Vincent Rigby is a non-resident senior adviser with the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is a policy and intelligence expert with more than 30 years of experience in public service. Most recently, he was appointed national security and intelligence advisor to the prime minister of Canada in January 2020 and retired in September 2021. He was previously associate deputy minister of foreign affairs at Global Affairs Canada from August 2019 until January 2020 and associate deputy minister of Public Safety Canada from July 2017 until August 2019. As assistant deputy minister of strategic policy at Global Affairs Canada from 2013 to 2017, he provided policy advice related to foreign policy, international assistance, and international trade. He served as the personal representative (sherpa) to the prime minister at the Group of Twenty (G20) and as sous-sherpa at the Group of Seven (G7). He was chief negotiator for the Post-2015 Development Agenda and chair of the Arctic Council's Senior Arctic Officials. As vice president of the Strategic Policy and Performance Branch of the former Canadian International Development Agency, he provided advice on Canada's international assistance policy and managed Canada's development program. From 2008 to 2010, Mr. Rigby was the executive director of the International Assessment Secretariat and Afghanistan intelligence lead official at the Privy Council Office (PCO), where he was responsible for coordinating the Canadian intelligence community in support of Canada's Afghanistan mission. In over 14 years at the Department of National Defence (DND), Mr. Rigby held a number of other positions including director general of policy planning, director of policy development, and director of arms and proliferation control policy. Mr. Rigby holds an MA in diplomatic and military history from Carleton University.

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Canada-U.S. Defence Relations in a Turbulent Time

Americas Program senior adviser Vincent Rigby assesses the challenges facing the U.S.-Canada relationship as it pertains to military spending and argues that Washington will expect Canada to follow through on spending commitments.

Report by Vincent Rigby — October 17, 2024

Canadian Membership in AUKUS: A Time for Action

CSIS Americas deputy director and senior fellow Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Senior Adviser Vincent Rigby, and Henry Ziemer make the case for Canadian membership in AUKUS, as an alliance that goes far beyond submarines.

Commentary by Christopher Hernandez-Roy, Vincent Rigby, and Henry Ziemer — May 9, 2023

The Truth of the Matter

National Security North

CSIS Senior Adviser Vincent Rigby and Professor Thomas Juneau join the podcast to talk about their report which calls for Canada to rethink its national security strategy.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Vincent Rigby — June 8, 2022

CSIS the truth of the matter