Library and Archives Canada (LAC) informed CBC Indigenous that it would take close to four years to review a request to access confidential records dating back 50 years from an RCMP initiative that monitored “Native extremism.” According to court documents from 2024, Crown lawyers stated that consultations with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) were essential to prevent the inadvertent disclosure of sensitive information exempt from release, particularly data that could jeopardize national security.
The saga began in 2022 when CBC Indigenous journalist Brett Forester utilized the Access to Information (ATIP) process to seek access to a file produced by the RCMP Security Service, which surveilled numerous Indigenous individuals during the 1970s and stored the records in the archives. Initially, LAC overlooked his request. Forester, who hails from the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation in southern Ontario, highlighted his upbringing shaped by awareness of “state surveillance and the state repressive apparatus” exposed during the Ipperwash standoff in 1995.
Driven by curiosity about the historical context of police surveillance and intelligence operations targeting Indigenous groups, especially in light of events related to the “Land Back” movement in 2020, Forester persistently pursued his inquiries. He submitted four additional ATIP requests to review several files focusing on Indigenous political organizations maintained by the RCMP’s “Racial Intelligence” segment. LAC estimated that it would take 1,398 days to consult with CSIS regarding Forester’s requests.
Following a complaint to Canada’s Information Commissioner, who deemed the delay unreasonable and ordered the release of the materials, LAC and the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s lawyers initiated legal action in 2024 to challenge the order and seek additional time for material review and redaction. CSIS justified the delay by emphasizing potential risks to human sources and the current human source program. However, the Information Commissioner supported Forester’s stance, suggesting that the government’s stance could be construed as “fearmongering.”
Eventually, Crown lawyers withdrew the court dispute, and Canada’s national archive expedited handling Forester’s case, bypassing a substantial backlog of other ATIP requests, culminating in the release of the requested RCMP “Native extremism” documents in late 2025. LAC has since made these files available on its website, accompanied by a cautionary note about unverified claims and potentially outdated or offensive language contained within the documents.
Forester regarded these materials as significant as they substantiated long-standing allegations. A collaborative effort between CBC Indigenous and CBC Investigates resulted in a series of articles based on the released documents, unveiling the RCMP’s utilization of wiretaps, surveillance tactics, and paid informants to infiltrate legitimate Indigenous organizations. Forester continues to seek the public release of additional secret files held by LAC concerning various Indigenous leaders and groups through ATIP requests, emphasizing that the program’s full extent remains largely unexplored.