Mario Dion

Whistleblower groups resign in protest from whistleblower watchdog committee

Topics: 
Democracy Watch, Allan Cutler, Mario Dion, Integrity Commissioner, PSIC
Rating: 
0

October 23, 2012

Press Release: Whistleblower groups resign in protest from whistleblower watchdog committee after Integrity Commissioner removes group for critical comments

OTTAWA – Today, Canadians for Accountability and Democracy Watch announced that they have resigned from the Advisory Committee for the federal Integrity Commissioner (PSIC) because Integrity Commissioner Mario Dion kicked a member off the Committee for making comments critical of his actions and track record. Despite requests, he has refused to reinstate the member.

Commissioner Dion removed David Hutton, Executive Director of  Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform (FAIR), from the Committee last week in response to a critical letter by him published in the Ottawa Citizen on October 13th.

Has anything changed at the Integrity Commissioner’s Office?

Topics: 
PSIC, Integrity Commissioner, Mario Dion
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Allan Cutler – October 22, 2012

It appears that the more things change, the more they remain the same. When Christine Ouimet was replaced as Canada’s integrity commissioner under a cloud of scandal, Mario Dion was brought in as interim commissioner.

A change of culture and approach were promised. Dion repeatedly made assurances that his office was doing work to the highest standard. He has also said that if he had any limitations on his powers, they were the result of the law that created the office.

Integrity commissioner says criticism deters whistleblowers

Topics: 
Integrity Commissioner, PSIC, Mario Dion, David Hutton
Rating: 
0
Mario Dion

Andrew Duffy – October 19, 2012

Public Sector Integrity Commissioner Mario Dion says a watchdog group’s public criticism of his agency has undermined its work and discouraged government whistleblowers from coming forward. The Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform (FAIR) has been ordered removed from the integrity commissioner’s advisory panel.

The Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner was established in 2007 to protect federal whistleblowers and investigate their claims. Last week, FAIR’s director described the commissioner’s office as a “black hole” into which public service whistleblower allegations too often disappear.

Whistleblowers are ignored, sidelined and silenced

Topics: 
PSIC, Integrity Commissioner, Watchdogs, Allan Cutler, Mario Dion
Rating: 
4

Allan Cutler & Martin McGreal – October 16, 2012

One of Ottawa’s open secrets is on the table again. The people mandated to help and protect whistleblowers within the federal public service evidently do the opposite.

This conclusion should be drawn from the recent Federal Court decision that underscores how whistleblowers are ignored, sidelined and silenced by the very body whose mandate it is to protect them and to expose wrongdoing.

Whistleblowers deserve better

Topics: 
Integrity Commissioner, PSIC, Watchdogs, Mario Dion, David Hutton
Rating: 
5

Ottawa Citizen – October 13, 2012

Re: Judge slams probe into whistleblower complaints, Oct. 10.

The Federal Court’s recent ruling on shoddy investigations carried out by the government’s whistleblower watchdog is devastating, setting out a litany of violations of procedural fairness. But it was refreshing to see the learned judge confirm in plain language what we have been hearing from whistleblowers for years — because regrettably, this is not an isolated case.

Since the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner’s office was established our small charity has received calls from more than 30 whistleblowers and their lawyers who have tried to use this agency. Nearly all have voiced the same frustrations: this office is a “black hole” into which they deposit serious allegations but hear nothing back — and nothing happens as a result.

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

Topics: 
PSIC, Legislation, PSDPA, Mario Dion
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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.

Federal judge slams shoddy probe into whistleblower complaints

Topics: 
PSIC, Integrity Commissioner, Watchdogs, Mario Dion
Rating: 
5

Andrew Duffy – October 10, 2012

A Federal Court judge has slammed the investigative work of a government agency that’s supposed to probe allegations of wrongdoing in the public service. Justice Anne Mactavish said the agency’s investigation into the reprisal complaints of whistleblower Charbel El-Helou lacked both fairness and thoroughness.

El-Helou, an Ottawa public servant, says he faced on-the-job harassment and career roadblocks in 2009 after he disclosed potential wrongdoing within his office. In her decision, Judge MacTavish ordered the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada to re-investigate two of El-Helou’s reprisal complaints.

Latest integrity commissioner’s report much like those under Ouimet

Topics: 
Integrity Commissioner, PSIC, Mario Dion
Rating: 
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Ian Bron, Allan Cutler – July 2, 2012

“Feds rooting out wrongdoing in the public sector,” the headline read in several regional newspapers. The basis of this claim is the annual report from the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner. In the report, the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, Mario Dion, claims that the office is receiving more complaints of wrongdoing than at any time previously.

Yet this has translated into only a single case of confirmed wrongdoing since Dion took office. Making grandiose claims of success on the basis of just one case highlights the similarities rather than the differences between Dion and his now-disgraced predecessor, Christiane Ouimet.

Whistleblowing is on the rise, watchdog says

Topics: 
PSIC, Integrity Commissioner, PSDPA, Mario Dion
Rating: 
0

Jordan Press – June 18, 2012

More public-sector workers are coming forward with allegations of wrongdoing and reprisals in the workplace - which is continuing a year-over-year trend, reports the public sector integrity commissioner.

Mario Dion's annual report, tabled in the Senate last week, shows a 15-per-cent increase of reports from bureaucrats concerned someone in their office is violating the public trust or public purse.

Canada’s federal integrity commissioner defends office

Topics: 
PSIC, Mario Dion
Rating: 
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Mario Dion – April 30, 2012

Re: “Canada’s integrity commissioner: in full pursuit of the inconsequential,” (The Hill Times, April 23, p. 15).

Last December, I accepted a seven-year term as Canada’s public sector integrity commissioner because I strongly believed in the mandate of the office and felt that I would be able to successfully implement the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, as Parliament intended it to be.

After reading David Hutton’s opinion piece in The Hill Times, I felt it would be appropriate for me to take this opportunity to explain the mandate of my office and to counter the assertion that we are involved in any inconsequential work.

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