NOTL's Peter Warrack receives Meritorious Service Medal from Governor General Mary Simon

Peter Warrack is still deeply astonished following his visit to Rideau Hall in Ottawa on March 21. 

That’s when the Niagara-on-the-Lake resident received his Meritorious Service Medal from Governor General Mary Simon for his work in addressing human trafficking across Canada and beyond.

The former Detective Chief Inspector with the Northern Ireland Police Service’s Economic Crime Bureau was recognized along with 58 other civilians who also received the award. Also at the ceremony were eight members of Canada’s military who received the Meritorious Service Cross.

The day before the ceremony Warrack, his wife Bonita and their niece were the guests of Niagara Falls MP Tony Baldinelli. They were given a private tour of the House of Commons and sat in to observe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Question Period as the carbon tax debate was being conducted. 

“Then I had the honour of meeting the leader of the official opposition,” Warrack said of Pierre Poilievre. “He spent at least 15 minutes with us. He was very generous with his time. He is a very charismatic person, very warm and friendly. That was a highlight.”

The next day began with a 90-minute rehearsal for the ceremony. All 67 honourees were walked through the procedure before the start of the actual pomp and circumstance. 

“It was surreal, very humbling,” Warrack tells The Local of the ceremony itself. “I realized as I was sitting listening to the citations of the other recipients, it was like being in the company of giants. People from all walks of life who have made incredible achievements in their lives.”

Following the ceremony, Warrack had a chance to meet a few of the people with whom he was truly impressed. That included Holly Denine of Newfoundland and Labrador, mother of the late Nevaeh Joey Denine who died in 2018 at the age of nine from a rare neuroblastoma, a form of cancer. Both Holly and Nevaeh were awarded medals that day. 

“That stood out to me the most,” Warrack says. “Before dying, (Nevaeh) had the idea to have an annual lemonade stand event to raise money for kids with cancer. The idea caught on across Canada, you see them all over now.”

Warrack likens the whole experience to entering the Palace of Versailles. 

“It’s a beautiful building,” he says. “Everyone - the staff, soldiers and Mounties - were resplendent in their finery. That really added to the occasion. They were all so courteous. We felt honoured and very special.”

As an early board member of the Canadian Centre to End Human Tracking, the financial expert and investigator worked with former Ontario Premier Bob Rae to establish the Government of Canada’s National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-833-900-1010).

In 2015, Warrack was working as the director of group that specialized in anti-money-laundering and financial technology. A chance meeting with a representative from FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada), the country’s financial intelligence unit, led to the creation of Project Protect. Since then, with the cooperation of the country’s major financial institutions, hundreds of intelligence packages have been provided by the federal financial intelligence unit to law enforcement leading to numerous arrests. 

Recently, the United States Financial Intelligence Unit joined Project Protect, bringing with it the power of over 13,000 American financial institutions. As Warrack points out, Niagara’s proximity to the U.S. border makes it particularly susceptible to human trafficking activity. He also suggests that human traffickers frequently use short-term rentals to avoid the scrutiny of hotel staff. 

Warrack discusses with The Local a recent case that hit very close to home, including one on Read Road that was investigated by the Niagara Regional Police human trafficking and crime unit the same day he left for Ottawa.

“I don’t have any access to the police database, and I haven’t spoken to them about it,” he says. “I think it started out as a human trafficking bust then turned into a drug bust. That’s very normal. Wherever there is human trafficking there is usually associated crimes, such as drug trafficking or credit fraud.”

Though Warrack doesn’t know definitively if the methods of tracking financial transactions that are part of Project Protect were used in that bust, which led to charges to eight people and the seizure of $80,000 in drugs and a stolen recreational trailer, it is likely that they were. 

Warrack’s methods have been borrowed by law enforcement institutions the world over. In fact, he is often called upon to consult with officials outside of the country.

“It’s a simple idea, a simple model,” a humble Warrack admits. “I’m very proud of it. The actual work, though, is being done by thousands of people in the world, working in financial institutions and financial intelligence units.”

What makes him even prouder is that his concept has birthed similar tactics to combat other criminal enterprises. There’s Project Chameleon to combat elder abuse, Project Guardian, which addresses fentanyl trafficking, and Project Athena, which tracks suspicious casino-related transactions often involving bank drafts that are suspected to have roots in underground banking.

Warrack is sure to have his new Meritorious Service Medal pinned to his jacket on May 27 when, with St. Catharines residents J.O. Michel Maisonneuve, a retired Lieutenant-General, and retired Major Barbara Maisonneuve, both from the Canadian Armed Forces, will speak at the Simpson's Room at the NOTL Community Centre. 

It’s part of the NOTL Public Library’s Learn and Live series of talks, this one called Lessons of Service. Led by a moderator, the three will speak about their unique and varied careers and the lessons and values they have learned during their service.

“Giving back to the community is one of the principles that guide my life,” says the member of the NOTL Rotary Club and the NOTL cenotaph renovation committee. “It’s about being there for others, and if you’re able, to donate financially to good causes.”

The session with Warrack and the Maisonneuves is free, but registration is required. The Simpson Room has a capacity of about 60 people. Visit notlpubliclibrary.org to register.