Question Period Note: Arrest and Prosecution of Cameron Jay Ortis

The arrest and prosecution of Cameron Jay Ortis

• Canada’s intelligence and security agencies work tirelessly to protect the safety of Canadians.

• The RCMP acted as soon as possible in making the arrest.

• Cameron Ortis has been charged with seven counts of criminal offences under the Criminal Code and the Security of Information Act.

• Recognizing that this is an ongoing investigation, we are respecting the independence of the RCMP, and will allow the judicial process to run its course.

If pressed about the confidence and trust of our allies
• Canada has a long-standing partnership with the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, which together form the Five Eyes alliance. The alliance is serving very well in terms of security, intelligence and the protection of Canadians.

• We are in in regular contact with our Five Eyes allies on a wide variety of issues.

• All Five Eyes countries are committed to keeping our intelligence secret and inform each other about potential breaches.

If pressed on internal controls
• The RCMP accepted all of the recommendations from the 2016 audit and the resulting Management Action Plan is now in effect.

• As per the new Treasury Board Policy on Government Security the RCMP recently appointed a Chief Security Officer who is responsible for ensuring that security screening is conducted in a way that is effective, rigorous, consistent and fair.

On Friday, September 12, 2019, the RCMP arrested Cameron Jay Ortis. At the time of his arrest, Mr. Ortis was the Director General of the RCMP’s National Intelligence Coordination Centre, a position which gave him access to sensitive and highly-classified information. Mr. Ortis was charged with a collective seven counts for criminal offences under the Criminal Code and the Security of Information Act (SOIA).

The RCMP acted as soon as possible in making the arrest. The full scope and extent of any injury is not yet known. The investigation is still ongoing. The RCMP is aware of the potential risk to its operations and those of its partners in Canada and abroad

Mr. Ortis is currently in police custody after an Ontario Superior Court judge revoked his bail on November 8, 2019.

Under the Criminal Code, Mr. Ortis is charged with breach of trust by a public officer and unauthorized use of a computer. Under the SOIA, Mr. Ortis is charged with unauthorized communication of special operational information and preparatory acts. The preparatory acts offence relates to preparations taken by a person to commit certain other offences under the SOIA, including offences pertaining to unlawful and unauthorized communications of safeguarded information to foreign entities or terrorist groups.

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