Public Sector Integrity Commissioner Joe Friday has committed a massive breach of confidentiality by mistakenly releasing whistleblower investigation records, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..The commissioner released 2,324 pages of detailed records of whistleblower investigations at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)..Whistleblowers are identified in the files by name, email, phone number, address and what allegations the person holds against coworkers and managers..The CRA’s defined “protected information” leak includes confidential internal messages and interventions by lawyers and union representatives..The release of information is illegal under section 44 of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act..The act states the commissioner “shall not disclose any information that comes to their knowledge in the performance of their duties under the Act.”.“I am prohibited from identifying a whistleblower by name,” said Friday while testifying at the 2017 hearings of the Commons government operations committee. “We do not do that.”.“The act requires that we identify the nature of the allegations but never the name of the whistleblower,” said Friday..“That is part of the concept of natural justice and procedural fairness.”.The commissioner added it was “not uncommon during an investigation for a potential wrongdoer to speculate as to who the discloser might be. We would never give that information in the course of an investigation.”.Friday said privacy was essential since “the fear of reprisal exists” against whistleblowers. “Over the years my office has made efforts within its capacity to collect information on the issue and try to identify ways to diminish the fear.”. CRA-leaked-docCourtesy of Blacklock’s Reporter .When the commissioner submitted thousands of records in a third-party lawsuit, the privacy breach came out in federal court, when the whistleblowers’ complaints had nothing to do with the court proceedings..A minimum of 29 whistleblower complaints at the Agency were revealed, including an allegation of discrimination against Revenue Commissioner Bob Hamilton..A complainant “alleges systemic bias and discrimination at the CRA,” wrote staff, “Bob Hamilton, commissioner, is named as the respondent.”.The documents included 15 active cases at the CRA’s Compliance Programs Branch..Complaints include bullying, conflict of interest, discrimination due to disability and family status, falsification of records, harassment, intimidation and nepotism..“The ongoing situation is complicating investigatory processes as new allegations are being added to existing files,” said a confidential Briefing Note For The Director General National Human Resources Programs Division..Investigators said so many grievances were filed that “if the respondents were to be made aware of the extent of the complaints filed against them it may impact their willingness to participate in this process.”.“Though all of the above-noted files do not appear to be interrelated the individual issues may speak to underlying issues that need to be addressed,” said the briefing note..Disclosures also included details of sick leave taken by executives named in complaints, investigators’ activity reports, disclosure forms, confidential letters and notices of disciplinary action..Few records were censored and all whistleblowers were named..The Integrity Commissioner was appointed in 2015, then Parliament reappointed Friday to a second term on March 23 at $216,000 a year..Ewa Sudyk is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.esudyk@westernstandard.news
