02-01-07          0700    To Halifax Ident and started photocopying my hard notes for the RCMP copy of the file.  In addition, the latest set of CD’s for the FAA-3 trip has arrived back from Ottawa.

            At 0800 hrs, I was sitting in Insp. TANNER’s office.  The tone was somewhat different, but it was still one of him being in total control.  He started by saying that he wanted to make it clear what my understanding was of the future.  I somewhat interjected by saying that my impression of the immediate future was to finish up the file by the 17th of this month.  Then, I intend to take some time off.  This caught him somewhat by surprise, and he added comments about working out of the Halifax office and clearing everything with Neil FRASER.  I then commented that I had a considerable amount of work yet to do if I am to be completed by the 17th.  This includes the cataloguing of 55 rolls of film and 17 videotapes, the handling of over 100 exhibits to be received from Ottawa, some of which are new exhibits, and various other tasks.  I commented that if we are to maintain the protocols that we have established for the file, then these things have to be done, I am the one to do them, and they are to be completed ASAP.  His comment was that these were details yet to be determined, and he went on to the overtime forms.  I provided him with a new copy of the FAA-2 trip, and we went over it.  He had some problems with the shifts and various days, but I think I cleared up most of the details.  We then went on to the FAA-3 trip, and the same.  The only catch will be the Monday when we finished at the FAA and then I drove to Philadelphia.  He had a problem with the shift and was hesitant.  However, he put it aside saying that he would decide later.  I then gave him the two 1393’s with the receipts attached to each, and he set them aside. 

            In discussing time off, he appears to be one that things have to be on paper, or they do not exist.  I showed him my OT claim for the first US trip in which I had accumulated LTO for the travel days.  I then showed him the claim form that LATHEM had demanded that I put forward.  He didn’t make any comments.

            We went over various things dealing with admin of the file, and why things are ‘out of control’ administratively, etc.  Basically, I have been alone without supervision, and he has a problem with it.  But he ended by saying that I was not at fault, that ‘we have people who are supposed to do that work’.  I can only assume that he meant Insp. LATHEM, as he was the person responsible for the file and my work in the hangar.  He made comments that lead me to believe that the matter would be looked into, but that I was not to blame. 

            Annual leave and time-off were discussed, and the fact that I should have taken time off.  I explained the problem of extensions, and he thought that this was not a valid excuse, as one is entitled to one’s time off, no matter what.  He seemed to feel that there was a potential health and safety problem.  When I told him that I intend to take time off after next week, he commented that he felt that if I did not, the new OIC Support Services (Supt. Craig MacLAUGHLAN, whom I met first thing this am) might be ordering me on leave.

            He produced a sheet that laid out a series of orders for me, including the fact that I will be finished with the work in the hangar by the end of next week.  I am also to turn in the vehicle this Thursday.  There were several other items listed, but nothing outlandish.  I am to work through S/Sgt. FRASER as my supervisor and am to meet with him this morning.  I am also to submit my A22-A to him ASAP.

            While we did not hit if off as ‘friends’, the conversation was not confrontational, largely because I expected worse and felt that there was nothing to gain in the matter. 

            Towards the end of the meeting, after discussing hours of work and various other things, including the expertise that I have gained and the value of it to the FORCE, to which he said that instead I should be working for the TSB.  I then commented to him that we have now discussed administratively the three trips to the US, and I wondered if he would now like to know about their outcome.  His comment was that he knew nothing about the file.  I commented that if he doesn’t want to know, then fine, but we have gone to great lengths to deal with the trips.  He then said that sure, he would like to know.

            So, I started in by saying that the three trips were related, one leading into the next.  During the final trip, we burnt what amounts to a replication of the over-galley area above the MD-11.  We added heat and attempted to get everything to burn.  However, we could not burn everything, and we could not melt aluminium in the ceiling.  We did not come close to even a fraction of the fire damage found in the crash debris.  Then I told him of the MPET bulk burn, and that we did manage to duplicate a large amount of the damage.  However, this second burn represents something far and above the amount of fire and heat that one could expect from the previous test, in a burn under normal conditions.  He made a comment to the effect that how does this show that the matter is criminal.  I told him that it may not, at least not yet.  There is yet another test to run, and that will be done on the computer.  However, I told him about Dr. LYON and Dr. QUINTIERE, and their comments about not melting aluminium without an accelerant.  I suggested that should the final test fail to show that there is sufficient material for the heat damage inflicted on the crash debris, then we do have an incendiary fire and a criminal act.  He just shrugged his shoulders and commented that it will be up to the TSB to advise us at that time.

            So, I have told my present supervisor, a ranking Inspector and OIC of the Support Sections, of the matter, and I am still ordered out of the hangar at the end of next week.  There is nothing more I can do, or I am in violation of what is deemed to be a lawful order under the RCMP Act.  I have done almost all I can do at this time.

            I finished up the meeting at about 0930 hrs, and then went over to the Ident Section. 

            About 1030 hrs, I had a meeting with Neil FRASER as my immediate supervisor.  I got right to the point by saying that TANNER and I had agreed that the requirement is to have the work done by the end of next week.  Neil wanted to know what I have yet to do and would like a ROSS giving an outline of the work.  He would also like a list of the time that is owed me, giving the dates and the reasons.  I suggested that I am owed 100 hrs or ten days, approx.  (I also told him that there were hundreds of other hours, but I would be satisfied with this).  He discussed a few other things, including their concern over health and safety, hours of work, etc.  I then got around to commenting about telling TANNER of the outcome of the last three US trips.  He also wanted to know, so I explained the exact same thing to Neil.  So now he also knows of the results, and the fact that there is a potential for a criminal scenario.  However, he also was not prepared to do anything, but did ask if I had put this in writing to anyone.  Obviously, as yet I have not, especially regarding the trips.  However, I did tell him that my previous concerns have been the subject of reports to LATHEM, and they have, especially the AES results.

            So that will be the final thing that I will do – submit a report to the file and LATHEM outlining the results of the last tests.

            So now, both of my supervisors are aware of the findings to date from the FAA tests.

            I established the fact that I need not report into Neil each morning, so long as I give him a list of things I have to do, and that I keep him posted.  I am to turn in the truck at the end of the week, so have to supply my own wheels next week.  He also authorized the rental of a van for the removal of the equipment – I will only have my own vehicle next week and am not moving things in it.  I will submit a list of the RTO days that have been adjusted.  I am also taking time off after next week.

            I finished with him about 1145 hrs, and to lunch.

 (Clarification:)   Tanner made his statement about having been poorly managed, and that I should have been debriefed on a weekly if not daily basis.  He said that when he had worked undercover on a drug file, he had been debriefed every day, and this file should have been handled in that same manner.  I could not believe that he compared the two matters in this way.  It shows that he had no idea whatsoever of what was going on with the file, only that it was a TSB matter and nothing to do with us.  The fact that people were killed meant nothing to him.  He was strictly an administrator and certainly not an operational police person.