Energy board fires security employees in spying scandal

The new chair of Alberta's Energy and Utilities Board is disbanding the agency's security unit and letting itstwo employees go, after private investigators spied on landowners opposed to a new power line between Edmonton and Calgary.

"When I took this job, I was mandated to move forward and make change, and I am making permanent decisions at a corporate level now," William Tilleman said in a news release Monday.

Tilleman, a Calgary lawyer who was appointed by the premier last week, said he wants to ensure a situation like the spying scandal never happens again.

The EUB decided to hire plainclothes investigators after a hearing in April saw some pushing and shoving between landowners, some of whom are worried about possible health effects of the power line, and board staff.

Earlier this month, a government report slammed the EUB as "repulsive" for allowing the spies to listen to private conference calls between the landowners and their lawyers. Alberta's privacy commissioner has already ruled the board broke provincial laws.

Tilleman said security at future hearings will only be handled by Alberta sheriffs or by police, and that all EUB staff will be introduced at the beginning of all proceedings.

Alberta's opposition parties have called for more action to be taken. The NDP and the Liberals want the energy minister to step down, board members to be fired and a public hearing held into the scandal.

New hearing faces opposition

Meanwhile, there are calls to shut down another EUB hearing before it even starts on Thursday in Drayton Valley.

An oil and gas company is applying to drill two sour gas wells in Brazeau County. Some residents oppose the idea and are concerned because two EUB members who will hear their testimony are being investigated as part of the spying scandal.

"I have a real concern that in any other profession, if you were under investigation you are put on say, desk duty, or taken off of cases," said Lillian Duperron, who plans to make a presentation at the hearing.

"In this case, I have two people who are being investigated (who) are going to decide part of my future and I have a concern with that."

She and other presenters are asking the EUB to postpone the hearing until all investigations into the spying allegations are finished.