An agenda obtained by Tim Groves and Martin Lukacs at The Guardian in October 2013 revealed that breakfast, lunch, and coffee was sponsored by Enbridge and a networking reception held at the Chateau Laurier was co-hosted by Bruce Power and Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners. Meetings during this conference included 'challenges to energy projects by environmental groups.' Graphic: Enbridge / The Guardian

By Krystle Alarcon and Matthew Millar
21 November 2013 (Vancouver Observer) – Politicians, environmentalists and First Nations alike are infuriated that the federal government worked hand-in-hand with the oil industry to spy on groups that opposed pipeline projects. Documents obtained by the Vancouver Observer under the Access to Information Privacy Act revealed that the National Energy Board, an independent regulatory agency, coordinated with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), the police, and oil companies. “It’s the death of democracy if you’ve got non-violent, law-abiding First Nations, environmentalists and Canadian groups of all kinds being subjected to surveillance then handed over to industry groups. Frankly, it’s scary,” said Elizabeth May, the MP and Green Party leader. “What Stephen Harper has essentially done is to take the spy agencies of the federal government of Canada and put them at the service of private companies like Enbridge.”  The board coordinated the gathering of intelligence on opponents to the oil sands before the Joint Review Panel hearings on the proposed Enbridge pipeline, which will carry up to 525,000 barrels of oil everyday from Alberta to Kitimat in northern BC. Emails between the board and CSIS looked at groups that 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. May, who was in Poland for the United Nations conference on climate change, was alarmed by the private-public sector partnership. Even the innuendos within the exchanges of emails between the board and CSIS alarmed her. “The assumption in the briefing documents (of the NEB) is that somehow we pose a threat to the state because we are potentially a security threat,” which could lead into using the new anti-terrorism law against opponents, May said. [more]

Harper government under fire for spying on environmental groups