Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act Adopted

OTTAWA, November 25, 2005 - Reg Alcock, President of the Treasury Board, said today that he was extremely pleased with the adoption of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (Bill C-11).

“The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act assures public servants they have an effective and reliable mechanism to report wrongdoing in the workplace,” said Minister Alcock. “This is an excellent example of how parliamentarians can work in the best interest of Canadians.”

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, which studied the bill, proposed numerous amendments, including one to create a new Public Sector Integrity Commissioner reporting directly to Parliament. The Government listened to the views of the Committee and brought forward the motions to create the position of Public Sector Integrity Commissioner.

“The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act is the result of the outstanding work by the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, and the active support of the Senate to pass this legislation in the best interest of the public service and of Canadians,” said Minister Alcock.

The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act was introduced in the House of Commons on October 8, 2004. The purpose of the Act is to encourage public servants to report wrongdoing in the public sector, protect those who make disclosures, and ensure a fair and objective process for those against whom allegations are made. The legislation is part of the Government’s commitment to ensure transparency, accountability, financial responsibility and ethical conduct in the public sector, and rebuild the faith and confidence of Canadians in public institutions.

“The Government of Canada is committed to a public service in which employees can honestly and openly raise concerns without fear or threat of reprisal. That is why Bill C-11 was tabled in the first place,” added Minister Alcock. “This important piece of legislation will support the ability of public servants to continue serving Canadians with honour, integrity and excellence.”

-30-

For more information, contact:

This news release is available online at: www.hrma-agrh.gc.ca