Whistleblower protection needed, say Bevan-Baker, Lantz

The leaders of P.E.I.'s Green and Progressive Conservative parties are both calling for whistleblower legislation in response to the suspension of a registered nurse from her job after speaking to CBC News about a negative situation in her workplace.

Prince Edward Home nurse Beth Nicol was handed a three-month suspension by Health PEI earlier this month. While technically retired, Nicol was working full time due to a nursing shortage. Several sources have told CBC that she was suspended for talking with the media in March about how she felt management could do a better job at staffing during storms.

• Exclusive: Nurse suspended after talking to media

Green Party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker says this isn't an isolated incident and there are many documented cases of public and private sector employees on P.E.I. who "get turfed out" when they speak out about management.

'No retaliation, no retribution'

"It appears to me that it's another example of an employee on P.E.I. with, I think, the absolute honest intentions of trying to improve things in his or her workplace, and saying things, which maybe upset higher levels of management, and being blacklisted."

He said employees in both the public and private sector have to feel "safe and free to express their concerns" about workplace situations which may be unfair or inappropriate and that whistleblower legislation needs to be in place.

Bevan-Baker also says open dialogue is important.

"When you have people unwilling or scared to come forward to contribute to that conversation, then things don't get properly discussed and problems aren't resolved in the most efficient and effective way."

PC Leader Rob Lantz says employees shouldn't be scared to raise concerns on their own and also calls for a formal process through whistleblower legislation,

"So these complaints can be investigated and resolved and employees will know there's no chance of any adverse impact on their employment, no retaliation, no retribution, no anything of that sort," he said.