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The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Bill: A Chronology
March 22, 2004
Ottawa, Ontario
BACKGROUNDER
December 1996 - The Task Force on Values and Ethics issues the report, A Strong Foundation, also known as the Tait Report, “to help the public service to rediscover and understand its basic values and assist the public service to recommit to and act on those values in all of its work.”
1999 - As Deputy Minister Co-Champions of Values and Ethics in the Public Service of Canada, Janice Cochrane and Scott Serson lead the federal government’s ongoing discussion related to the development of a Statement of Principles.
October 2001 - After consulting with their Deputy Minister colleagues, and with the support of the Clerk, the Co-Champions launch consultations on a draft Statement of Principles, resulting in input from almost 10,000 public service employees across Canada.
Nov. 30, 2001 - Treasury Board adopts a new Internal Disclosure Policy, in which all deputy heads are required to designate a senior officer responsible for receiving information about alleged wrongdoing in the workplace. Additionally, the policy creates the position of a Public Service Integrity Officer – a neutral, third party agent available to deal with disclosures that an employee believes cannot be raised internally, or have not been dealt with adequately within a department. Reprisal from good faith disclosure is prohibited under the policy.
2002 - The Treasury Board Secretariat takes on a parallel process of revising the Conflict of Interest and Post Employment Code for the Public Service. The revisions take place under the direction of an interdepartmental committee. Focus groups are held with employees across the country.
June 19, 2003 - The Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service is announced by the President of the Treasury Board.
Sept. 1, 2003 - The Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service comes into effect and is a condition of employment. Breaches to the Code are made one of the grounds for disclosure of wrongdoing in Internal Disclosure Policy.
September 2003 - The first annual report of the Public Service Integrity Officer recommends a legislative regime applicable to the entire federal public sector.
Sept. 29, 2003 - The President of the Treasury Board announces an external working group to review internal disclosure protection in the federal public service, and the feasibility of legislating protection.
November 2003 - The Government Operations and Estimates Committee’s report recommends the introduction of legislation to facilitate disclosure of wrongdoing and the protection of whistleblowers.
Dec. 12, 2003 - The Prime Minister says that Canadians have every right to expect that their public office holders will act in accordance with the highest standards and commits his government to functioning in an ethical and transparent manner.
January 2004 - The Report of the external working group on the disclosure of wrongdoing recommends a legislative regime for the disclosure of wrongdoing.
Jan. 31, 2004 - Denis Coderre, Minister responsible for the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada says whistleblowing legislation is a top priority and that he intends to take a proposal to Cabinet for approval that will protect federal workers who expose government wrongdoing from retaliation.
Feb 10, 2004 - Minister Coderre announces that the government will introduce legislation no later than March 31, 2004
Mar 22, 2004 - Minister Coderre tables the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Bill in the House of Commons.
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