Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a fireside chat with Conservative MP Shuvaloy Majumdar during the annual Canada Strong and Free Network in Ottawa, on May 7, 2026. The Canadian Press/Spencer Colby
At the Canada Strong and Free conference in Ottawa last week, former CIA Director and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered one of the clearest warnings Canadians have heard in years regarding the strategic threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. His message was direct, specific, and rooted in experience.
Bryan Brulotte is chairman of Sterling-Trust, a private equity firm based in Ottawa, Canada. He holds a doctorate in business and brings more than four decades of experience spanning military service and senior roles in the private and public sectors.
