Special Concerns
As whistleblowers come to us, patterns begin to emerge over time: there seem to be certain industries that have more problems, certain departments that are more troubled than others. Here are the first two of a growing list of issues that we see as particularly pervasive and important to Canadians.
Aviation Safety
A remarkable event took place in Ottawa on April 21, 2009 – the Aviation Safety Round Table, a gathering of aviation industry insiders and observers including whistleblowers, union officials, former pilots and inspectors.
What we learned at this gathering was shocking. We heard that Transport Canada is simply walking away from its mandate and turning over responsibility for safety to industry. It is doing this without any mandate from Parliament, and in defiance of all the evidence that this policy is reckless and has already cost many lives.
Hard to believe? Check for yourself. All of the presentations are available online at a new website that FAIR helped to develop ( www.SafeSkies.ca ) which is complete with video and transcripts, so that you can experience the Round Table almost as though you were there.
What's next? Safeskies is a first step towards forming an alliance of individuals and industry representatives with the aim of improving aviation safety, holding Transport Canada accountable to the public, and restoring Canadian’s faith in aviation safety. FAIR will continue to support the efforts of this new organization.
Read more: Aviation Safety In Canada
White-Collar Crime
FAIR has had numerous whistleblowers come to us with reports of serious financial mismanagement and fraud, in both government departments and in corporations. Almost none of these people have had their allegations properly investigated, and most have lost their jobs and had their lives destroyed for trying to get these problems addressed.
In Canada we rarely read about white-collar crime in our newspapers, except for occasional high-profile cases like Earl Jones and Conrad Black. But anyone who is prepared to do some digging will quickly find evidence that paints a disturbing picture.
White-collar crime can occur in any organization but our main concern is with the financial investment industry. This industry stands out in several ways:
- behind a polished veneer of respectability it systematically participates in and encourages practices that harm its own customers;
- it is rarely the victim and usually the beneficiary of the scams and abuses that result; and
- it preys on the most vulnerable – small investors, often elderly, who put their life savings in the hands of institutions that they believe to be both trustworthy and strongly regulated.
The unfortunate reality is that when it comes to protecting its citizens from white-collar crime and predatory practices within the financial industry, Canada resembles a third-world country.
Read more: White-Collar Crime In Canada
