I can answer that question.
Maria can add something, if she feels the need to.
Canada is an important ally in many international alliances. Just think of NATO or the Five Eyes, an intelligence alliance that brings together five countries. Obviously, Canada is a very close partner of the United States.
It's not hard to imagine that hostile foreign actors—not just Russia, but also China and Iran—would want to gain access through the back door, so to speak, in order to undermine organizations like those that play an important role in international security.