LONGUEUIL, Que. –
A retired RCMP officer accused of helping China conduct foreign interference asked a Quebec court judge Monday to throw out a charge against him because he filed in the wrong province.
William Majcher’s lawyers argued in a court in Longueuil, Quebec, on the south shore of Montreal, that charges should have been brought in British Columbia or Ontario.
“Those are two places in Canada where the crimes are alleged to have been committed,” said Louis Belleau, a Montreal-based lawyer representing Majcher, who attended Monday’s hearing via video conference.
“Nothing connects the case to Longueuil.”
If the annulment request is upheld, the Quebec procedure would be put to an end.
Majcher, 61, is charged under the Information Security Act with conspiracy and committing preparatory acts for the benefit of a foreign entity. Authorities allege Majcher, a resident of Hong Kong, used his network of Canadian contacts to obtain intelligence or services that benefited the People’s Republic of China. His charge sheet says he committed the crimes in Vancouver, Toronto, Hong Kong and other unnamed locations in Canada, China and “other parts of the world.”
Their attorneys say a prosecution should be brought in a jurisdiction with a specific connection to the crime, offense or offender.
“Clearly, we are not seeking a stay of proceedings or any other type of order ending Mr. Majcher’s prosecution,” Belleau said.
“The Crown will remain free to bring charges where we believe they should have been laid in the first place.”
Belleau told the court the defense asked the Crown to stay the Quebec case and charge Majcher in BC, but he said prosecutors denied that request.
For its part, the Crown says a judge in any jurisdiction in Canada can hear cases related to the Security of Information Act.
Majcher was an RCMP employee from 1985 to 2007. He later worked in investment banking in Hong Kong at EMIDR Limited, a company he co-founded, providing expertise in money laundering and financial crime risk.
The Quebec branch of the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team began investigating Majcher in the fall of 2021, and federal prosecutors based in the province launched the legal case against him.
“Our claim is that the Information Security Act grants Quebec judges territorial jurisdiction throughout Canada, just as it grants Ontario judges Canada-wide jurisdiction or British Columbia judges Canada-wide jurisdiction,” he said. prosecutor Philippe Legault to reporters outside Monday. the courtroom.
Majcher was arrested in Vancouver in July 2023 and appeared before a judge in Longueuil, who granted him bail. He has not yet entered a plea, but his attorney has told the court that his client intends to plead not guilty to both charges.
In an interview with CTV News last month, Majcher told the network that he is a “patriot” and not a “traitor” and that he was willing to contest the charges.
Quebec Court Judge Sacha Blais will rule on Majcher’s request next month, ahead of scheduled trial dates in October.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2024.