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Accused in secrets case was expected to achieve ‘significant outcomes’ for RCMP

Oct 5, 2023 | 12:15 PM

OTTAWA — Evidence at the trial of a former RCMP intelligence official charged with breaching Canada’s secrets law reveals he was in charge of a unit expected to work in a high-pressure environment.

A detailed job description for Cameron Jay Ortis says he became director of the national police force’s Operations Research group in 2013.

It states that in light of imminent national security threats, the unit must “evolve in a no fail operational environment” and generate outputs that lead to “significant outcomes.”

It also says the director is key to helping provide intelligence that could run in parallel to an ongoing national security criminal investigation. 

In early 2015, Ortis took annual leave, then went on French-language training.

He has pleaded not guilty to violating the Security of Information Act by allegedly revealing secrets to three individuals in 2015 and trying to do so in a fourth instance, as well as breach of trust and a computer-related offence.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2023.

The Canadian Press

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