Canada Lays New Charges Against Official Accused of Leaking Secrets

Canada Lays New Charges Against Official Accused of Leaking Secrets
A stock photo of a judge's gavel (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Reuters
1/28/2020
Updated:
1/28/2020

OTTAWA—U.S.-Canadian prosecutors have laid three new charges against a top police intelligence official who is accused of leaking secret information, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecution service said on Monday.

Cameron Ortis, a director-general with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, faces charges under a 2012 security of information law for prosecuting spies. He had access to highly sensitive domestic and foreign intelligence.

The three charges were filed last week under a section of the law that relates to the unauthorized communication of special operational information, Public Prosecution Service of Canada spokeswoman Nathalie Houle said in a statement.

Ortis—who is next due in court on Tuesday—has been in jail since Nov. 8 when an Ontario court revoked his bail. No date has yet been set for his trial.

Canada is a member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network alongside the United States, Britain, New Zealand, and Australia. Security experts have said the case could damage Canada’s standing in the network.

By David Ljunggren