Close X
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. expands employee whistleblower protections

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Apr, 2022 02:59 PM
  • B.C. expands employee whistleblower protections

VICTORIA - Whistleblower protections are being extended to more public-sector employees in British Columbia as part of an expansion of the Public Interest Disclosure Act.

The Ministry of Attorney General says in a statement the act applies to government ministry staff and independent offices of the legislature, but as of Friday it also includes employees at most provincial tribunals, agencies, boards and commissions.

The statement says the act, which became law in December 2019, allows employees to share information about wrongdoings that affect the public interest with designated officers or the Office of the Ombudsperson without reprisals.

The ministry says more agencies, boards and commissions will be covered by the protections later this year followed by health authorities and the education sector over the next two years.

The whistleblower protection law was introduced following a report by ombudsperson Jay Chalke into the 2012 firing of eight Health Ministry workers, one of whom later died by suicide.

A B.C. government employees union lawyer told the province's public inquiry into money laundering last year that better whistleblower protections for front-line casino workers may have prevented illegal cash from circulating at gaming venues.

MORE National ARTICLES

Pandemic stalls B.C. associate physician plan

Pandemic stalls B.C. associate physician plan
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia proposed the new role of associate physician in April 2020 to address the province's health-care needs, allowing doctors who weren't eligible for a full licence to work under physician supervision.    

Pandemic stalls B.C. associate physician plan

B.C.'s minimum wage to go up to $15.65 an hour

B.C.'s minimum wage to go up to $15.65 an hour
The British Columbia government is pushing the minimum wage up to $15.65 an hour, which it says is the highest among the provinces. Labour Minister Harry Bains announced today that the hourly wage will jump by 45 cents starting June 1.

B.C.'s minimum wage to go up to $15.65 an hour

5 Indian students dead in Canada highway accident

5 Indian students dead in Canada highway accident
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have identified them as Jaspinder Singh, 21, Karanpal Singh, 22, Mohit Chouhan, 23, Pawan Kumar, 23, and Harpreet Singh, 24. They were pronounced dead on the scene.

5 Indian students dead in Canada highway accident

Fed study details groups hit hardest by tax system

Fed study details groups hit hardest by tax system
Women were more likely than men to lose out on 60 per cent or more of their extra earnings, which the recently released analysis chalks up to their slightly greater reliance on federal supports.

Fed study details groups hit hardest by tax system

Canadian professor in Ukraine longs for peace

Canadian professor in Ukraine longs for peace
The sirens can go on for 15 minutes, or as long as two hours. One Saturday-night alarm lasted three hours. The sirens go off two or three times a day, but so far, the city has been spared any bombings.

Canadian professor in Ukraine longs for peace

Clocks jump ahead in most of Canada on Sunday

Clocks jump ahead in most of Canada on Sunday
Only Yukon and most of Saskatchewan observe permanent daylight time and won't change their clocks with the rest of Canada early Sunday. B.C. outlined a plan to switch permanently in 2019, but the legislation did not set a date because the province is waiting for Washington, Oregon and California to also approve the change.

Clocks jump ahead in most of Canada on Sunday