy, among others. She also contributed significantly as a trainer, auditor, and supervisor, retiring in 2008.

Post-retirement, Iwona served as a private security intelligence consultant from 2008 to 2014, specializing in investigations for federal government departments. She remains an active member of The Pillar Society for retired intelligence professionals in Canada, serving as National Secretary (2018–2023) and Editor of Pillar TALK (2018–2025).

Jim Gough

Jim Gough began his distinguished career in national security by joining the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 1966. In 1969, he transitioned to the RCMP Security Service, where he served in various capacities in the Ottawa area, both in operational roles "on the street" and at RCMP Headquarters.

In 1984, following the establishment of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Mr. Gough transferred to the new organization, continuing his commitment to protecting Canada's national interests. Over the course of his career, he played a pivotal role in countering foreign intelligence operations, particularly those conducted by the Soviet KGB and GRU, as well as other Soviet Bloc intelligence services.

Mr. Gough's expertise extended to addressing domestic and international threats. While at CSIS, he was involved in monitoring Sikh and Tamil extremism, and later took on a leadership role in countering intelligence activities in Canada orchestrated by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. He retired as Chief of that section in 2001, concluding 35 and a half years of combined service with the RCMP and CSIS.

Following the events of September 11, 2001, Mr. Gough was called upon to assist the Security Section of Transport Canada. His expertise was again sought by CSIS, and he returned on contract, contributing to operations until 2008. During this period, he worked on matters of foreign intelligence and played a role in the high-profile investigation of the "Toronto Eighteen" case.

Don Mahar

Don Mahar dedicated over four decades to Canada's national security and intelligence community, serving with distinction in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), RCMP Security Service, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE).

Throughout his career with the RCMP Security Service and CSIS, Mr. Mahar specialized in Counter Intelligence, with a strong focus on the intelligence operations of Soviet, Chinese, and Iranian services. His expertise in this field placed him at the forefront of Canada’s efforts to detect and counter foreign espionage during and after the Cold War.

In 1987, he undertook a temporary posting to Hong Kong, expanding his international operational experience. From 1997 to 2000, Mr. Mahar was posted to East Africa, where he had the distinction of opening the first CSIS Station in the region, overseeing intelligence responsibilities across 13 countries.

Upon his return to Canada, he transitioned to Counter Terrorism operations from 2000 to 2004, a period during which he travelled frequently to the Middle East in support of national security missions. He retired from CSIS in 2004 and continued his service to Canada at the Communications Security Establishment, where he worked until 2010.

In 2017, Mr. Mahar authored the book Shattered Illusions: KGB Cold War Espionage in Canada, a work that was formally authorized by CSIS. The book offers an insider’s perspective on Soviet espionage activities in Canada and reflects his deep knowledge of Cold War intelligence operations.

Ralph Mahar

Ralph Mahar is a distinguished veteran with over three decades of service in Canada’s national security and intelligence community. With a 34-year career spanning the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the RCMP Security Service, and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), he has played a vital role in protecting Canadian interests at home and abroad.

Throughout his tenure at CSIS, Ralph worked across all major operational programs, including Counter Intelligence, Counter Terrorism, Security Screening, and Intelligence Analysis & Production. For 15 years, he focused on investigating and managing operations related to Soviet and Russian intelligence activities in Canada, during some of the most tumultuous geopolitical periods—from the height of the Cold War through the dissolution of the USSR, and into the early resurgence of Russia, spanning the Brezhnev, Andropov, Gorbachev, and Yeltsin eras.

Ralph held several key leadership positions during his career. He served as Executive Assistant to CSIS Director Ward Elcock for two years and led the Counter Terrorism unit in CSIS’s Toronto office during the critical period surrounding the events of 9/11. His expertise also extended to managing surveillance teams, overseeing warranted intercept operations, and advising Canada’s Privy Council Office on intelligence matters.

Following his retirement from CSIS, Ralph continued to serve Canada's security interests. He spent six years as a civilian contractor with the Canadian Armed Forces, completing multiple tours in Afghanistan and Kuwait. He later joined the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General’s Special Investigations Unit, where he served as an investigator for four years.