Brian Rindall, President and CEO of Delco Automation in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan denies his company took part as a contractor in monitoring cell phone calls at Grand Valley Institution.

Rindall contacted Northumberland 89.7 and stated that the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) erred in delivering up an invoice indicating that Marc St-Amand, Director of Electronic Security Systems had authorized payment to Delco for over $8,000 for cell phone message interception.

Northumberland 89.7 reported on an answer to an Access to Information request filed with the CSC seeking production of documents relating to the installation and usage of a “Stingray” system used to collect cell phone usage. CSC admitted that such an undertaking had been carried out at Warkworth Institution for which the Warden apologized. The Stingray machine was able to intercept calls beyond the fences of Warkworth Institution including neighbouring property. An OPP investigation has been concluded and it is yet to be determined if criminal charges will be laid.

The ATIP reply also included emails showing that National Headquarters officials referred to the procedure carried on at other “institutions” suggesting that the procedure was carried on elsewhere. Included in the documentation considered by CSC to be relevant to the ATIP request was the invoice for payment of Delco’s bill for work carried out at Grand Valley Institution in Kitchener.

Rindall states that although CSC has been a long standing client of his firm, the invoice included in the ATIP response “was possibly provided in error”.  Rindall has provided Northumberland 89.7 with a copy of the contract with CSC for certain security upgrades at Grand Valley. Nowhere in the contract does it mention radio frequency surveillance as occurred at Warkworth.

Northumberland 89.7 strives to be fair to our listeners and to ensure our reporting is fair and accurate. Our being misled by CSC has resulted in an unfortunate naming of Delco Automation as being complicit in what could be illegal activity.

Northumberland 89.7 completely and sincerely apologizes to Delco Automation Inc. of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan for the false and misleading statements published on August 3, 2017 under the heading: “Prison Monitoring More Widespread.”

We retract without reservation or qualification all statements made in the article about Delco, which are false and have no basis in fact, suggesting that Delco conducted work at Grand Valley Institution related to or done in conjunction with the unauthorized monitoring of cell phone conversations or was engaged in unauthorized monitoring of cell phone conversations at or near Grand Valley Institution. Further, Northumberland 89.7 apologizes for any loss of reputation that the article may have caused Delco.