Government Operations committee  Mr. Fergus, when a criminal complaint is made, an investigation is conducted. You don't say that you don't believe the person who made the complaint and that you won't investigate. Someone will actually investigate and report back, and then a decision will be made. If a person files an unwarranted complaint, they will pay with their career.

Government Operations committee  If you're talking about an initial decision maker, the answer is simple: never. The initial decision-maker collects the complaint and an investigation must be conducted. There is no smoke without fire. When someone reports illegal or criminal actions, when they come out of the shadows to make a complaint, but they aren't believed and the complaint isn't examined, it stays in the shadows.

Government Operations committee  Protecting whistle-blowers and people who witness wrongdoing and support whistle-blowers in their efforts is crucial. People have lost their lives, their careers, their homes, their relationships. We need a much broader and more detailed framework than what we have now. It would save lives.

Government Operations committee  I want to begin by thanking the committee for listening to our stories. It's important. My name is Julie Dion. I'm 55 years old, and I worked for the federal government from 2000 to 2015. I defended whistle-blower Luc Sabourin. I was recruited in February 2008 by the senior analyst in the records section, the very person who was the unit's tormentor.