Cameron Ortis, a former intelligence official of the RCMP, is set to have his appeal heard in November, marking three years since his conviction in a significant national security case. Ortis was convicted in November 2023 on all six charges, which included breaches of Canada’s secrets act. This trial served as a test case for the legislation, previously known as the Security of Information Act. He was handed a 14-year sentence, with credit for time served.
The appeal process involves Ortis and the Crown presenting contrasting arguments. 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 sensitive national security information, Ortis and certain witnesses provided testimony in closed sessions, a rare occurrence in Canada.
On the other hand, the Crown, seeking two consecutive sentences totaling 28 years, is appealing the leniency of the imposed sentence. The Crown believes the judge erred in issuing a sentence that was inadequate given the seriousness of the crimes and the moral culpability of the offender. The appeal hearing, scheduled for mid-November, will commence publicly in Toronto before moving behind closed doors in Ottawa.
Throughout the trial, the Crown alleged that Ortis, while overseeing an RCMP unit with access to Canadian and allied intelligence, attempted to sell classified information to individuals under RCMP surveillance. In his defense, Ortis, bound by lifelong confidentiality obligations from his previous role, refuted these claims, stating that he was involved in a covert operation based on intelligence from a foreign agency.
Ortis, who was granted bail in April 2024 pending the appeal, voluntarily remained in custody, rejecting the bail offer due to concerns about the restrictive conditions of house arrest on his parents. Both parties have been awaiting the appeal proceedings for years.
