The Vancouver Observer reports, “Before the National Energy Board’s Joint Review Panel hearings on the proposed Enbridge (Northern Gateway) oil pipeline, the NEB coordinated the gathering of intelligence on opponents to the oil sands. The groups of interest are independent advocacy organizations that oppose the Harper government’s policies and work for environmental protections and democratic rights, including Idle No More, ForestEthics, Sierra Club, EcoSociety, LeadNow, Dogwood Initiative, Council of Canadians and the People’s Summit.”
Documents obtained under the Access to Information Act, including 140 pages of emails from December 2012 through April 2013, show that the NEB’s “Security Team has consulted today with Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) at national and regional levels; RCMP at national, regional and local levels.”
The article adds, “The documents show the NEB working with CSIS and the RCMP to make ‘security plans’ for the Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna and Prince Rupert hearings and actively coordinating with officials from Enbridge and TransCanada Corporation and a private security contractor hired by the NEB. …Given proof of CSIS and RCMP intelligence resources being afforded to the NEB, and evidence of disclosure across the private sector, it is undetermined how much information is being provided to corporations such as Enbridge and TransCanada Corporation, and to what extent international entities such as CNOOC (the China National Offshore Oil Corporation) are also benefiting.”
In another article, The Province reports, “A request for comment on this story was not returned by the NEB.”
Further reading:
NEWS: Anti-G8/G20 groups were under police surveillance
NEWS: Police spying on community organizations and activists
UPDATE: Council condemns surveillance of First Nations
UPDATE: RCMP reportedly monitoring anti-fracking activists
NEWS: RCMP to lead new security unit to ‘protect’ Alberta’s energy industry
NEWS: RCMP spying on the Yinka Dene Alliance
CEP, Council of Canadians demand answers to RCMP spying on activists
