RCMP Official Accused of Leaking Classified Information Released on Bail

A former top intelligence official in the federal police force accused of leaking secrets to a foreign entity has been released on bail on Dec. 21.

Cameron Ortis, who served as the director general of the RCMP’s National Intelligence Coordination Centre, was granted bail by Justice Robert Maranger in a decision delivered in the Ontario Superior Court, reported CBC News.

Ortis was arrested in September 2019 and stands accused of violating the Security of Information Act by allegedly passing classified information to a foreign entity.

In his capacity, Ortis would have had access to a large quantity of domestic and foreign intelligence products.

The details of the case are under wraps and the testimony heard at the bail hearing and the rationale of Maranger’s decision are under a publication ban.

Ortis had been in jail since the revocation of his bail in November 2019.

His trial had been slated to start in September, but a change in lawyer prompted a delay until October 2023.

Hi previous lawyer Ian Carter was appointed as a judge of the Ontario Superior Court earlier this year.

Ortis’ new lawyer Jon Doody made the request to adjourn the trial, according to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

The arrest prompted the RCMP to review its security procedure in order to help prevent future leaks.

The report delivered in June 2020 was recently obtained in redacted form by The Canadian Press through an Access to Information request.

“The security posture of the RCMP can and should be improved to reduce the risks to the RCMP and to protect public safety,” it says.

Another high profile case similar to Ortis was that of Canadian Armed Forces member Jeffrey Delisle who was caught selling secrets to Russia.

Delisle worked with Russian intelligence from 2007 to 2011 and was sentenced to 20 years in jail in 2013. He was released on full parole in 2019.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.