The leader of the RCMP affirms that the national law enforcement agency upholds strong connections with its partners, appearing to minimize reports of FBI Director Kash Patel’s alleged attempt to retaliate against Canada in response to a leaked CBC memo concerning the labeling of the 9/11 attacks. RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme emphasized that the agency values its collaboration with U.S. counterparts in addressing national security threats and monitoring emerging risks.
The New York Times reported on Friday that Patel temporarily suspended certain cooperative efforts with the Mounties in response to the leaked CBC internal memo instructing reporters not to categorize the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist acts ahead of the 25th anniversary. CBC generally refrains from labeling specific events as terrorism without proper attribution.
In a statement, the RCMP clarified that it cannot comment on the intelligence-sharing practices of other law enforcement entities but reiterated the continuation of its relationships. Duheme highlighted the agency’s strong ties with Canada’s security and intelligence community and its cooperation with domestic and international partners, including members of the Five Eyes alliance.
Following widespread criticism, CBC’s senior director of journalistic standards and public trust, Basem Boshra, issued a clarification stating that direct attribution is not mandatory for describing the historic events of 9/11 as terrorism. Despite this, Patel expressed public outrage, declaring that any Canadian agency failing to denounce the memo’s historical distortion would lose the friendship of the FBI.
According to sources cited by the New York Times, Patel sought to penalize Canada by canceling meetings with Canadian officials and suspending collaboration between the two agencies around the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. These allegations could signify a concerning turn in the already strained Canada-U.S. relationship, impacting public safety.
Despite President Donald Trump’s persistent criticisms of Canada, security and intelligence operations in Canada have reportedly continued unaffected. A significant rift with U.S. security agencies could pose severe consequences for Canada, which heavily relies on partnerships like the Five Eyes for intelligence sharing.
The RCMP and FBI have a longstanding partnership, collaborating on various issues including border security, counterterrorism, and cybersecurity. A spokesperson for Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree expressed gratitude for the extensive cooperation with the U.S. in law enforcement and security matters, emphasizing the importance of the relationship in ensuring the safety of both Canadians and Americans.
While the FBI declined to provide a comment, the White House refrained from addressing the specific allegations in the New York Times’s report. However, a spokesperson criticized the CBC memo’s guidance, describing it as disrespectful to the victims of the 9/11 attacks and their families, emphasizing the heinous nature of the attacks as acts of evil.