FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 15, 2002

Whistle-blowing protection needed for public servants after Minister threatens to fire employees

Northern Development and Mines Minister Jim Wilson should resign for his comments about firing civil servants who provide public information, says the union representing the province’s public service workers.

Wilson told the Legislature last week that there are “Liberal and NDP bureaucrats” in the Ministry of Health who don’t want to help northern Ontario; he then threatened to fire non-Tories for releasing public information.

OPSEU President Leah Casselman, fresh from a tour of hospitals in six northern cities, said Tory policies have done serious harm to the north, especially health care and education. She demanded Wilson resign for maligning the people who work for his government.

“The minister is trying to throw a chill through the public service and prevent people from doing their jobs for the people of the province,” Casselman said. “This underscores the need for whistle-blowing protection for all civil servants.”

Casselman noted that the information that was made public on the Kapuskasing Hospital funding was public information that should be available to anyone, including Opposition parties.

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For further information:

Paul Bilodeau, OPSEU Communications: 416/443-8888 Ext. 780