Harper unveils "Accountability Act"

Scroll down for all parts of the proposed Act


The Whistleblower proposal

Provide real protection for whistleblowers

There have been many examples over the years of reprisals against government whistleblowers, including public servants who helped reveal the Sponsorship Scandal, and others who exposed waste and abuse in the Department of Foreign Affairs. After pressure from the opposition and whistleblowers themselves, the Liberals brought forward weak legislation to deal with the issue. Much more still needs to be done.

The plan
Stephen Harper will:

* Give the Public Service Integrity Commissioner the power to enforce compliance with the Act.
* Ensure that all Canadians who report government wrongdoing are protected, not just public servants.
* Remove the government’s ability to exempt Crown corporations and other bodies from the Act.
* Require the prompt public disclosure of information revealed by whistleblowers, except where national security or the security of individuals is affected.
* Ensure that whistleblowers have access to the courts and that they are provided with adequate legal counsel.
* Establish monetary rewards for whistleblowers who expose wrongdoing or save taxpayers dollars.