RCMP Contract With China-Linked Company for Communications Equipment Is Suspended

Then-Public Safety minister Marco Mendicino speaks during question period in the House of Commons on Oct. 4, 2022. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

A day after it was reported that the RCMP has a contract for communications equipment with a China-linked company, the federal government says the contract has now been suspended.

“I can confirm the contract between RCMP and Sinclair Technologies has been suspended,” said Audrey Champoux, press secretary to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino.

CBC News first broke the story on Dec. 7 and the suspension on Dec. 8.

The RCMP’s contract is with Sinclair Technologies, a firm based in Ontario but ultimately controlled by Chinese telecommunications giant Hytera.

The $549,637 contract awarded to Sinclair in October 2021 is for the provision of radio frequency filters, on-site maintenance, and engineering support. The equipment is used to protect RCMP communications.

The Epoch Times reached out for comment to the RCMP and Sinclair, but we didn’t immediately hear back.

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), which is responsible for managing government contracts, told The Epoch Times “the RCMP will be in a better position to answer your question.”

RCMP spokesperson Corporal Kim Chamberland told The Epoch Times on the evening of Dec. 7 that there were no security concerns with the Sinclair equipment.

“RCMP radio communications are protected with end-to-end encryption. Radio Frequency filtration equipment poses no security concerns nor does it allow access to radio communications,” said Chamberland.

“The contract was awarded in accordance with Federal Government procurement policies and regulations, and in accordance with the Trade Agreements.”

Chamberland added that PSPC had acted as the contracting authority and that the RCMP supported PSCC “to ensure operational requirements were met.”

Sinclair general manager Wee Er told The Epoch Times Dec. 7 that his company’s equipment is “trusted by public safety agencies globally.”

Sinclair was acquired by Norsat in 2011 for US$19.25 million, which in turn was acquired by Hytera Project in 2017 for US$67.2 million.

Hytera is banned from operating in the United States due to national security risks, and has been indicted for conspiring to steal trade secrets.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mendicino reacted to the existence of the RCMP contract with Sinclair on Dec. 7 and said their government would be looking into the matter.