Legislation

UK scandals highlight need to protect whistleblowers

Topics: 
UK, Corruption, Legislation
Rating: 
2

Phil Hammond  – October 23, 2012

Are you drowning in a tide of inquiries? The Mid Staffs public inquiry appears to have been going on for years and is not due out now until January. At the same time a new inquiry into the reorganisation of child heart surgery has been ordered by Jeremy Hunt to report next February, after a CQC inquiry into a series of deaths at the Bristol Children's Hospital following heart surgery.

It was deaths at the same hospital 20 years ago that lead to another massive public inquiry, the founding of clinical governance and the proposed reorganization that still hasn’t taken place. There may even be a second judicial review into the reorganization to go with Hunt’s inquiry.

Whistleblowers: gagged by those in power, admired by the public

Topics: 
Legislation, Research, Public opinion
Rating: 
2

Despite facing often draconian measures, whistleblowers are increasingly winning public support, reveals a new survey

Suelette Dreyfus – October 19, 2012

Whistleblowing is relevant in the UK now more than ever, as the recent stream of high profile cover-ups and the relentless clamp downs on truth tellers has shown.

The Hillsborough Inquiry, the string of serious problems in the NHS and related health agencies, the recently revealed Ministry of Defence internal document gagging whistleblowers from revealing wrongdoing to their own MPs. The list of examples goes on and on. They illustrate exactly why we need whistleblowers in society in the first place.

Newfoundland must implement whistleblower legislation: union

Topics: 
Newfoundland & Labrador, Legislation, Unions
Rating: 
4

NUPGE – October 18, 2012

The Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE/NUPGE) is calling on the provincial government to enact whistleblower legislation five years after it was initially promised.

“The provincial government must enact whistleblower legislation with adequate protection for public employees who speak out when the interests of the public are compromised,” said NAPE President Carol Furlong.

Whistleblowers can help prevent future food fiascos

Topics: 
Food safety, Legislation, Alberta, PSIC, Integrity Commissioner, CFIA
Rating: 
5

David Hutton – October 16, 2012

The first thing to understand about the XL Foods recall is that it was almost certainly preventable. As in all such incidents, those responsible would have us believe it was some kind of fluke, unforeseeable and beyond human control. This is unlikely.

The systems used to protect food safety in modern facilities work superbly when properly implemented. They are based upon Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), a system devised by NASA to safeguard the food of its astronauts.

British Medical Association head calls for more protection for whistleblowers

Topics: 
UK, Health care, Legislation
Rating: 
2

Warren Manger – October 11, 2012

A Coventry doctor who leads the British Medical Association wants more protection for whistleblowers. Mark Porter, who chairs the BMA council, plans to lobby the Department of Health to review the law.

Last week the British Medical Association held a conference on whistleblowing with Patients First. Dr Porter told the Health Service Journal: “There is a very clear perception that the Department of Health needs to find a way to change the victimisation of whistleblowers into their celebration.”

Union Calls for XL worker voices to be heard – including whistleblower protection

Topics: 
Food industry, Food safety, Alberta, Legislation
Rating: 
0

PSAC – October 7, 2012

The beef recall is the largest in Canadian history and is impacting the plant, the retail outlets, as well as our union Sisters and Brothers, and their friends and family. Please take a minute to read this article, prepared by the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 401, about what's happening at Lakeside.

Union Calls for XL Worker Voices to be Heard in the Shadow of the XL Foods Safety Crisis. The United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 401 is asking XL “Lakeside” and appropriate levels of government, the media, and all policy makers to listen to workers’ concerns as we all contemplate the safety of Alberta Beef.

Huffin’ and Puffin’ – How Canada Ignores Its Own Whistleblowers

Topics: 
PSIC, Legislation, PSDPA, Mario Dion
Rating: 
0

Andrew Brennan — Published October 10, 2012

In case you missed it, last week the American military reclassified Julian Assange and his whistleblowing organization Wikileaks as enemies of the United States. He’s being placed into the same box as al Qaeda terrorists and the Taliban.

Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for months, fighting extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault.

Selected Whistleblower Legislation

Topics: 
Legislation
Rating: 
0

There are countless laws around the world that can be claimed to have have a bearing on whistleblower cases. However many of these provisions have little value in practice, for a host of reasons, and don't merit being described as whistleblower laws.

The following list focuses on a few laws that are significant in our judgment. These are mostly substantive, standalone pieces of legislation that have been implemented with some degree of success in countries where the rule of law applies.

Alberta municipalities oppose whistleblower protection

Topics: 
Municipalities, Alberta, Legislation
Rating: 
4

David Hutton – September 13, 2012

The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) has come out against whistleblower protection for municipal employees. In a letter to Alberta mayors, councillors and CAOs the association argues that the legislation now being prepared by the provincial government should not apply to municipalities.

This message to AUMA members comes in response to consultations being carried out by Service Alberta to inform the development of the new law.

Historic day for Australian capital: whistleblower legislation

Topics: 
Australia, Government ethics, Legislation
Rating: 
3

A J Brown – August 24, 2012

Sometimes, strange things happen in politics. Usually it is only in opposition that political parties champion meaningful reforms aimed at increased government openness, integrity and accountability. In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Assembly yesterday, the priority given by the Gallagher government to new public interest disclosure or ''whistleblowing'' legislation, with the support of the ACT Greens, stands in sharp contrast.

As a result, ACT public servants and contractors will have new tailor-made rules aimed at ensuring they can speak up about wrongdoing or maladministration in government - within government, and if necessary, by going to the media.

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