Alberta bill to update whistleblower rules
EDMONTON The Alberta government is changing its whistleblower rules to offer more protection for those who come forward.
A proposed bill makes clear that government members, ministers and the premier can be investigated under any whistleblowing complaint. The bill was introduced in the legislature Tuesday by Christina Gray, minister responsible for democratic renewal.
“This bill would help ensure government accountability, ethics and transparency,” Gray told the house. “It will do this by helping to increase the chances of wrongdoing being both reported and addressed.”
It’s the first major revision to the Public Interest Disclosure Act, which was passed by the former Progressive Conservative government in 2013.
The act already sets out rules for bureaucrats who report gross mismanagement of public funds. The proposed amendments would broaden that mismanagement to include bullying and harassment.
Anyone who currently comes forward with a complaint is not safe from reprisal until a formal complaint has been filed. Under the proposed changes, that protection would begin as soon as someone complained to a supervisor.
Also, under current rules, if a whistleblower is punished or reprimanded for coming forward, there is no recourse. The proposed legislation would give the Labour Relations Board the power to weigh in with the equivalent power of a court order.
The act also ensures that the names of whistleblowers, or other information that could identify them, are not released in freedom-ofinformation requests.