One of RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki’s predecessors is standing by Supt. Darren Campbell after he claimed that his superior allegedly interfered in the Nova Scotia mass shooting to help the Liberals pass gun control legislation.
Former commissioner Bob Paulson and a number of other force veterans are standing in solidarity with Campbell after the Liberal government attempted to cast shade on the integrity of his allegations.
“Darren is one of the best investigators in the force and a highly reliable officer with tremendous integrity,” Paulson told the Globe and Mail.
“You won’t find a practising police officer who will speak ill of Darren Campbell.”
In a note from the Mass Casualty Commission published by the Halifax Examiner earlier this week, Campbell states that Lucki “made a promise” to former public safety minister Bill Blair to reveal the weapons used by the shooter Gabriel Wortman in Canada’s worst massacre to date.
“The Commissioner said she had promised the Minister of Public Safety and the Prime Minister’s Office that the RCMP (we) would release this information. I tried to explain there was no intent to disrespect anyone however we could not release this information at this time,” Campbell wrote.
“The Commissioner then said that we didn’t understand, that this was tied to pending gun control legislation that would make officers and the public safer. She was very upset and at one point Deputy Commissioner (Brian) Brennan tried to get things calmed down but that had little effect. Some in the room were reduced to tears and emotional over this belittling reprimand.”
Along with Paulson, former deputy commissioner Pierre-Yves Bourdas called the situation regrettable but insisted that Campbell would not make up a story about his superiors.
“This officer has a solid reputation. There is a blend of politics and a big political slant to it and it is regrettable,” said Bourdas.
Former RCMP superintendent Peter Lepine also stated that Campbell wouldn’t “falsify any notes or have any agenda to hang anybody out to dry.”
“I’ve followed Darren Campbell since the day he was a recruit. He’s an extremely competent police officer and extremely well trained in the world of major investigations,” said Lepine.
Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen has called on an immediate investigation into Blair, the Prime Minister’s Office and others involved.
“The Conservatives believe Supt. Darren Campbell when he says that Brenda Lucki the Commissioner pressured the RCMP and the reason she did it was because she had made a commitment or she had been pressured by the Prime Minister’s Office and or the public safety minister’s office,” said Bergen yesterday.
“This is disgusting to know that the Prime Minister in his office would use the death of Canadians for his own political gain but unfortunately we have seen it before.
