Fortifying Canada's Future: Ensuring Sovereignty in an Era of Uncertainty

Fortifying Canada's Future: Ensuring Sovereignty in an Era of Uncertainty

Author: Canadian Government Executive March 21, 2025 Duration: 20:29

Interview with Graig McLellan, Founder & CEO of ThinkOn, Inc. 

In this episode of CGE Radio, J. Richard Jones speaks with Craig McLellan, Founder & CEO of ThinkOn, Inc. Mr. McLellan has been at the forefront of technology innovation and data security in Canada and the U.S. for the past twenty-five years. Under Craig's leadership, ThinkOn continues to grow, both organically and through strategic acquisition, and has been ranked on both the Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ and The Globe and Mail's list of Canada's Top Growing Companies. A pioneer in cloud services, ThinkOn was one of the first companies in the world to receive VMware Cloud Verified certification and was recently recognized as the VMware Sovereign Cloud Partner for Canada. Craig currently sits on advisory boards for several industry-leading organizations including Veeam, Hitachi, and VMware, where he helps to guide strategy.

Think On, Inc. is a cloud service provider with a global data center footprint offering creative solutions for complex data problems. ThinkOn's channel-only distribution model empowers value-add resellers and service providers across North America, the UK, Europe, and Australia through solutions built on leading technology platforms.

In this episode:

  • Data landscape evolution
  • Practical steps for strengthen data security
  • U.S. CLOUD Act impact on Canada.
  • The importance of data sovereignty
  • The role of government policy in data sovereignty
  • And more!

For decades, Canadian Government Executive has been the essential print and digital publication for those navigating the complex machinery of the public service. Canadian Government Executive Radio extends that legacy into audio, creating a direct channel for conversation about the policies, technologies, and leadership shaping governance from town halls to Parliament Hill. This podcast moves beyond press releases and official statements to explore the real-world implementation of ideas. Each episode features candid discussions with deputy ministers, city managers, IT directors, and frontline innovators who are tasked with turning legislation into action. You’ll hear about the challenges of digital transformation, the intersection of cybersecurity and citizen services, and the evolving nature of public sector leadership in a time of rapid change. It’s a forum for the people who build, manage, and protect the programs that define Canadian society. By focusing on the practical expertise of senior officials and the technologists enabling modern government, this series provides context and clarity that you won’t find in daily news coverage. Tune in for a nuanced perspective on how decisions are made, how technology is adopted, and how public service executives are steering their organizations toward the future. This is where policy meets practice, offering listeners an insider’s understanding of the forces that govern.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Canadian Government Executive Radio
Podcast Episodes
From Cloud First to Cloud Smart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:38
Join host J. Richard Jones for the latest episode of CGE Radio. He speaks with Craig McLellan, Chief Executive Officer of ThinkOn, about foreign cloud providers and the benefits of a Canadian-based solution. Mr. McLellan…
CGE Weekly – episode 10 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:17
Welcome back to another episode of CGE Weekly with host, J. Richard Jones. This week, CGE editor-in-chief, Dr. Lori Turnbull, weighs in on the new budget that came down on March 28th. As the cost of living rises and the…
CGE Weekly – episode 9 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:32
Welcome back to CGE Weekly with host J. Richard Jones and CGE editor-in-chief, Dr. Lori Turnbull. Healthcare has long been quintessential to Canada. The topic of discussion this week digs into and dissects the healthcare…
CGE Weekly – episode 8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:08
It's the first CGE Weekly show of 2023! Join host J. Richard Jones and CGE editor-in-chief, Dr. Lori Turnbull as they look into the crystal ball and hypothesize about what the year ahead in Canadian politics might look l…
CGE Weekly - Episode 7 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:20
The summer is quickly coming to a close and the host J. Richard Jones is back with a new episode of CGE Weekly. He spends some time catching of up with CGE Editor-in-Chief, Lori Turnbull. Their conversation dives right i…
Empowering Agile Government Services [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:08
In this episode of CGE Radio, J. Richard Jones and co-host Lori Turnbull, deputy editor Canadian Government Executive discuss returning to work in public sector. They tackle the question of just what is the new normal? T…
CGE Weekly – Episode 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:34
In or latest exciting episode of CGE Weekly, host, J. Richard Jones and Lori Turnbull, Editor in Chief of Canadian Government Executive speak with Bob Conlin, Technology Managing Director Federal Government, IBM Canada.…
Futureproofing for the Strategic Review [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:23
Guest host, Lori Turnbull, Deputy Editor, Canadian Government Executive welcomes very special guest Michael Wernick, former clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, currently Senior Strategic Advisor at M…
A Sustainable Ecosystem to Bridge the Skills Gap in Canada [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:46
Tune in to co-hosts, J. Richard Jones and Lori Turnbull, Deputy Editor, Canadian Government Executive and Director, School of Public Administration, Dalhousie University as they discuss the skills gap in Canada with thre…