Canada Whistleblowers

Mission
The purpose of this site is to provide a catalyst for support of public reform in Canada, focussing on the need for effective whistleblower legislation. Suitable legislation will be enacted and implemented effectively only if there is ongoing public pressure and scrutiny of the process.

This site provides resources for concerned citizens to:
 * obtain information about whistleblowing and its role in combatting corruption
 * learn about the experiences of whistleblowers and why such people need protection
 * learn about developments in Canada such as proposed legislation
 * find out how to take part in efforts to promote effective legislation.

Why This Is Important To You
Many public service scandals have come to light in Canada over the past several years, and these have received extensive, often sensationalist coverage in the media. However, there has been very little media coverage or public debate regarding what can be done to prevent such abuses in future. This is understandable: by comparison with revelations of wrongdoing, the work to prevent recurrences is much less newsworthy. Reform is a slow and boring process, involving the painstaking drafting and redrafting of lengthy bills by parliamentary committees.

However, it is essential that at least some members of the public pay close attention to this work, to ensure that it comes to fruition. As always, when changes are proposed there are powerful vested interests that favour the status quo. The history of whistleblower legislation in Canada is one of foot-dragging by politicians and bureaucrats alike, and draft legislation so flawed that it almost seems designed to fail.

Whistleblower legislation is not the complete answer to public service reform -- there are other reforms also required -- but it is a key component. With proper protections in place for whistleblowers, wrongdoing can be uncovered quickly and nipped in the bud. Without such protection, millions of public servants are muzzled by fear or retaliation, and senior people can avoid embarrassment by sweeping inconvenient facts (and people) 'under the carpet'.

Canadian whistleblowers
The following people have all demonstrated the courage of their convictions by speaking up when they saw wrongdoing. Many helped exposed corruption that needed to be put right for the public good. A few have been recognized and publicly praised for their efforts -- but most have suffered from harsh retribution from their management as a result of their actions.


 * Allan Cutler was a procurement officer with Public Works Department who refused to go along with improper procurement practices, and as a result suffered retaliation from management over the course of many years. The evidence that he painstakingly gathered during this ordeal led to the Gomery Inquiry.


 * Joanna Gualteri short bio here...


 * Shiv Chopra, Margaret Haydon, Gerard Lambert and the late Cris Bassude were Health Canada scientists who were sacked -- they say for speaking out about the dangers of mad cow disease and about the use of hormones and antibiotics in the food supply.

Note to contributors: Each entry should include 1) the issue exposed 2) what the whistleblower helped accomplish and 3) what they suffered as a consequence of their actions.

Prime Time Crime is a good resource for information about Canadian whistleblowers

The US experience
After the 1986 Challenger Shuttle disaster, US public opinion was inflamed by revelations that many people had tried unsuccessfully to draw attention to known safety problems with the Shuttle. These people -- engineers within NASA and subcontractors -- had been ignored by NASA senior management, and as a direct result the lives of seven astronauts were lost. Further, those who had tried to speak up had been subject to various forms of retribution.

This experience led to a realization that people with this type of information need encouragement to speak up -- and protection. If these are lacking, management is free to cover up and suppress facts that are inconvenient, often with disastrous results.

Since that time, there has been a serious and sustained effort in the USA to create effective protections for whistleblowers.

More...

Bill C-11 And Its Shortcomings
Bill C-11 is the second attempt in recent years to introduce whistleblower legislation through the Canadian parliamentary process...

Strategies For Achieving Positive Change
The following are strategies that seem appropriate as means of ensuring that effective legislation will ultimately be introduced and implemented properly:

How To Participate
This site is a forum for anyone who has a passing interest in this topic. It is also for people who want to follow the story and see what happens. It is also for people with a passion, who want get involved and make a contribution.


 * If you see ways to improve this site, you can contribute by making changes or additions. Just go ahead and edit pages as you see fit -- it's very easy to do. Start by clicking on the edit link above the section title.


 * If you want to follow the story, please click here to add yourself to the email list for updates.


 * If you want to know more about the specific efforts under way, please click here to submit a request for more information. This is also the best way to start if you would like to get involved in the work and make some kind of contribution.

Canada

 * The Gomery Report Part 1 The factual findings of the Gomery Inquiry. The recommendations of the Inquiry will be published as Part 2.
 * Bill C-11
 * Minutes of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates These include testimony and evidence given to this Committee during the development of Bill C-11.

USA and International

 * Wikipedia Whistleblower page
 * US Government Accountability Project
 * Project On Government Oversight (POGO)
 * National Whistleblower Center
 * The Truth-Telling Project - Project formed by whistleblowers Daniel Ellsberg and Katharine Gun
 * Public Concern at Work
 * Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 from Her Majesty's Stationery Office
 * Workplace Fairness FAQ for environmental whistleblowers
 * Tate & Renner article on whistleblowers under US federal law
 * Whistleblower Employee Protection Website
 * Whistleblowers in the EU
 * International Freedom of Expression Exchange