鶹ý

Politics

    • Former RCMP official Cameron Jay Ortis found guilty of breaching secrets law

    Share
    OTTAWA -

    A jury has found former RCMP intelligence official Cameron Jay Ortis guilty of breaching Canada's secrets law.

    Jurors declared Ortis guilty of three counts of violating the Security of Information Act and one count of attempting to do so.

    They also found him guilty of breach of trust and fraudulent use of a computer.

    Ortis, 51, had pleaded not guilty to all charges, including breaking the secrets law by revealing classified information to three individuals in 2015 and trying to do so in a fourth instance.

    He testified he offered secret material to targets in a bid to get them to use an online encryption service set up by an allied intelligence agency to spy on adversaries.

    The Crown argued Ortis lacked authority to disclose classified material and that he was not doing so as part of a sanctioned undercover operation.

    Following the verdict, Ontario Superior Court Justice Robert Maranger said that Ortis's bail would be revoked prior to sentencing.

    Prosecutor Judy Kliewer suggested the Crown would seek a prison sentence in the range of 20 or more years, "and that's what we expect to see."

    Defence lawyer Mark Ertel said he was "shocked and extremely disappointed" at the outcome. He said there would be an appeal.

    "I think an innocent man has just been found guilty of six serious offences," Ertel said.

    "I'm really at a loss for words, I can't believe what happened."

    The defence contended that the former official did not betray Canada, but was rather acting on a "clear and grave threat."

    Ortis led the RCMP's Operations Research group, which assembled and developed classified information on cybercriminals, terror cells and transnational criminal networks.

    He told the jury that in September 2014, he was contacted by a counterpart at a foreign agency who advised him of a particularly serious threat.

    Ortis said the counterpart informed him in strict confidence about an online encryption service called Tutanota that was secretly set up to monitor communications of interest.

    Ortis said he then quietly devised a plan, dubbed Nudge, to entice investigative targets to sign on to the encryption service, using promises of secret material as bait.

    "Cameron Ortis was not and is not an enemy to the RCMP, or to the citizens of Canada," defence lawyer Jon Doody told jurors.

    The company, now known as Tuta, denies having ties to intelligence agencies.

    Although Ortis asked one target for thousands of dollars before he would send full versions of sensitive documents, there was no evidence he received money from the individuals he contacted.

    "Was there a profit motive? Maybe," Kliewer told the jury. "It's not something the Crown has to prove."

    Even so, the prosecution portrayed Ortis as self-serving and reckless, flouting rules and protocols on a solo mission that sabotaged national security and even endangered the life of a genuine undercover officer.

    The Crown, which called several current and former RCMP employees to testify, argued that no one other than Ortis had heard of operation Nudge and that no records of the project could be found.

    Kliewer described Ortis as an evasive witness with a selective memory, saying he simply "can't be believed."

    Ortis was taken into custody in September 2019.

    The trail to his arrest began the previous year when the RCMP analyzed the contents of a laptop computer owned by Vincent Ramos, chief executive of Phantom Secure Communications, who had been apprehended in the United States.

    An RCMP effort known as Project Saturation revealed that members of criminal organizations were known to use Phantom Secure's encrypted communication devices.

    Ramos would later plead guilty to using his Phantom Secure devices to help facilitate the distribution of cocaine and other illicit drugs to countries including Canada.

    A retired RCMP investigator told the jury he found an email to Ramos from an unknown sender with portions of several documents, including mention of material from the federal anti-money laundering agency, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, known as Fintrac.

    The sender offered to provide Ramos with the full documents in exchange for $20,000.

    Ortis acknowledged in court that he was behind the communications to Ramos and others, saying it was all part of the clandestine operation involving Tutanota.

    A statement of agreed facts in the case said information sent anonymously to Ramos, Salim Henareh and Muhammad Ashraf -- as well as material intended for Farzam Mehdizadeh -- was "special operational information" within the meaning of the Security of Information Act.

    The lengthy statement said that from at least 2014, the RCMP and multiple enforcement and intelligence agencies of Canada's close allies were investigating money laundering activities conducted by various entities associated with Altaf Khanani, a Dubai-based money service businesses owner.

    Henareh and his companies Persepolis International and Rosco Trading, Ashraf and his company Finmark Financial, and Farzam Mehdizadeh and his firm Aria Exchange were subjects of the investigation in Canada.

    In tying Ortis to the information disclosures, the Crown walked the jury through materials on a memory key seized during a search of Ortis's downtown Ottawa home upon his arrest.

    In his testimony, the former intelligence official generally played down the sensitivity of the information he shared.

    Kliewer painted a far more damaging scenario, saying the materials could allow targets to evade law-enforcement efforts and frustrate police progress against criminal networks.

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2023.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    A 15-year-old boy from Kitchener, Ont. is facing a long list of criminal charges as the Waterloo Regional Police Service wraps up a lengthy swatting investigation.

    A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.

    A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats against his partner is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.

    Canada

    • Dr. Ronald Weiss, who performed nearly 60,000 vasectomies on Ottawa men, establishing him as the "Wayne Gretzky" of the procedure, has died.

