Former RCMP intelligence official Cameron Ortis, who is currently serving a prison sentence for leaking classified information, is scheduled to have his appeal heard in November. This comes three years after his conviction in a significant national security case.
In November 2023, Ortis was found guilty of all six charges against him, which included breaching Canada’s secrets act. This marked the first instance of charges under the legislation, previously known as the Security of Information Act, being tested in court. He was handed a sentence of 14 years, accounting for time already served.
Both Ortis and the Crown are lodging appeals for different reasons. Ortis’s legal team contends that he did not receive a fair trial due to restrictions imposed by national security laws. To prevent the disclosure of national security secrets in open court, Ortis and multiple witnesses provided testimony behind closed doors, a rarity in Canada.
The Crown, initially seeking a 28-year prison term, is appealing the comparatively lighter sentence, arguing that the judge made an error by imposing a lenient sentence considering the severity of the crimes and the offender’s moral culpability. A spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada confirmed that the appeal hearing is scheduled for mid-November.
The public segment of the appeal will take place at the Court of Appeal in Toronto before moving to Ottawa for closed-door proceedings, according to spokesperson Nathalie Houle. Both parties have been awaiting this legal process for several years.
During the trial, the Crown alleged that Ortis, as the head of an RCMP unit with access to sensitive Canadian and allied intelligence, attempted to sell classified information to individuals under RCMP surveillance. Ortis, bound by perpetual secrecy due to his former role, maintained to the jury that he never intended to sell information and claimed to be involved in a covert operation based on foreign agency intelligence.
Although granted bail in April 2024 pending the appeal, Ortis opted to remain in custody, citing concerns that the conditions of house arrest would be burdensome for his parents, as explained by one of his legal representatives.
