Evidence of meeting #16 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was whistle-blowing.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Senior Fellow, Centre for Free Expression Whistleblowing Initiative and Coordinator, Canadian COVID-19 Accountability Group
For now, it would be more of an advisory role, to help people coming forward. The classic ombudsman role is not necessarily to assign accountability; it's to help resolve disputes, to get to the bottom of matters and to facilitate the correction of problems.
In order to have the kinds of powers that the Integrity Commissioner has, you'd have to develop a law that would extend to both the public and the private sectors.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Mr. Cutler, in terms of those who have come to you and essentially disclosed issues they thought would be whistle-blowing, I'm curious to find out if you are coaching them in terms of offering advice on how to document and gather evidence in order to build that case so that we can find the culprits within the system.
President, Anti-Corruption and Accountability Canada and Member, Canadian COVID-19 Accountability Group
We always give them the advice. However, I have to be clear: The decision of how to use that advice is theirs. We're always clear on that because a lot of them will not go forward.
We've had some clear cases where proof has been brought to us of wrongdoing—and I mean proof in our hands—but we can't go forward because it would expose the whistle-blower. We will never damage the person who is bringing us the wrongdoing. We won't take that risk.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Gentlemen, thank you so much for your time. I appreciate it.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Robert Gordon Kitchen
Thank you very much, Mr. Drouin.
With that, I would like to thank all three witnesses, Mr. Bron, Mr. Cutler and Mr. Holman, for being with us today and for bearing with us because of the votes we had that delayed us a little bit. We do appreciate your sticking with us for this length of time.
I would also like to thank the interpreter and the technicians, as well as the analysts and the clerk, for bearing with us as we went through that.
That being said, I see that my clock reads 5:07, and I said we started at 3:08, which means we are one minute ahead of time.
Thank you very much, everybody, for being with us.
I call this meeting adjourned.