UNEDITED EXCERPT FROM PREFACE OF NEW BOOK
Preface
“The public needs to know the kinds of things a government does in its name, or the 'consent of the governed' is meaningless... The consent of the governed is not consent if it is not informed.”
-- Edward Snowden
The painful aspect in writing this book is not in being truthful but rather to be truthful while not hurting the innocent. In that same vein, the next most difficult task is in broadcasting the weight of information properly. It is not my intent to deter others from coming forward as witnesses. Having said that, it is my intention to destroy the myth that the RCMP Witness Protection Program is made up of “Knights in shinning armor” who will always be there to save the day.
Canada’s Witness Protection Act received royal assent on June 20th, 1996 – Five years later I signed my first Protection Agreement. It is now 2020 and I have been signing agreements ever since, most of these documents without a lawyer. Is that a good practice? No, however in reality it does not make a difference – at least in dealing with the country’s national police force. The answer as to why will be abundantly clear by the time you reach the last chapter in this book. In the meantime, I will sum it up with an experience I share often regarding relationships.
I walked into the board room and sat down at a table with documents all over it - I was there to meet Darryl, a man who would become my lawyer and eventually my best friend. It was a simple meeting to go over a retainer agreement. I looked at him quizzically as he sat down and asked me to read over the document. I listened as he told me his lack of experience in civil litigation but emphasized his strengths in critical thinking. I took the agreement and without reading a word of it - I signed on the last page and handed it back to him. It was now his turn to look at me quizzically. I answered his unspoken question very easily. “A contract is only as good as the person who signs it” he nodded in agreement as I went on to say “you are a lawyer, I have grade seven – I am guessing the contract is written for your good not mine so here is the deal – if you screw me, I will shoot you – If I screw you, well then you go ahead and enforce your little agreement” – Darryl and I have since gone on to close deals together totaling in the millions of dollars and we have never used a contract between us since that day.
If it could only be so simple in signing protection agreements with our famous Horsemen. I surely do not mean simple as in facetiously threatening to shoot them for not keeping their word. However, I do mean having them admit that they always maintain control and the contract is written to protect them not the witness. This is especially true with those of us who have been signing contracts as informants and agents for years previous to witness protection – we are without doubt as to who is in control and who’s interest is at the heart of the contract – it is always to cover the ass of the force.
* The preface does go on to make clear the distinctions between the organization "the Force" and its members. It then goes further and shows the autonomy of those who administer the program.
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