6/6 Notably, the #Ontario Securities Commission also has a reward program for #whistleblowing in the financial sector. Though not as well known as the programs in the US, awards are accumulating
www.osc.ca/en/enforceme...

5/6 The case is discussed during an online panel held by the Toronto Metropolitan University Centre for Free Expression, as well as another. It's a long video, but the relevant bit starts precisely at the 42 minute mark
cfe.torontomu.ca/events/there...

4/6 The employer also tried to countersue for defamation, but it was thrown out. This is a great victory, but this course of action is not available to every whistleblower. Going to court requires deep pockets and persistence. This is why robust legal protections are necessary

3/6 In this case, the judge flatly rejected the excuse made by the employer, which claimed that there were other legitimate business reasons. She also called the employer's witnesses unreliable, with their evidence "flatly contradicted by contemporaneous documents"

2/6 Most whistleblower protections in Canada and its provinces are only applicable to the public sector. There are brief protection clauses in some laws, such as in the realms of privacy, the environment, and long-term care. These are generally unenforced and ignored by industry

4/4 To make matters worse, there is an ongoing investigation by the Auditor General - and a lawsuit by the fired former head of AHS, Athana Mentzelopoulos. Either of these could uncover misconduct that Wyant could not. If so, the premier will have done herself more harm than good

3/4 Fortunately for Albertans, Judge Raymond Wyant was honest about the limitations of his findings. Unfortunately for Premier Smith, this is unlikely to accomplish the presumed intended goals of the investigation: rebuilding confidence and dispelling public concerns.

2/4 The investigation was hamstrung from the beginning, lacking full powers to compel the production of evidence and testimony, and had to deal with document dumps and refusals to cooperate

2/2 The @CFE_TMU have assessed all of Canada's federal and provincial #whistleblowing laws - in detail. You can find them at cfe.torontomu.ca/publications...

4/4 The report makes numerous recommendations for changes. Requiring a regular evaluation would be an excellent way to ensure that it constantly improves and becomes more effective in protecting the public interest

3/4 The regime failed to prevent the Lac-Mégantic train derailment, which cost 47 lives, and the Phoenix pay system debacle, which has cost over $3.5 billion to date. Whether there are other undetected failures is unknown due to the lack of transparency or an audit mechanism

2/4 The law needs to prioritize the protection of whistleblowers, which is flimsy at best. It is more effective in investigating wrongdoing but, overall, ensures that disclosures can be “managed” in ways that minimize reputational damage to the government and executives