New RCMP units to protect ministers, top bureaucrats from threats of political violence
Ottawa plans to boost RCMP's funding to expand its protective services
The RCMP is preparing to offer close protection services to both senior federal ministers and public servants in response to the rising threat of political violence, sources say.
New RCMP units are expected to offer protection to up to 10 ministers or high-level bureaucrats at a time, according to information obtained by CBC News and Radio-Canada.
These new protection units are to be assigned on a case-by-case basis to ministers or officials based on risk assessments conducted by the RCMP.
While ministers have been clamouring for more protective services for years, the government's decision to include senior bureaucrats among the people the RCMP protects points to a growing level of alarm in official Ottawa over the threat of political violence.
"The threat environment continues to evolve," said former clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick.
"We saw during the pandemic in Canada and in other countries that it is not just politicians but also officials that can be in harm's way. It makes sense to have the ability to extend greater protection for periods of time and to rely on the assessments by security and law enforcement professionals."
Permanent RCMP teams already protect the prime minister and the Governor General. A few cabinet ministers have received close protection services in recent years, but only on a temporary basis.
Sources tell CBC/Radio-Canada the government's plan is to give the RCMP additional funding to double the number of protection officers it employs. The matter has gone to cabinet and is currently in front of the Treasury Board.
There are no plans to grant the same protective services to backbench MPs, opposition leaders or political aides — even though several of them also have been threatened in recent years.
The office of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre did not respond to a question about satisfaction with current security arrangements.
Radio-Canada and CBC News granted confidentiality to sources who were not authorized to speak publicly about security issues or matters before cabinet.
A growing number of threats
Several sources pointed to the growing number of threats made in person or online against people in government in recent years.
Many threats have come from opponents of restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sources said other threats against politicians or bureaucrats have been related to policy issues such as gun control or the development of natural resources — and even the controversy at Hockey Canada.
Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam and other bureaucrats associated with Canada's pandemic response have received many threats of violence.
A number of cabinet ministers also have experienced aggressive encounters in recent years, both online and in person. Last August, a video showing a man hurling profanity at Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and calling her a "traitor" during an event in Alberta triggered a debate about threats to politicians.
WATCH: Freeland reacts to aggressive encounter in Alberta
Earlier this month, an Ontario man was sentenced to house arrest for throwing gravel at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during an election campaign stop in 2021.
The sources said many threats against senior federal officials have never been publicized. They added that many ministers and government officials feel the RCMP does not take certain specific threats seriously enough.
The RCMP, meanwhile, says it suffers from a shortage of protection officers and has had to prioritize existing security obligations.
A three-day retreat attended by Trudeau and his cabinet in Hamilton, Ont. in January amplified the sense of vulnerability among cabinet ministers, sources said.
A small but vocal group of protesters set up outside the hotel hosting the retreat. After dinner with his ministers, Trudeau made his way back to his hotel through the crowd of protesters with the help of his protective detail. But a number of ministers lingered at the restaurant because "the police did not know how to get us out of the situation," said a Liberal source.
WATCH: Trudeau reacts to being swarmed by protesters
"What struck me was the lack of planning," said the source.
Eventually, the group of ministers walked through the crowd of protesters with the help of the Hamilton police and at least one member of the RCMP. Some feared the situation would get out of hand, said the party source.
"They took the whole gang out of us together … It could have been catastrophic," said the source.
The sources said the experience in Hamilton convinced cabinet of the need for expanded RCMP protective services.
Former RCMP deputy commissioner Pierre-Yves Bourduas said the threat of political violence is part of a "new normal" in Canada.
"The situation doesn't seem to be improving and in that context, the RCMP must make sure it has the resources in place to meet the new operational challenges," he said.
Richard Fadden, former head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, pointed to a growing "disconnect between some parts of the population and government" as one driver for the rising number of violent threats.
"You go back 25 years, there were a lot of very unhappy people. But the disconnect … wasn't there and I don't think the ability to organize quickly, to bring together protests ... was there," he said.
The House of Commons also has adopted measures to better protect MPs attending events in their constituencies.
At a meeting of the Board of Internal Economy in December, the House launched a pilot project to pay security costs for events organized by MPs outside the parliamentary precinct.
The Sergeant at Arms of the House of Commons will conduct security assessments to determine whether such an event needs on-site security.
The office of government House leader Mark Holland told Radio-Canada/CBC that Parliament has introduced measures to protect individual MPs when they're outside the parliamentary precinct, including security assessments and outreach to local police.
"For security reasons, detailed information about these programs is not shared publicly," said the office spokesperson.
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CSIS officially directed to share more information with Parliamentarians under threat
New directive tells intelligence agency to create a direct line to minister of public safety
The federal government has directed the Canadian Security Intelligence Service to share more information directly with Parliamentarians under threat, and to create a direct line to the minister of public safety — changes that come in response to questions about who in Ottawa knew China was targeting the family of a Canadian MP.
