A Commons committee probing RCMP pension troubles has recommended that a senior member of the force's management be found in contempt of Parliament.

Deputy Commissioner Barbara George, shown in 2007, 'gave testimony that was misleading at best, untruthful at worst,' said the public accounts committee chair, Liberal MP Shawn Murphy.
(CBC)

In a report tabled Tuesday morning, the public accounts committee condemned testimony given to them on two occasions last year by Deputy Commissioner Barbara George.

The committee says George misled Parliament by claiming that she was not involved in the removal of an officer from a probe into the management of the force's pension fund.

"Deputy Commissioner Barbara George gave testimony that was misleading at best, untruthful at worst," said the committee chair, Liberal MP Shawn Murphy, who tabled the unanimous findings. "We're recommending to the House of Commons that she be found in contempt of Parliament."

But the committee also suggested that no further action be taken beyond the finding of contempt, saying the finding alone is a "serious sanction." The House of Commons must now decide whether to adopt the report.

In a news release, George denied the report's allegations, maintaining that she "answered every question honestly, accurately and to the very best of my personal recollection."

Testimony from other RCMP officers

During her first appearance before the committee last February, George stated that she did not have "anything whatsoever" to do with Staff-Sgt. Mike Frizzell's removal from a team investigating how the RCMP's $12-billion pension and insurance plans were managed.

But Murphy stated Tuesday: "Subsequent testimony from a number of RCMP officers, at least four or five, indicates clearly that that was not totally truthful."

Frizzell was among those who told a different story, testifying that the deputy commissioner engineered his removal from the joint RCMP-Ottawa police probe.

Also, documents tabled last March indicate George was involved in phone calls and e-mail traffic with RCMP officers about Frizzell in the week of June 2005, leading up to his removal.

The report cites RCMP Assistant Commissioner Bruce Rogerson as saying George wrote to him and called: "She wanted Frizzell removed because he had left an unprofessional harassing phone message on her subordinate's phone message manager."

The committee also heard from another officer — the one who later sent the cease and desist order to Frizzell — that he received an e-mail from George requesting information on "what action is being taken" in regards to the sergeant.

After being notified of the officer's removal, George responded with an e-mail saying, "I commend you for your quick action on this situation."

In her final appearance before the committee last December, George again insisted she did not order nor did she have "any desire" to have Frizzell removed.

Process 'inherently unfair': George

The report says George had a motive for misleading the committee.

"Staff-Sgt. Frizzell was beginning to question her actions and those of her subordinates, and it would have been professionally embarrassing to admit publicly that she had been involved in the removal order against him," the report states.

In George's response on Tuesday, she also accused the committee of having a "distorted interpretation of my testimony" and that certain members reached conclusions about her role early in the process.

The deputy commissioner criticized the way the committee is run, saying it is "inherently unfair" because it provides immunity for members but no protection for witnesses.

She also suggested that those who leaked the confidential report to the media on Monday should be found in contempt of Parliament.

George was the only senior Mountie suspended last year over fallout from the pension scandal dating back to 2002 and involving fraud and abuse allegations. But she was reinstated eight months later, in November.

The force stated her suspension was not linked to any allegation that she misused public funds or mismanaged pension or insurance plans.

The public accounts committee, however, publicly rebuked George in a report last December, saying she and two fired executives showed negligence, partiality or dishonesty in connection with the pension troubles.