Canada Intelligence Official Cameron Ortis Found Guilty of Espionage Charges

A former civilian member of Canada's national police force, Cameron Ortis, has been found guilty of leaking government secrets to suspected criminals. During the eight-week trial in Ontario, it was revealed that Ortis had shared classified intelligence with organized crime figures. Despite denying all charges and claiming to work secretly to protect Canada from a significant threat, the jury found him guilty. This case marked the first time that Canada's current espionage law had been tested in a trial setting. Ortis, who held the position of director general of the National Intelligence Coordination Centre, was arrested in 2019 and charged with six counts, including violating national security laws. Prosecutors argued that Ortis had used his high-level security clearance to leak sensitive information to members of an international money-laundering ring and Vincent Ramos, linked by US authorities to drug traffickers and organized crime. It was alleged that Ortis had requested a payment of C$27,429 ($20,000; £16,000) from Ramos in exchange for confidential police operation details. However, no evidence was presented to prove that Ortis actually received payments. During his trial, Ortis claimed to have received a tip from an unnamed foreign intelligence agency in 2014 and embarked on a secret mission to lure criminals into using an encrypted email service that allowed security agencies to access their communications. He also stated that he was unable to share certain information as there were moles within Canadian law enforcement agencies. Ortis' defense argued that he had acted to confront a serious threat to Canada's security, but prosecutors maintained that he had intentionally shared classified information without authorization or informing his superiors. They emphasized that there was no record of Ortis' mission in RCMP archives and dismissed his claims as an attempt to justify his criminal behavior. This high-profile case served as a test of Canada's ability to prosecute espionage cases. The guilty verdict was seen as proof that even individuals in important positions are not above the law when it comes to jeopardizing Canada's security interests, according to George Dolhai from the Public Prosecution Service Canada.