A copy of the ministerial directive was made public Tuesday night. Parliament has been seized with the issue of foreign interference in Canada's affairs since reports emerged that Beijing targeted the family of Conservative MP Michael Chong in Hong Kong in retaliation for his sponsorship of a motion condemning China's treatment of the Uyghur minority as genocide.
While the Globe and Mail reported that CSIS was keeping tabs on Zhao Wei, the Chinese diplomat who allegedly was helping to orchestrate the plot dating back to 2021, multiple federal ministers say they only recently learned of the details.
Chong himself has said that while he received "defensive briefings" from CSIS, they offered few details and he did not know about Zhao's role.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hinted that he would be sending more instructions to the intelligence agencies on how to handle threats against MPs — regardless of whether those threats are considered credible.
WATCH | CSIS begins briefing more MPs on foreign interference
"CSIS will seek, wherever possible within the law and while protecting the security and integrity of national security and intelligence operations and investigations, to ensure that parliamentarians are informed of threats to the security of Canada directed at them," says the new CSIS directive.
"This may involve direct disclosures, or by working with other bodies, such as the government of Canada departments, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or other law enforcement agencies, as the law permits."
Intelligence sharing questioned
The Chong matter also has raised questions about the flow of intelligence in government.
The MP revealed that the current national security adviser, Jody Thomas, told him the report had been sent to one of her predecessors.
"This report contained information that I and other MPs were being targeted by the [People's Republic of China]," Chong told the House.
Conservative MP Michael Chong rises during question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
But all three national security and intelligence advisers who served Prime Minister Trudeau in the summer of 2021 — when the CSIS report was written — have said they do not recall seeing an intelligence report that suggested China was targeting the family of a Canadian MP.
The new ministerial briefing seems to be creating a direct line to the minister of public safety to avoid further confusion.
"The minister of public safety will be informed of all instances of threats to the security of Canada directed at Parliament or to parliamentarians in a timely manner and with an explanation," it says.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said the directive is about giving "specific instructions" to the agency.
"Going forward, CSIS will be required to inform the minister of public safety on any foreign interference threats that involve Parliamentarians or their families," he said in a statement.
"Furthermore, whenever possible, CSIS must brief Parliamentarians on these threats. Canada will never tolerate foreign interference, and we will continue to take action to protect our democratic institutions and those who work within them."
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RCMP charge Saskatoon woman in connection with online threat against prime minister
Accused could face up to 5 years in prison if convicted
A Saskatoon woman is facing one count of uttering threats after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was threatened with death or bodily harm on social media, RCMP say.
In a statement, the Mounties said they received a report of the online threat on Oct. 13.
The investigation by the Saskatchewan RCMP's national security enforcement section led to the arrest of a Saskatoon woman on Oct. 18, 2023.
The RCMP did not provide specifics on the nature of the threat or the platform where it was posted.
Marly Dansereau, 25, has been charged with one count of violating section 264.1(1) (a) of the Criminal Code, or uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm. She is scheduled to appear in Saskatoon provincial court on Nov. 23.
If found guilty on the charge, Dansereau could face a term in prison of up to five years.
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Montreal man charged with uttering death threats against Trudeau
Accused Paul Clarissou will appear in Montreal courthouse Wednesday
The RCMP have charged a 30-year-old Montreal man after he allegedly threatened to kill Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a social media post.
Paul Clarissou was charged with uttering threats against the prime minister after allegedly making statements on his X account (formerly Twitter).
"The RCMP takes seriously any threats that can affect one's sense of security. Violent statements will not be tolerated," the RCMP said in a statement. "Perpetrators may face criminal charges involving significant sentences."
The force said the charge was laid Jan. 31, after a short investigation by the RCMP's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.
Clarissou will appear in a Montreal courthouse Wednesday to answer the charge.
The Prime Minister's Office said it does not comment on matters of security involving the prime minister.
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Cameron Ortis, ex-RCMP official guilty of leaking secrets, sentenced to 14 years in prison
Crown is appealing the sentencing while the defense plans to appeal the conviction
An Ontario Superior Court justice has sentenced Cameron Ortis — the former RCMP intelligence official found guilty late last year of leaking secret information to police targets — to 14 years in prison.
Accounting for his time served, the former civilian RCMP member will serve seven years and 155 days. The Crown has indicated it plans to appeal.
Ortis, 51, was found guilty in November of all six charges against him, including violating Canada's secrets act. It was the first time charges under the Security of Information Act were tested in court.
"Cameron Ortis was in a position of extreme trust," said Justice Robert Maranger as he handed down his decision Wednesday morning.
"His actions potentially put lives at risk... His actions undermined Canada's reputation in the intelligence community internationally."
The Crown had sought a far steeper sentence: two consecutive sentences totalling 28 years in prison. It also argued that if the judge decided 28 years is too long, a sentence of 22 to 25 years, minus time served, would be "proportionate."
