Defence & Security Communications Division
We tell your story when clarity, credibility, and trust matter most
In defence and security, success is not defined by operations alone. It is defined by understanding — by whether governments, partners, media, and the public comprehend the mission, the impact, and the people behind the work.
Syntax Strategic’s Defence & Security Communications Division exists to ensure that critical stories are told clearly, accurately, and credibly, even in the most complex, sensitive, and high-pressure environments.
Why Syntax
- Lived Experience – Our team includes veterans, police communicators, and journalists who have reported directly from conflict zones and military operations/exercises.
- Proven Leadership – CEO Jennifer Stewart, a former military spouse, leads a team that understands service, sacrifice, and communication under fire.
- Operational Credibility – From working inside the Department of National Defence to national media desks, we know how messages move in complex environments.
- Security-Cleared and TSPS-Ready – We meet federal procurement and security requirements to deliver immediately.
Ready to move
forward?
Let’s build the defence communications capacity your organization needs: fast, secure, and mission-ready.
Contact us today.
Shaping Narratives
What We Do
Strategic & Operational Communications
Turning mission objectives into clear, consistent messaging.
Crisis & Incident Response
Delivering rapid, coordinated communications during sensitive or time-critical events
Stakeholder & Family Engagement
Building trust through honest, empathetic communication.
Training & Simulation
Preparing leaders and spokespeople for real-world pressure.
Policy & Government Liaison
Aligning departmental priorities with precise, consistent public messaging.
Major Project Procurement Planning
Developing communications strategies for complex defence and security procurements.
Recruiting Campaigns
Designing targeted campaigns to attract, engage, and retain new talent.
Connect with Our Team
Let’s build the defence communications capacity your organization needs: fast, secure, and mission-ready. Contact us today.
Founder and CEO
Jennifer is an accomplished leader in Canadian business, government, and public affairs. She is renowned as an expert in this field, often being called upon by national media for commentary. Additionally, Jennifer has twice been named one of the “Top 25 People in the Capital” by Ottawa Life Magazine, one of Ottawa’s “Top Forty Under Forty” by the Ottawa Business Journal and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, and was a finalist for Ottawa’s “Established Female Entrepreneur of the Year.”
Jennifer has actively taken on many business and community affairs roles, including President & CEO of the Canadian Energy Marketers Association (CEMA), Chair of the Board of the Canadian Transportation Alliance, Co-Host and Co-Founder of The Honest Talk podcast, Chair of the Village of Carp Business Improvement Association (City of Ottawa), Board Member of the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa Foundation, Member of the Board of Trustees for The Women in Technology Scholarship of Willis College, and Member of the Leadership Council of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.
Hon. Vernon White
Strategic Counsel
Vernon White is a well-respected senior leader with experience in law enforcement, academics, and government. He served the RCMP for nearly 25 years, leaving as an Assistant Commissioner, and then held the position of Police Chief at Durham and Ottawa Police services for seven years.
He served as a Senator in the Senate of Canada for more than 10 years, sitting on multiple committees, including five years on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP).
Vern has extensive experience in education, having worked as an adjunct and visiting professor internationally, most notably in Australia, and at various universities across Canada. He has also served as an International Fellow with the Australian Strategic Police Institute, a think tank where he conducted research on issues impacting government, criminal justice, and society generally.
He has attained an undergraduate degree (Acadia University), a master’s degree (Royal Roads University), and a doctorate (Charles Sturt University) over an 18-year period while working full-time in his substantive law enforcement roles.
Since leaving the Senate, Vern has been active as a consultant, providing advice and strategic support to organizations in Canada and abroad.
Adam Thomson
Associate
Adam is an accomplished leader and advisor with more than 28 years of military and federal government experience. He excels at solving complex problems and developing results-driven communication strategies. Throughout his career, Adam has advised senior military commanders on all aspects of communication in high-pressure, time-sensitive environments. He has led teams of varying sizes – both domestically and internationally – in a wide range of communication roles, including commanding a military recruiting centre.
Adam possesses extensive expertise in the design and execution of national and international strategic communication plans and was recognized in 2020 for his outstanding leadership as Director of Communications for the military command overseeing more than 20 domestic and international operations.
Chief Operating Officer
A communications and media relations professional with a deep understanding of defence, security, and geopolitical issues, Jennifer brings a perspective shaped by nearly 15 years in television news and frontline reporting.
Over the course of her journalism career, she worked as a reporter, videographer, and producer in local and national news before becoming Executive Producer of The West Block with Tom Clark on Global News.
As a reporter, Jennifer covered the Canadian Armed Forces, including time as an embedded reporter during the war in Afghanistan in 2009. She returned to Afghanistan in 2014 at the conclusion of Canada’s NATO mission. Her journalism career also took her to Ukraine during the Maidan Revolution, Hong Kong during the Umbrella Movement, and other international locations, giving her firsthand experience working in complex, high-risk, and rapidly evolving environments.
Today, Jennifer provides strategic communications advice, crisis communications and media relations support, and media training for Crown corporations, national associations, and non-governmental organizations. She draws on her frontline experience to anticipate risk, navigate crises, and translate complex issues into clear, credible narratives for public, political, and media audiences.