University of Calgary to review Enbridge relationship after CBC probe

The University of Calgary will launchan independent review of itsCentre for Corporate Sustainability after a CBC News investigation raised questionsabout the centre's relationship with its one-time namesake sponsor, Enbridge.

"We believe that academic freedom is a fundamental value of all universities," Mark Starratt, a member of theuniversity's board of governors, said in a release.

"We've been listening and are taking action."

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The board of governorssaid the review will be conducted by an external, third-party expert to be named shortlyand the findings will be made public, as will details of the scope, methodology and reporting time frames, once those are determined.

In an interview Starratt said that review will be tightly focused on the formation of former Enbridge Centre, not to larger questions of corporate donations and academic freedomat the university. Nor would he say if thereviewer would be from outside of Calgary, or when he or she would be hired, or what they would be looking for, other than to interview all the players.

"I think that it's important that throughtheir process, we find out in a transparent way what the answers to these questions are and so in getting all the people together that were involved and the independent reviewer being able to ask those questions, everybody will have the confidence that this has been dealt with in an appropriate manner,"Starratt said.

"The integrity of the University of Calgary is being questioned and we take that very seriously."

Cannon steps down from Enbridge board

University president Elizabeth Cannon, who previouslydefended her simultaneous role asindependent director of theEnbridge Income Fund,said she welcomes the review.

Cannon voluntarily stepped down as a director ofthe Enbridge fund this week, the university announced.Last year, her compensationfor that board positionamounted to $130,500.

"There have been many lessons learned since the centre was created in 2011, which have been incorporated into the centre's current operations," Cannon said in a release.

"We have also done a lot of hard work to improve governance, operations and donor agreements across the university. We know we can always do more."

Cannon has alsorecused herself from any discussions involving thereview, as hasboard of governors chair BonnieDuPont, whoisa former Enbridge vice-president.

Starratt said in an interview that they will likely be part of the review

"I would hope that everybody that was involved withthe review would be available to be interviewed as part of this, and quite frankly that will be the job of the independent reviewer to decide who is going to be part of that."

Broader provincial review

The university has also told the minister of advanced education it's willing to becomethe first Alberta post-secondary institution to participate in the provincial government's broader governance review of agencies, boards and commissions.

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"We will be open and transparent regarding the independent review process,"Starratt said.

"This is our commitment to our university community and all Albertans."