Timothy Lynch of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Buffalo, N.Y., described Ferrier as being "loaded for bear" when she was stopped Sept. 20 at the Peace Bridge border crossing.
Maynard is an ombudsman for users of the Access to Information Act, which allows people who pay $5 to request government records ranging from briefing notes to meeting minutes.
In a statement today, the RCMP says while a respirator, such as an N95 mask, is not mandatory in all front-line situations, it is sometimes required to reduce risk.