[Rintaran]

Recently discussion came up about creating a whistleblowing organization, similar to what the Czech Pirate Party is doing ( see http://www.ceskapozice.cz/en/news/politics-policy/czech-wikileaks-collaborator-pirateleaks-set-dec-21-launch ). Through the discussion, the current whistleblowing commission here in Canada was brought up, the Public Sector Integrity Canada (PSIC established 2007, found here: http://www.psic-ispc.gc.ca ).

The problem has been with PSIC not having the teeth, and not having the will to investigate allegations against people in the Federal Public Service. PSIC has been in the news quite a bit lately (yes, I know these are pretty much all from one place):

Dec 9 - Auditor General Slams Integrity Watchdog
Dec 9 - Auditor General urges new look at complaints shelved by whistleblower watchdog
Dec 10 - AG urges look at shelved complaints
Dec 10 - Whistleblowers still waiting for accountability to mean something
Dec 10 - Whistleblowers' watchdog didn't do her job, Fraser says
Dec 10 - Force disgraced ex-watchdog to appear before Parliament: MP
Dec 11 - MP wants to see watchdog in Parliament
Dec 14 - Interim Integrity Commissioner Named
Dec 14 - Opposition questions timing of naming interim integrity commissioner
Dec 20 - Former federal watchdog reluctant to sniff out wrongdoing: documents

A lot of this pretty much demonstrates my point about the current government-tied whistleblower. The question that comes is whether PSIC can be fixed to work properly without instilling production-crippling 1984-style fear, and have the ability to perform properly, if it should be released from the government and work entirely independant, or if it should be shut down and the funds used for something else (or not used for anything and allowed to reduce our debt/deficit)?

Additionally, as this is directly tied both to transparency and privacy, should the PPCA have an official stance on PSIC?

[Ayes]

I'd throw in my vote for a PSICleaks.ca type deal, and additionally staff the PSIC with a diverse citizen council.

[Mikkel Paulson]

I do like the irony of leaking information about PSIC…