Ortis's lawyers, meanwhile, argued that he endured hardships while in custody, including long stints in solitary confinement. They said his time served should be his sentence and he shouldn't serve another day in detention.
"No inmate has had to suffer what Mr. Ortis suffered," defence lawyer Jon Doody said last month.
Maranger said Wednesday the Crown's request was excessive and the defence's proposal was "inadequate." Throughout his decision, Maranger said that his ruling is without precedent.
"The sentence I'm going to impose is by any objective measure a severe penalty in Canadian criminal law," he said.
"In my view, it is a fit and just sentence that addresses both the gravity of the offences and Cameron Ortis's moral responsibility for the commission."
Ortis appeared stoic and looked directly at Maranger as he delivered his decision.
'Society is justifiably outraged,' says judge
After a complex trial, which included redacted documents and shielded testimony, the jury found Ortis guilty of leaking special operational information "without authority" to Phantom Secure CEO Vincent Ramos — who sold encrypted cellphones to organized crime members — and to Salim Henareh and Muhammad Ashraf, two men police suspected of being agents of an international money-laundering network with ties to terrorists.
He also was found guilty of trying to leak information to Farzam Mehdizadeh. One RCMP witness told Ortis's trial he believes Mehdizadeh worked with "the most important money launderers in the world.
The trial heard Ortis was accused of sharing Canadian intelligence and information from Canada's allies. As a member of the Five Eyes alliance with the U.S., the U.K., New Zealand and Australia, Canada has committed to sharing and protecting pooled intelligence.
Crown
prosecutor Judy Kliewer speaks to reporters outside the courthouse in
Ottawa on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. Former RCMP intelligence official
Cameron Jay Ortis has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for breaching
Canada's secrets law. (Patrick Doyle/Canadian Press)
Ortis oversaw an elite team within the RCMP that reviewed intelligence, including allied information. He was described throughout the trial as a rising star within the RCMP and one of the smartest people in the organization.
"Cameron Ortis is somewhat of an enigma. In my time as a trial judge, I have never encountered an accused described by Crown witnesses in the manner that they described Cameron Ortis," Maranger said.
"Retired deputy commissioner Todd Shean's once high regard for Cameron Ortis while testifying was unequivocal. That said, his sense of betrayal and raw emotion were palpable when shown examples of what Cameron Ortis had done."
Maranger said Ortis's motives — the why — remain a mystery, but his level of "moral blameworthiness" is high.
"Society is justifiably outraged in the face of betrayal, especially by someone employed by the state for many years precisely to protect the national interests and state secrets," he said.
"Society is also entitled to expect that those who betray state secrets will be punished harshly enough to deter others from doing the same thing, or at least to make it clear to those who consider doing so what the price will be if they do, and are caught."
Crown appealing sentence
The Crown is already appealing the sentencing, arguing Maranger "erred by imposing a sentence that was demonstrably unfit, given the gravity of the offences and moral blameworthiness of the offender."
"Obviously, we thought this conduct was deserving of a much higher sentence than what the judge imposed today," said Crown prosecutor Judy Kliewer.
"But I think what this case does signal ... is that when someone chooses to violate the oath to protect secret information that Canada needs to protect its security, that case will be vigorously prosecuted thoroughly investigated and that person will be held to account."
Maranger said he did consider the number of times Ortis would have been X-rayed and strip-searched while in custody because of the requirement for him to review disclosure at a secure facility.
The defence filed more than two dozen support letters, including one from Michael Kovrig, one of two Canadians detained in China for almost three years. Kovrig, who spent over 1,000 days in solitary confinement, said someone with Ortis's "high intelligence and ... curious mind" shouldn't "rot in a prison cell for the sake of deterrence."
Doody said Ortis is disappointed by today's result.
"It was a bit of a shock," he told reporters outside the courthouse in Ottawa.
"But he was prepared for the worst so he is, again, respecting the jury's decision at this time, and the sentence imposed."
Defence plans to appeal
The defence plans to appeal and is arguing Ortis never got a fair trial due to the limitations imposed on his trial by national security law.
"He stands by his innocence. the fact that the jury couldn't hear a lot of his defence obviously still bothers him," said Doody.
Defence
lawyer Jon Doody for Cameron Jay Ortis leaves the courthouse in Ottawa
on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. The former RCMP intelligence official Ortis
has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for breaching Canada's secrets
law. (Patrick Doyle/Canadian Press)
The defence team said it intends to seek bail pending appeal.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the case sends a message to would-be leakers.
"The charges, and the convictions, were extremely serious. That a jury came back with these convictions says something, I think, very effective about our justice system that can hold to account those who decide to breach some of the most fundamental obligations they have," he said on Parliament Hill.
"We think the court system and the police investigative system, in this particular case, worked very well."
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