Petition to reintegrate whistleblower in Quebec
Apr 25, 2019
Whistleblower Louis Robert, agronomist and seed expert at the Quebec Agriculture, Fisheries and Food ministry, has been dismissed after speaking out against private sector interference in a public study on pesticide use.
Robert was fired for transmitting a confidential document to a reporter and contravening secrecy obligations.
The trade union of government professionals of Quebec (SPGQ), a PSI affiliate, has launched a petition that Louis Robert is reinstated in his job and receives a public pardon and compensation for all losses incurred since he was dismissed on 24 January 2019.
Quebec’s whistleblower law protects employees who disclose information within their department. But disclosure to the public is protected only if the employee believes there is a serious risk to health, safety or the environment.
At a meeting in Washington, DC, 17-18 April 2019 Canadian and US affiliates of the Public Services International (PSI) adopted the following resolution, calling on their members to support the petition for Louis Robert to be reinstated in his job:
PSI calls on all its affiliates to sign the petition to ensure the respect of all whistleblowers around the world.