An Ontario Superior Court judge has sentenced Cameron Ortis, a former RCMP intelligence official convicted last year of leaking classified information to police targets, to 14 years in prison. After factoring in time served, Ortis will serve seven years and 155 days. The Crown plans to appeal the sentence.
Ortis, 51, was found guilty of all six charges, including violating Canada’s secrets act, marking the first test of such charges under the Security of Information Act in court. Justice Robert Maranger emphasized Ortis’s breach of trust and the potential risks his actions posed, stating that they undermined Canada’s international reputation in the intelligence community.
The Crown had sought a longer sentence, while Ortis’s defense argued for time served due to his harsh conditions in custody. Maranger deemed both proposals extreme and unprecedented, settling on what he deemed a just and severe penalty.
Ortis, described as a rising star within the RCMP, leaked intelligence to various individuals, including those suspected of involvement in organized crime and terrorism. Motives behind Ortis’s actions remain unclear, but Maranger emphasized his significant moral culpability.
The Crown is appealing the sentence, citing its belief in the severity of the offenses and Ortis’s moral responsibility. Ortis’s defense plans to appeal, arguing that he did not receive a fair trial due to national security limitations.
The case underscores the seriousness of breaching national security obligations, with Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc affirming the effectiveness of the justice system in holding such individuals accountable.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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