OTTAWA — A former top intelligence adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he fears the U.S. might put intelligence sharing on the table in talks about the state of Canada’s defence spending.

Vincent Rigby said he worries about intelligence being used as a negotiating tool as the Donald Trump White house seeks to extract gains from Canada.

“We hear so much about defense spending and two per cent, and what the U.S. may or may not do if we don’t step up to plate,” Rigby told a crowd at a Canada Global Affairs Institute conference Wednesday afternoon. “I’m afraid at one point, intelligence is going to be used as a negotiating tool.”

"It's a serious threat and we have to think about it," Vincent Rigby told an international affairs conference{ai:summary}<p>A former intelligence adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Vincent Rigby, expressed concerns that the U.S. may leverage intelligence sharing in discussions regarding Canada's defense spending. He fears this could become a bargaining chip as the U.S. pressures Canada to increase its military budget.</p><p>Rigby highlighted the ongoing dialogue about defense spending, particularly the expectation for Canada to meet the 2% target, and warned that intelligence could be at risk of being politicized in these negotiations. #foreignaffairs</p>

Trump may leverage intel sharing against Canada, former intelligence adviser warns

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