issue 4// vol 46

RCMP official accused
of violating protection

of information

» What will happen now with our national security?

EG Manilag
Staff Writer

 

A RCMP official allegedly accused of
espionage faces charges under the
Security of Information Act (SOIA) and
under the Criminal Code.

Cameron Ortis—a 47-year-old man
from Abbotsford, now in Ottawa and
civilian director general of the RCMP’s
national intelligence coordination centre—
faces accusations of violating three sections
of the SOIA and two provisions of the
Criminal Code. He was arrested by the
RCMP last Friday, September 13.

Ortis’s works involved handling top
secret and highly classified intelligence
documents within the RCMP, including in
these secrets are allied information from
the “Five Eyes,” consisting of Australia, New
Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United
States, and Canada. Additionally, sources

who are familiar with his work stressed that
he would have had deep knowledge with
those codes and operations. According

to National Post, Ortis was an expert in
“cybersecurity” and for it, was nicknamed
“Spy Cam.” Furthermore, it was also put

up in his LinkedIn profile that he speaks
Mandarin.

“Without going into too much detail,
it is alleged he obtained, stored and
processed sensitive information, the Crown
believes with the intent to communicate
that information with people he shouldn't
be communicating to,” Crown counsel John
MacFarlane explained.

Although these allegations are still
not proven in courts, these people he was
alleged to be speaking to were from China
and Russia. Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a
security analyst interviewed by CBC News,
voiced that the leaked information could
have been sold to China. “China, having a
tremendous spy around the world and is

constantly asking to buy more
information,’ he said.

CBC News documents reveal
that Ortis has ties to Phantom
Secure Communications, a
multimillion-dollar company
based on Vancouver, which
sells encrypted cellphones to
international criminals and
organized crime. The company’s
method was to use and modify
Canada’s iconic Blackberry devices for
international criminal activities without
getting detected by the police—using proxy
servers to hide their location.

According to Elizabeth Thompson,
CBC News senior reporter, “The company
helped drug trafficking and money
laundering in Australia, Asia, Europe, the
United States and Canada, concealing its
proceeds through cryptocurrencies like
Bitcoin.”

To recall Ortis’s charges, the Security

  

news // no. 5

Image via National Post

of Information Act (SOIA) is an act
safeguarding Canada and its classified
information against spies, espionage, and
sabotage—including acts of terrorism.
This security act based on the number of
national security scandals is rarely used
according to CBC.

“There's really no overstating what he
could have had access to. The devil is in
the details on what he actually took,” said
former CSIS analyst Jessica Davis. Ortis is
to appear in court Friday 27.

Sports Virgin: Men's soccer review

» I guess that’s why they call it the blues

Jessica Berget
Editor-in-Chief

 

With no prior experience, knowledge of the
terms, rules, or regulations of the world of
sports, I attempt to cover the local games
of the Douglas College Royals. This week:
Men’s soccer.

his Sunday, in the bitter cold and

pouring rain, the Douglas College
Royals fought against the Capilano Blues. It
was a wet and intense feud. With the rain
pelting down on the players and Royals
having a lot to prove from the big loss of
their last home game, this battle was sure
to bea tense one.

Five minutes in to the first half the

Royals had their first chance at a goal as

  

Defense player Marco Consiglio passes the
ball to Forward Milan Gandesha but it goes
right under his foot. Lots of great passes by
both teams as the ball is kicked and chest
bumped between players, all fighting for
possession of the ball. Ten minutes later
another goal attempt is made by Forward
Abdul Ali but is caught by the Blues goalie.

Seems the Royals are evenly matched
this game with no goals yet almost twenty
minutes into the first half. Both teams
demonstrate their fancy footwork. There
are great offense and defense on the Royals
side as the ball rarely gets to either team’s
side of the field. The pouring rain must
make the ball slippery as it is kicked out of
bounds many times during the game.

The Royals almost make their first goal
again thirty minutes into the game, but the

ball is headbutted out by the Blues goalie.
Another attempt is made soon after, but the
ball hits the ground directly in front of the
goal and hits the post straight up. Capilano
tries to make it even by attempting a goal
but Goalie Felipe Domingoes makes a great
save with his face. The rain has showed no
signs of stopping, adding to the intensity of
this game.

A beautiful pass is made by Abdul Ali
to Forward Taylor Richardson but misses
the net 36 minutes in. Blues retaliate by
making another goal shot but kicks it over
the net. Blues goalie kicks ball to midfield
but it goes out of bounds. The Royals drop
it and have possession for a while before
it goes out of bounds again. After a couple
more drops, Capilano gains control and
attempts another goal hitting the post
dead-on. They try again with
one-minute left, but the Royals
goalie catches it signaling the
end of the first half.

With no goals made on
either side, both teams need to
give it their all in the last half to
get the edge. The rain is pouring
down even harder at this point
which didn’t seem possible. One
wonders how they can even play
in these conditions, but play
they do, and it is an impressive
bout.

Ali tries to make the first
goal two minutes in the second
half, but the Blues goalie kicks
is out of the net just in time.
Forward Yianni Siafakas makes
another attempt but the goalie
catches it yet again. After going
out of bounds, Capilano drops
the ball and manages to keep it
on the Royals side of the field for
some time. Royals gain control
again for awhile but after some

Photo by Jessica Berget

interception the Blues bring it right back
to their side. An impressive goal attempt is
made again by Siafakas kicking it from the
side of the net but is caught by goalie eight
minutes in the second half. The rain is now
falling louder than the players can yell.

Finally, after 18 minutes into the
second half, the Royals get the first goal of
the game kicked in by Taylor Richardson.
The Royals quickly celebrate, but they
know the game is not over yet and they
still have a lot more play to get through.
After that, Royals goalie kicks the ball out,
Blues try to dominate but Royals possess
it. A great tackle is made by Defense player
Alejandro Varela. Capilano tries to even out
the score with a goal attempt 26 minutes in
but is caught by Royals goalie Domingos.

After a scuffle on the field, a yellow
card is pulled for the Royals and the Blues
goalie is held back in anger by another
Blues player. Defense player Jaxon Bain is
subbed for another Defense Jayden Basra.
After some struggle for the ball and kicking
it out of bounds, a goal attempt is made
by Blues and there is another scuffle at the
Royals net as one Capilano player falls to
ground injured. Domingos is substituted
for the other goalie Jacob Mcnall. Royals get
penalty and Blues make their first goal of
the game.

Four minutes left in the game the
Blues come back with another attack. As
the Royals goalie kicks out the ball the
Blues take control and kicks is midfield
right towards the net making the second
goal in less than five minutes. Royals will
have to bring it harder to even out the
score.

The last few minutes of the game
consist of intense kicking back and forth
and some great passes. It was a great game
and a great play, but ultimately, the Blues
win in a 2-1 victory, despite the Royals best
and passionate efforts.