A member of the Canadian military intelligence branch who is not commissioned has been accused of sharing classified information with a foreign entity, as per the Department of National Defence announcement on Thursday. Master Warrant Officer Matthew Robar was apprehended by military police on Wednesday and is facing eight charges under the National Defence Act. The allegations against him include sharing “special operational information” and breaching trust, according to a statement from the Defence Department.
The arrest follows a collaborative investigation between the military’s National Investigation Service and the RCMP’s national security enforcement team. The Defense Department did not disclose the identity of the foreign entity involved, and declined to provide further details.
Robar, who is currently in custody according to the Defense Department, came under investigation in 2024 for allegedly disclosing information to a foreign individual or group without authorization. The Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, the military’s intelligence branch, fully supported the investigation, the department confirmed.
While it was disclosed that Robar is being held in custody, the Defense Department spokesperson declined to reveal the date of his appearance before a military judge, citing the need to safeguard the integrity of the judicial process and the sensitive nature of the national security investigation.
Brig.-Gen. Vanessa Hanrahan, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, commended the collaboration during the investigation, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts in maintaining national security. Should there be a trial, it would be conducted through court martial, a significant aspect of the case being charged under military law.
This incident is not the first instance of a member of the military intelligence community facing espionage charges. In 2012, former sub-lieutenant Jeffrey Paul Delisle admitted to selling information to the Russians, also facing charges of breaching trust and sharing safeguarded information with a foreign entity. Lessons from past cases, like the Delisle trial, have prompted military justice and intelligence officials to proceed cautiously and potentially with greater secrecy in handling national security cases.
