Canadian Security Studies Programme Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the following questions have been prepared to provide information for candidates for the Canadian Security Studies Programme (CSSP), held annually at the Canadian Forces College (CFC):

Who should my organization nominate to attend CSSP?
Military organizations should nominate personnel at the ranks of lieutenant-colonel and commander, or above, through their designated coordinator, identified in CANFORGEN 048/15 CMP 023/15 101359Z MAR 15. Other organizations are encouraged to nominate executives and leaders at the senior management, planning and policy-making levels, whose duties involve them in issues related to national and international security. All nominations must be forwarded to the CFC Registrar.

How will I know that I have been confirmed to attend CSSP?
Not everybody who is nominated will be selected. If you are selected, you will be advised by the Registrar not later than 29 May 2015. A standby list will be maintained by the Registrar to permit substitutions in the event of late withdrawals.

Who will pay the costs of my attendance at CSSP?
Canadian Forces (CF) participants will be responsible for their own temporary duty costs. International military officers attending under the Military Training and Cooperation Programme (MTCP) will be funded by the CF. All other non-CF participants must have their travel, accommodation and meal costs fully funded by their parent organizations. (Please settle your accounts directly with the hotel.) With the exception of MTCP participants, CSSP attendees will be required to pay, upon registration, for all meals taken at the Armour Heights Officers’ Mess.

What do I have to pay for?
A registration fee will be collected from each participant on 28 September for the morning and afternoon refreshment breaks, lunches, meet-and-greet on Monday, 28 September, and the programme dinner on Wednesday, 7 October.

Where does CSSP take place?
All activities of CSSP will take place on the campus of the CFC at 215 Yonge Boulevard (not ‘Street’) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The CFC is located at the corner of Yonge Boulevard and Wilson Avenue, just west of the intersection of Yonge Street and Wilson Avenue, in central Toronto. The York Mills subway station is close to CFC.

When should I arrive in Toronto?
Please check in at a hotel of your choice not later than the evening of Sunday, 27 September. Below, you will find a hotel in close proximity to CFC. As detailed in the Joining Instructions, optional transportation from the hotel to the CFC on the first day will depart at 0700 hrs and arrive at CFC at approximately 0715 hrs. A transportation schedule will be included in your welcome package, which you will receive on the first day, upon registration.

Where will I stay while attending CSSP?
Except for MTCP participants, hotel bookings and charges are the responsibility of the participant. The hotel below has Government of Canada rates, which you may request when booking. You will be asked to provide your arrival and departure dates and details, as well as a credit card in order to guarantee your reservation. It must be noted that no block bookings have been arranged, and this hotel is only suggested, not mandated:

How will I get from the airport or train station to the hotel?
Participants are required to arrange their own transportation between the airport or train station and the CFC upon arrival in Toronto and departure on completion of the course.

How will I get to and from the hotel each day?
A bus or van will provide daily transportation to and from the parking lot of the hotel mentioned above and the CFC. Use of personal motor vehicles is discouraged, as there is very limited parking available at the CFC. A visitor’s parking pass is required to park in the main CFC parking lot, but a parking pass does not constitute confirmation of a parking spot.

When do I eat and where?
Breakfast may be enjoyed at your hotel before travelling to CFC. Lunch may be eaten between 1200 and 1300 hrs at participants’ expense in the Armour Heights Officers’ Mess (AHOM), which is located on the campus. Dinner may be eaten at the hotel or elsewhere, as the buses will be departing at the end of lectures each day. Exceptions to this will be shown on the schedule in your welcome package. Any food concerns can be addressed to the programme administrative staff at registration. Please note that all dealings with your chosen hotel are your responsibility.

To which syndicate am I assigned, who else is in my syndicate, and where is my syndicate room?
You will receive a list in your welcome package upon registration, assigning participants to syndicates. The list will also identify programme and syndicate leaders. Your facilitator will provide further information on Monday, 28 September.

What am I doing, and when and where am I doing it?
You will receive a schedule in your welcome package, outlining which lecture or classroom you should be in and when. This will be given to you during registration.

When will I be able to leave Toronto?
The CSSP will be complete by 1300 hrs on Friday, 9 October; participants will be free to depart after that time.

What should I wear?
Dress will be as follows:

  • Daily, service No. 3B Short Sleeve with ribbons, and business attire for civilians.
  • On Thursdays, military personnel may wear operational dress (combat clothing or flying suits), and for civilians, dress continues to be business attire.
  • You will receive a list in your welcome package upon registration, assigning participants to syndicates. The list will also identify programme and syndicate leaders. Your facilitator will provide further information on Monday, 28 September.

What will I do during the weekend period?
During the intervening weekend of 3/4 October, participants will be free to relax and explore the great city of Toronto. City transit is available within walking distance of most hotels. Information may be found on the City of Toronto website.

What about study materials?
All necessary reading material will be provided in your welcome package and during the CSSP. Defence intranet and Internet access is available using CFC systems, but you will not be able to connect your personal laptop or electronic data device to any CFC information network. WiFi is available for personal devices at the hotel and in the AHOM. There is no pre-reading material for this programme.

Can I record presentations and guest speakers?
The CFC functions on a strict policy of privileged platform for all presentations and guest speakers. To support this policy of non-attribution, participants are not permitted to bring any recording device into classrooms or lecture halls. As well, all electronic devices, such as cell phones and PDAs, will be shut off when in classrooms or lecture halls. A programme CD-ROM will be distributed with all recordings and presentations, as permitted by indivdual speakers.

I have more questions. To whom do I speak?
You can contact the CSSP Programme Coordinator at 416-482-6800, extension 6869. The CFC Registrar can be reached at 416-482-6800, extension 6637.

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