A controversy over covert video and audio surveillance equipment discovered in public buildings in a rural Ontario municipality has one elected official invoking the Watergate scandal.
The hidden cameras of Highlands East, in the Haliburton area, came to light last year at a fire hall. The station's commander had previously been dismissed when he and other volunteer firefighters were caught on tape drinking beer after the municipality had adopted a no-alcohol policy.
Highlands East Reeve Dave Burton and deputy reeve Jim Mackie, newly elected last November, are both volunteer firefighters, and criticized the use of surveillance in that matter and assumed it had ceased.
Mr. Mackie said he was astonished when a device was discovered in December concealed in a light fixture in the Gooderham firehall.
"The camera was powered up and broadcasting both audio and video, it was set up so anybody within about 300 feet who had that type of receiver could watch in there and listen with impunity."
After that discovery, Mr. Mackie said he went looking for other devices and found a hidden camera in the local arena, and another on the wall of the municipal building in Wilberforce.
Mr. Mackie said he was surprised by how "insidious" the device found in the fire hall was — no bigger than a loonie (a Canadian $1.00 coin measuring 26.5 mm). (more)
