Ex-RCMP intelligence official accused of leaking had 'authority to do everything he did': defence

Lawyers for Cameron Ortis, the former RCMP intelligence director accused of leaking top-secret information, are expected to argue that their client had "authority to do everything he did" when his long-awaited trial gets underway next week.

Ortis, who was the head of the RCMP's national intelligence co-ordination centre at the time of his arrest, is going to trial on six charges, including four counts of violating the Security of Information Act.

The 51-year-old is accused of three counts of sharing special operational information "intentionally and without authority" and one count of attempting to share special operational information. He also faces two Criminal Code charges: breach of trust and unauthorized use of a computer.

"He's charged with doing things without authority and we believe that we'll be able to establish that he did have authority to do everything he did," Mark Ertel, one of Ortis's lawyers, told reporters ahead of next week's trial.

After his arrest in September of 2019, then-RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki said that because of the nature of his position, Ortis had access to Canadian and allied intelligence.

Defence says Ortis has 'a compelling story'

"He's looking forward to testifying," said Ertel. "We believe he has a compelling story and that he won't be found guilty of any charges."

It's taken four years for Ortis to get his day in court.

The former civilian RCMP official was arrested in September of 2019 and held behind bars for more than three years. He was released on bail in December under strict conditions.

"The conditions in the jail are terrible and now he's on house arrest and he's being followed and surveilled," Ertel said.

"It's been terrible." 

The delay was due in part to the fact that the Federal Court had to determine which sensitive information could be disclosed under the Canada Evidence Act.

It was further delayed when Ortis's original lawyer, Ian Carter, was appointed a judge to the Superior Court of Justice in Ontario in Ottawa last year and his new lawyers, Ertel and Jon Doody, needed time to catch up.

The trial is scheduled to start Tuesday with jury selection.