OTTAWA-
The federal government is taking steps to protect “sensitive or potentially harmful information” from disclosure during a legal challenge of its decision to return a repaired turbine in Montreal to a Russian energy giant.
In a motion to Federal Court, the Attorney General is seeking confirmation that certain information flagged by the Justice Department should not be disclosed in the turbine court proceeding.
In early July, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly issued a permit to Siemens Energy Canada authorizing it to maintain turbines used by the Russian gas company Gazprom, despite sanctions against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has criticized the Canadian government for agreeing to a request from Germany to exempt Siemens from sanctions so it can return a turbine for use in the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline that supplies natural gas to Germany.
The turbine was being repaired at Siemens’ facilities in Montreal, the only place in the world capable of servicing the equipment.
It was delivered to Germany and was supposed to leave from there for Russia, but the Russian authorities have so far refused to accept it.
The Ukrainian World Congress and Daniel Bilak, a Canadian who lives in Ukraine, have sought judicial review of the permit decision.
On August 3, a Justice Department lawyer advised the Attorney General under the Canada Evidence Act that she believed some of the information to be filed in the legal proceedings involved sensitive information.
Although redacted records have been leaked, the government says some information should be kept secret because releasing it would harm Canada’s international relations.
Canada’s permit also allows Siemens to import, repair and return five other turbines used in Nord Stream 1, depending on their maintenance schedule, and is valid until the end of 2024.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on August 24, 2022.