How a Canadian military intelligence operative ended up facing an espionage charge
CBC
Prior to being arrested this week and accused of passing sensitive or classified information to a foreign entity, a Canadian military intelligence member was embroiled in a secret, long-running internal dispute with his superiors, CBC News has learned.
Master Warrant Officer Matthew Robar was the subject of a disciplinary investigation by his unit within the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command starting in October 2024. The probe resulted in a reprimand — what the military calls a remedial measure and a recorded warning — delivered last spring, according to internal documents.
He works in the counter-intelligence branch of the military at its headquarters in Ottawa.
Robar was arrested Wednesday and charged with eight offences under the National Defence Act, the most serious of which is communicating "special operational information" to a foreign entity.
He's being held in military police custody at Garrison Petawawa.
It was actually the second time Robar was arrested. Military police took him into custody without charge for 24 hours on Oct. 24, 2025, but released him on conditions.
Robar's re-arrest was made public in a statement by the military's provost marshal.
Under the separate and distinct military justice system, he must appear before a military judge within 24 hours, or by Monday at the latest.
The Department of National Defence has refused to answer a number of specific questions about the case, including which country or organization might be the foreign entity.
It's not just the public being kept in the dark.
Robar himself was told very little about the specific allegations against him, other than it involved "disobedience of a lawful command" and that he had "engaged in unauthorized work-related activities" that he knew or ought to have known were not approved by his chain of command.
The reprimand cited alleged actions Robar took from May 11 to 20 and Sept. 9 to 21, 2024, but provided no detail.
"He got no disclosure with this," Rory Fowler, a retired lieutenant-colonel and military lawyer, who was hired by Robar over the reprimand. On the charges under the National Defence Act he's being represented by a military defence counsel.
"He was quite literally told by his chain of command: 'You know what you did,'" said Fowler, who added the response was: "No, actually you have to spell it out. That's your obligation. And that's what we're dealing with here."
Prior to being arrested this week and accused of passing sensitive or classified information to a foreign entity, a Canadian military intelligence member was embroiled in a secret, long-running internal dispute with his superiors, CBC News has learned.
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