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

RCMP's bias-free policing policy inadequate: CRCC

RCMP's bias-free policing policy inadequate: CRCC
The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission's report released today also says national training related to unbiased policing is lacking. The watchdog says the policy should require recurring bias training.

RCMP's bias-free policing policy inadequate: CRCC

Foster mother granted escorted temporary absences

Foster mother granted escorted temporary absences
The Parole Board of Canada says in a written decision that it has granted Tammy Goforth supervised visits in the community for personal development purposes.

Foster mother granted escorted temporary absences

B.C. to end quarantine program for foreign workers

B.C. to end quarantine program for foreign workers
The ministry says the program for seasonal agriculture workers ends Thursday because of the easing of federal travel restrictions and high vaccination rates for incoming workers that allows them to go directly to their farms.

B.C. to end quarantine program for foreign workers

PBO says minimum sentence costs $98 million yearly

PBO says minimum sentence costs $98 million yearly
Budget officer Yves Giroux's report focuses on costs related to the three-year minimum sentence for possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition, in force since 2008.    

PBO says minimum sentence costs $98 million yearly

More RCMP to bolster Russia war crimes probe

More RCMP to bolster Russia war crimes probe
Canada was one of several dozen countries to refer the Ukraine situation to the prosecutor's office of the court. Mendicino said Canada was sending the additional police resources at the request of the prosecutor's office.    

More RCMP to bolster Russia war crimes probe

287 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

287 COVID19 cases for Tuesday
There are 273 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 46 are in intensive care. In the past 24 hours, one new death (Northern Health) has been reported, for an overall total of 2,990.

287 COVID19 cases for Tuesday