Vision and Plans
Our Vision
FAIR's vision of the future is that our institutions and corporations operate with transparency, integrity and accountability, to the benefit of all Canadians:
An Informed, Positive Attitude Towards Truth-tellers
- Speaking up in the workplace about public interest concerns is considered a natural, expected and honourable course of action
A Disclosure & Protection System In Place And Seen To Be Working
- Whistleblower protection legislation is in place covering all employees in all sectors
- Most employers have effective internal disclosure & protection mechanisms in place
- Effective external disclosure & protection mechanisms exist to take effect when internal disclosure is ineffective or impractical
- Visible measures of effectiveness are in place, and these demonstrate that the system is working
Employee Support Available
- Information and guidance are readily available to employees who have public interest concerns, to help them to raise these in an effective, legal and appropriate manner
Our Plans For Change
FAIR's strategic plan is designed to support this vision. We expect that other organizations and individuals will also identify with this vision and contribute in their own ways e.g. by supporting our efforts or acting independently.
Education and Awareness
Conduct an ongoing research, education and awareness campaign, e.g:
- Publish informed commentary on whistleblower-related issues
- Create introductory materials for specific lay audiences
- Publish a book about whistleblowing in Canada
- Cooperate with media and documentary makers who approach us
- Participate in conferences and public events that explain the importance of whistleblowing to the integrity of our institutions
- Highlight selected whistleblower cases using a case study approach
Monitoring and Improvement of Legislation
Monitor the implementation and performance of existing legislation, e.g:
- Monitor implementation of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, and the effectiveness of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
- Monitor the establishment of suitable performance measures - e.g. employee surveys to measure awareness, perceptions and experience
- Conduct research comparing Canadian legislation with UN Anti-Corruption Convention model
- Produce periodic reports on the status and performance of Canada's whistleblower protection system
Participate in efforts to improve the legislation and its implementation, e.g:
- Work with the Public Service Integrity Commissioner, Senators, Members of Parliament, Unions and other NGOs
- Participate in conferences and workshops to examine the current legislation and develop proposals for improvement
Employee Support
Provide self-help information to all who contact us, e.g:
- Online self-administered questionnaire to determine type of situation
- Step-by-step guidance specific to Canada
- Lists of laws and policies that govern the rights of public servants
- Lists of resources and agencies by region that support whistleblowers
- Directory of specialists familiar with the law as well as the medical/health issues of whistleblowers suffering reprisals
Provide free, confidential personalized guidance in selected cases, e.g:
- Help callers to make informed decisions before they act, e.g. by helping to clarify their situation and their options, and by providing referrals
- Maintain a database for gathering statistical information on all contacts
Strengthening the Organization
Our internal plans for strengthening FAIR cover the following areas:
- Maintaining a strategic plan capable of guiding future actions
- Broadening direct (citizen) involvement and expanding our capabilities
- Securing funding as necessary to support key initiatives
- Identifying potential allies and building win-win relationships
- Exploring new technology to support communications
