Whistleblower Protection
The Issue
Public or private sector employees who report illegal, unethical or abusive institutional behaviour typically face retaliation, which can include discipline, ostracism, social stigmatization, demotion, dismissal, and criminal charges. Laws in Canada to protect whistleblowers are largely ineffective and sometimes counterproductive -- the legal forum created by the laws can be a vehicle for formally endorsing the retaliation.
Why It Matters
Whistleblowing serves vital institutional and public purposes. It allows issues of concern to be identified and resolved internally, where possible, and, where not, it brings alleged wrongdoing to public attention so problems can be corrected and future harm avoided.
Our Work
The tasks of the Centre for Free Expression Whistleblowing Initiative include:
- Organize public events on whistleblowing;
- Evaluate existing whistleblowing laws in Canada;
- Make recommendations for new / improved Canadian whistleblowing laws;
- Maintain an up-to-date database of major whistleblowing cases in Canada;
- Conduct benchmarking research in Canada on organizational whistleblowing; practices in both the public and private sectors;
- Assist with the adoption of effective public and private sector organizational whistleblowing policy and procedures;
- Establish an advice line to support whistleblowers;
- Publish a regular Whistleblowing Newsletter;
- Represent Canada in the Whistleblowing International Network