Alberta to introduce whistleblower legislation
Critics worry Public Disclosure Act won't protect whistleblowers
The Alberta government is bringing in new whistleblower legislation Tuesday and critics want to see what safeguards will be in place for those who step forward.
The legislation will be in Bill 4, the Public Interest Disclosure Act.
It will encourage anyone in the public service to report problems or wrongful activity while also being able to keep their anonymity and their jobs.
House Leader Dave Hancock has said there will be a process in place for whistleblowers to report their concerns to someone within their department or to an independent officer of the legislature.
Opposition Liberal Laurie Blakeman says that she is worried that the bill — which will be tabled on Tuesday — will simply create a bureaucratic maze that won't serve anyone's needs.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says it's happy to see the legislation, but says the person receiving the complaints needs to be independent of the legislature.