Police probing alleged information leak by Hydro employee

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This article was published 20/11/2023 (695 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg police major crimes unit is investigating after a Manitoba Hydro employee allegedly leaked protected information held by the Crown corporation.

The publicly owned utility has refused to say what type of information might have been disclosed without authorization, citing the ongoing criminal investigation by police.

The employee was fired, Hydro spokesman Bruce Owen said.

“As this is a personnel matter, we cannot comment,” he said.

Police involvement in the matter was only revealed after the Free Press began asking Hydro about a whistleblower investigation noted in the corporation’s 2022-23 annual report.

The report states Hydro received two reports of alleged wrongdoings through its whistleblower line in 2022-23. It also had one investigation open from the previous year.

Hydro investigated all three claims, and confirmed one case of wrongdoing, the corporation said.

Under the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act, a wrongdoing can be an act or omission that is an offence under provincial and federal laws or regulations.

It also defines wrongdoings as gross mismanagement, including of public funds or assets, an act or omission that threatens the life, health or safety of people and the environment, and intentionally directing a person to commit a wrongdoing.

The legislation that protects whistleblowers who come forward to report wrongdoings from reprisal also requires public bodies to describe the confirmed wrongdoings and corrective actions in their annual reports.

Hydro did not include a description of the wrongdoing in its annual report, or in its environmental, social and governance report, where the finding was also noted.

In response to questions from the Free Press, the Crown corporation confirmed it had opened a complaint with police regarding the “unauthorized disclosure of protected information.”

WPS spokeswoman Cst. Dani McKinnon said details regarding the nature of the investigation could not be provided while it is ongoing.

Hydro’s definition of “protected information” is broad and includes everything from financial information, to internal communications and proprietary corporate programs, to the data Hydro keeps about its customers and employees.

The corporation wouldn’t rule out customer data being used inappropriately.

“Due to the police investigation, we cannot comment further on this matter,” Owen said.

NDP Minister Adrien Sala, who is responsible for Manitoba Hydro, was not made available Friday. The minister’s press secretary also cited the investigation while declining an interview request.

The Opposition Progressive Conservatives also declined to comment.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca