Spies in the Cemetery – Call To Arms: The Fenian Threat

Have you ever considered how close foreign conflict once came to Canadian soil? Join us on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Sacred Space at Beechwood, home of the CSIS National Memorial Cemetery at Beechwood for an evening that revisits one of the most overlooked security threats in our nation’s early history. This year’s special event features Phil Gurski, President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting and former senior strategic analyst with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). With decades of experience in national security, including service with the Communications Security Establishment and Public Safety Canada, Phil brings a rare operational and analytical perspective to the study of threats, past and present. Drawing from his new book, The Fenians: Brotherhood of fools or Canada’s first terrorist threat, Phil will explore the 19th-century Fenian raids, an organized campaign by Irish-American militants who sought to pressure Britain by striking at its North American colonies. These incursions, launched from the United States into what would soon become Canada, tested colonial defences, galvanized militia forces, and played a meaningful role in shaping early Canadian security thinking in the years surrounding Confederation. As Ottawa marks the 200th anniversary of Bytown, this evening offers a timely look at one of the earliest external threats faced by the young community. The Fenian raids unfolded during a pivotal period when Bytown was