In today’s news, it was revealed that the Ontario Provincial Police are investigating several Ontario bureaucrats – no politicians involved in this one, much to the provincial Liberals’ relief. It seems that they were accepting kickbacks for contracts they awarded. Anyone who thinks this practice is isolated is probably naïve: the heavy dependence on de facto sole-source contracting via standing offers (in which firms are placed on a list for certain services and don’t have to go through repeated competitions) practically invites this kind of abuse. Most public servants have enough integrity to avoid the temptation, but some don’t. They start small, with the little perks – say a few dinners – and it gradually snowballs until they hit the papers. Like George Radwanski, for example.
Sean Bruyea, one of our members, wrote a piece on accountability – this time linking the census issue with the Department of Veterans Affairs. It seems that DVA likes to play fast and loose with statistics in order to cut benefits to disabled veterans. Disgusting.
The federal government has tightened its lobbying rules. This is a direct response to the Guergis-Jaffer affair, in which improper influence was allegedly exerted by Jaffer (a lobbyist and former MP) and facilitated by his wife Guergis. Critics are sceptical, with some (i.e. the Liberals) suggesting it goes too far and others saying it doesn’t go far enough. Visit the Democracy Watch website for lots of information on the topic.
Also in the federal sphere, it appears that a recent recall of tainted deli meat is the result of a continued poor inspection regime. This comes just two years after the 2008 listeriosis outbreak that killed 22 Canadians. The Minister responsible for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Gerry Ritz, seems to think that poor record keeping is the problem. But, of course, he misses the point: it’s the deregulation, stupid.
Finally, there’s an interesting new study that shows that reprisals against whistleblowers is linked with organizational wrongdoing. It seems intuitively obvious, but it’s important because it allows us to say that where there is a reprisal taking place, there is probably wrongdoing – something always denied by the organization, of course.
There will be no Media Update this Thursday as I will be away.
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OPP Investigating Ontario Government Cleaning Contracts
Disabled Veterans Victims of Bureaucratic Statistical Games
Federal Government Tightens Lobbying Laws
Agriculture Minister Admits Meat Inspection Still Flawed
Study Shows Benefits of Anti-retaliation Policies
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OPP Investigating Ontario Government Cleaning Contracts
Carpet-cleaning contracts behind probe of Ontario ministries
Globe and Mail, August 4, 2010
Summary: Carpet-cleaning contracts are behind a criminal investigation at three Ontario government ministries, according to court records, with civil servants accused of accepting kickbacks and rigging bids to line their pockets with cash and electronics.
Immeubles gouvernementaux: présumées transactions financières irrégulières
La Presse, August 5, 2010
Summary: Des employés de Profac, filiale de SNC-Lavalin chargée de gérer la vaste majorité des immeubles du gouvernement fédéral et dont les services font déjà l’objet d’une vérification comptable à Ottawa, sont visés par une enquête policière menée dans trois ministères provinciaux de l’Ontario, laquelle vise également des employés du gouvernement ontarien et d’une autre société privée.
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Disabled Veterans Victims of Bureaucratic Statistical Games
Disabled veterans not just another statistic
The Hill Time (Ottawa), August 9, 2010
Summary: There are 600,000 Canadian Forces veterans. More than 50,000 of them are suffering permanent injuries and will need some form of support for the rest of their lives. Why was this statistical elephant in the room ignored? (Note that this op-ed is available to subscribers only)
Penny-wise and pound-foolish strategies of Canadian bureaucrats
South Asia Mail, August 2010
Summary: Pushback from central agencies is not just restricted to veterans but this appears to be the norm of the Canadian bureaucracy for everything else also – the practice to deny the rightful claim now and face the consequences later. It is time for our elected representatives to get involved and put bureaucrats on the right track of rational thinking. (Blog)
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Federal Government Tightens Lobbying Laws
Lobbying Act loophole to close: Day
CBC News, August 5, 2010
SummaryThe federal government will close a loophole in the Lobbying Act to include all MPs, senators and staff of opposition leaders as designated public office holders. The move will require lobbyists to report on their meetings with all parliamentarians, not just ministers and their parliamentary secretaries, Treasury Board President Stockwell Day said Thursday in Ottawa.
Ottawa resserre les règles du lobbyisme
La Presse, August 5, 2010
Summary: Le gouvernement Harper resserre les règles qui régissent les activités de lobbyisme à Ottawa. À partir du 20 septembre, les députés, les sénateurs et les cadres supérieurs du bureau du chef de l’opposition seront soumis aux mêmes exigences que les ministres et leurs adjoints.
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Agriculture Minister Admits Meat Inspection Still Flawed
A bone to pick: Agriculture minister admits to problems in Canada’s meat inspection
Vancouver Sun, August 5, 2010
Summary: Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz on Thursday acknowledged last week’s massive recall of all Brandt ready-to-eat deli meats exposes gaps in Canada’s meat inspection system.
23 sick from salmonella in headcheese and massive recall because of undercooking; Canadian agriculture minister states obvious, there’s problems in meat inspection
barfblog, August 5, 2010
Summary: Food safety blogger Doug Powell criticizes Minister Gerry Ritz’s focus on paperwork in relation to recent deli meat recall’
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Study Shows Benefits of Anti-retaliation Policies
Study shows benefits of anti-retaliation policies
Whistleblowers Protection Blog, August 4, 2010
Summary: The Ethics Resource Center has just released a report from its 2009 National Business Ethics Survey. The report, called “Retaliation: The Cost to Your Company and Its Employees,” documents how companies that tolerate retaliation suffer increased levels of employee misconduct. The report documents how the employees’ mere perception of retaliation is sufficient to deter reporting of misconduct.
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Outgoing Head of UN Oversight Office Implies Secretary-General Complicit in Corruption
Cleaning up at the UN
Financial Post, August 4, 2010
Summary: Last year, a memo from a Norwegian diplomat described United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as “spineless and charmless.” Two weeks ago, an even more critical memo was leaked, from the outgoing head of the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), Inga-Britt Ahlenius, accusing the SG of being flagrantly obstructive of her attempts to clean up the organization’s persistent corruption. According to her memo, “[Y]our actions are not only deplorable, but seriously reprehensible.”
