Former Mountie tasked with protecting Trudeau may have leaked PM's schedule: police report

A former member of Justin Trudeau's security team may have leaked the prime minister's schedule, according to an intelligence document tabled beforethe inquiry investigating the federal government'suse of the Emergencies Act last winter.

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) "person of interest" profileciting the RCMP saysa former RCMP officer is"believed to have leaked the prime minister's schedule a few months ago." The document is dated Jan. 30, 2022.

UPDATE: Former Mountie denies leaking PM's schedule

The document saidtheindividual whose name is redactedresigned from the RCMPin 2021 in response tothe federal government's vaccine mandate for Mounties. The mandate went into effect on Oct.6, 2021.

The document again citing the RCMP saidthatthe individualwas also a sniper andintelligence officer. The document did not indicate who received the leaked information.

"[Redacted] has been very vocal on social media in his belief that the vaccine mandates are in violation of the Canadian Constitution," the document says.

The Public Order Emergency Commission inquiry is holding hearings in Ottawa to investigate the federal government's decision to invoke the Emergencies Act to end an anti-vaccine mandateprotest that gridlocked downtown Ottawa for weeks last winter.

The profile says the former RCMP officer is involved withthe group "Mounties ForFreedom," made upof current and former MountieswhoopposeCOVID-19 public health measures.

While the individual isn't named, their redacted photo is sourced from a YouTube interview with Daniel Bulford, a former RCMP officerwhose professional background and post-RCMP activities align with the profile.

In that interview, posted Nov. 9, 2021,Bulfordtoldformer philosophy professor Julie Ponessethat he had become disillusioned with protective policing and that Trudeau's politics contributed to his disillusionment.

"I'll admit that I think it made a difference who was in office. I think it did," Bulford said in the video.

"Not that I don't care about his safety. It's just that I knew that my heart wasn't really in it anymoreand I was lying to myself if I stayed in that role."

Bulford saidhe'd beenon leave since around the time the mandate came into effectbut added that he was still technically employed by the RCMP.

The person of interest profile says the RCMP officer who leaked the PM's schedulewas the "self-proclaimed 'lead' in thecommand post for Freedom Convoy 2022."

Bulford hasn't responded to a request for comment from CBCNews. Hetold the Globe and Mail last week that he's never revealed sensitive information or tradecraftthat would be protected under the Security of Information Act.

The Prime Minister Protection Detail (PMPD), an RCMP unit, is tasked withprotecting prime ministers and their families24/7.

The RCMPdid not answerCBC's questions about why it suspects a former officer leaked the schedule, when the schedule was leakedand to whom.

A spokesperson for the Mounties said they will not comment on any matters related to the self-styled "Freedom Convoy"although the leak is alleged to have occurred months before the convoy protest started.

"Please note that RCMP officials will appear before the Public Order Emergency Commission inquiry in November and will refrain from commenting on testimony or issues related to the Freedom Convoy until then in order to respect the inquiry and its process," the spokesperson said in an email.

A spokesperson forthe Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in an email thatthe PMOis "not able to comment on security matters."

Trudeau has adopted a number of notable security measures during his time as prime minister. He cancelled arally and wore a protective vest.

Trudeau also had gravel thrown at him while boarding a busin London, Ontlast year during the federal election campaign.Police charged Shane Marshall of St. Thomas, Ont., with assault with aweapon in relation to that incident.

Bulford is expected to testify at the Emergencies Actinquiry Friday.

Leak is troubling, security experts say

Wesley Wark,a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation who specializes in security and intelligence, said the alleged leak is troubling.

"The prime minister has to have trust in the RCMP protective policing section not only to protect him, but also to keep information secure abouthis movements," Wark told CBC News.

Leaksof such sensitiveinformation also could affect Canada's security reputationamong other countries, Warksaid.

"States are rightly concerned about the reputation they may have for protecting secrets, and that goes to intelligence secrets, and it goes to secrets, for example, around their ability to protect VIPs," he said.

"For a country like Canada that prides itself on its international engagement, and various roles it plays in the international community, it wants to be able to welcome, and of course protect, heads of state, for example, or key ministers who might be visiting Ottawa or somewhere else in Canada, from any security threats."

Pierre-YvesBourduas, a former deputy RCMP commissioner, said the profile doesn't indicate that more than one person may have been involved in leaking sensitive information.He addedthe profile only cites one potential leak that allegedly happened months before the profile was written.

"There doesn't seem to be recent information that [has been] received from the prime minister's security detail," Bourduas said.

Bourduassaid it's also worth noting that theprofile describedthe individual as"reportedly cooperative and forthcoming with peaceful intentions."

ButBourduas saida leak of sensitive information would still be alarming and potentially harmful for the officers responsible for protecting the prime minister.

"You'd really have to dig deep and try to determine what is the source of that particular leak," Bourduas said.