A federal judge has found the Royal Canadian Mounted Police breached procedural fairness and engaged in a “circular argument” to justify its actions when it abruptly told a former intelligence officer it had revoked his Top Secret security clearance.

The apparent decision had a cascading effect on Peter Tait, who at the time was a municipal employee of the City of Richmond working under the direction of the RCMP, according to a May 27 ruling from Justice Negar Azmudeh.

Tait had first obtained a security clearance in 2006, and as an intelligence officer, his entire career was premised on holding that status, the judge said. Since 2007, he had mostly worked for the RCMP in a number of criminal intelligence analysis roles.

“The only break from his employment with the RCMP was between Septe

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