    • A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats against his partner is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.

    • A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.

    • A 15-year-old boy from Kitchener, Ont. is facing a long list of criminal charges as the Waterloo Regional Police Service wraps up a lengthy swatting investigation.

    • A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.

    • Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed forward Max Pacioretty on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury, the team announced Monday.

    • Canada will be without captain Alphonso Davies for its upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • Flames shot out of windows and debris came showering down onto the street as crews battled a fire at a North Vancouver highrise Sunday afternoon.

    • Police nabbed an alarming number of drunk or drug-impaired drivers in Abbotsford, B.C., over the long weekend – including 11 on Friday night alone.

    • A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.

    • Several hundred people gathered outside the Ontario legislature in Toronto to honour veterans and remember those who died fighting for their country.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • A 51-year-old has died after a motor vehicle collision near East Gwillimbury, Ont., Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say.

    • EXTENDED VIDEO

      EXTENDED VIDEO

      Calgarians observed Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city on Monday, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • A memorial walk was held Sunday afternoon by the Calgary branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress to “honour the Canadian soldiers who died fighting for peace in the past and the Ukrainian soldiers who are giving their lives for freedom today,” according to a media release.

    • Canadians across the country spent Monday paying tribute to the soldiers who have fought and died while serving Canada.

    • Dr. Ronald Weiss, who performed nearly 60,000 vasectomies on Ottawa men, establishing him as the "Wayne Gretzky" of the procedure, has died.

    • Crowds gathered in Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Monday to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of Canada.

    • The company confirms it will open the new Chipotle at 5671 Hazeldean Road on Thursday, in the former location of Benny & Co.

    • A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats against his partner is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.

    • Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Montreal on Monday to mark Remembrance Day and honour Canadians who sacrificed their lives in the great wars and beyond.

    • Private Martine Roy was only 20 years old in 1984 when she was arrested, interrogated and dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces for being what was then termed a "sexual deviant."

    • Edmonton's Beverly Memorial Cenotaph on Monday hosted its 104th Remembrance Day service to honour past and present veterans.

    • A poster campaign is creating awareness commemorating Edmonton-area soldiers who never came home.

    • Thousands of Maritimers turned out in wet weather Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Four teenagers have been arrested in connection with the attack and robbery of a 62-year-old woman.

    • A sacred fire burning in Winnipeg has brought healing and hope to some members of Xavia Skye Lynn Butler’s family.

    • A Manitoba-shot Christmas movie was on the nice list at the box office last weekend.

    • November 11th marks a solemn day across Canada, and Regina is no exception.

    • Fire crews reported that no one was hurt after flames broke out in a home on Robinson Street in central Regina.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

    • A team of tornado experts are investigating a path of damage through Wellington County.

    • A 15-year-old boy from Kitchener, Ont. is facing a long list of criminal charges as the Waterloo Regional Police Service wraps up a lengthy swatting investigation.

    • Communities stood still on Monday to honour the sacrifice of those who served – and continue to serve – our country.

    • Saskatoon Public Library workers will be on strike Tuesday as part of ongoing contract negotiations with SPL.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    • Remembrance Day has special meaning for Colleen Ludgate and Paul Cousineau of Timmins, whose daughter, Brittney Shki-Giizis, has taken a temporary sabbatical from the Canadian military to help Ukraine.

    • Remembrance Day celebrations took place across the country Monday, with Canadians reflecting on the sacrifices made by the men and women who served our country.

    • WATCH

      WATCH

      Men and women from Canadian Services, along with those who serve on local police forces marched up Dufferin Ave. toward the cenotaph on Monday morning.

    • Failing to comply with a property standards order issued by city hall could add almost $100,000 to the tax bill of a prominent eyesore in east London.

    • Oxford OPP say that they are investigating a collision that resulted in serious injuries on Sunday evening.

    • A Barrie man is accused of being at the centre of an alleged $2.2 million stolen used car scheme.

    • Police say a 51-year-old from Stouffville died after a collision in East Gwillimbury Monday afternoon.

    • An unseasonably mild fall in Simcoe County has put any hopes for an early start to the ski season on hold, still, one local resort has its sights set on the slopes.

    • A local high school honoured veterans of the “Forgotten War” on Monday.

    • video

      video

      Upwards of 1000 handmade poppies are on display outside Lifetimes on Riverside Retirement home on Riverside Drive East, part of its fourth annual Poppy Project.

    • A pair of thieves ripped the door of an east Windsor sports apparel store on Monday morning, leaving the store owner on the hook for thousands in stolen merchandise.

    • A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.

    • A B.C. teen has a suspected case of H5N1 avian flu — the first known human to acquire the virus in Canada.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • Canadians across the country spent Monday paying tribute to the soldiers who have fought and died while serving Canada.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • Remembrance Day celebrations took place across the country Monday, with Canadians reflecting on the sacrifices made by the men and women who served our country.

    • Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus was among approximately 120 people who gathered Sunday night for a candlelight vigil near the scene of a vicious attack against a 16-year-old in Cobalt.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 鶹ý