Connect with us
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=12]

Business

Whistleblower Advocacy Sounds the Alarm: Corruption Runs Wild Without Real Protections

Published

11 minute read

The Opposition with Dan Knight

Survey Exposes Glaring Gaps in Justice and Support for Whistleblowers in Ontario

Let’s be clear: whistleblowers are the unsung heroes standing between a functioning democracy and total government rot. But according to a new survey by the Whistleblowing Canada Research Society, Ontario’s legal system is failing them spectacularly. Funded by The Law Foundation of Ontario, the study surveyed lawyers who handle whistleblower cases. What it found should outrage every Canadian.

Whistleblowers face a gauntlet of obstacles—from legal and financial ruin to retaliation that destroys their careers and lives. The report paints a picture of a system designed to silence truth-tellers and protect the powerful.

The Findings: Whistleblowers Left in the Cold

  1. No Legal or Financial Safety Net:
    Whistleblowers risk everything to expose corruption, but when the lawsuits hit, they’re left on their own. The survey highlights the lack of publicly funded legal support, leaving courageous individuals to fend for themselves against deep-pocketed corporations or government lawyers.
  2. Culture of Fear:
    Want to speak up? Be prepared to lose your job, your reputation, and maybe even your family. Toxic workplace cultures and a cowardly “see no evil” mindset keep most people quiet.
  3. Lawyers Aren’t Ready:
    Shockingly, many legal professionals don’t even understand the laws meant to protect whistleblowers. The result? A justice system ill-equipped to handle cases where the stakes are the highest.

The Bright Spot: Not All Lawyers Are Afraid

Out of the 147 lawyers surveyed, 40 have stepped up, agreeing to take whistleblower cases and join a new directory on Whistleblowing Canada’s website. These are the legal warriors ready to fight for justice, but let’s be honest—40 lawyers in all of Ontario? That’s just a Band-Aid on a gaping wound.

Pamela Forward’s Warning

“This survey research underscores the gaps and barriers hindering whistleblowers from playing their vital role in society,” said Pamela Forward, President of Whistleblowing Canada Research Society.

Translation? If we don’t fix this broken system, corruption wins.

Why This Matters: The Whistleblower Cases That Expose the Rot of Corruption

Over the past three years, whistleblowers have been at the center of some of Canada’s biggest scandals. Each one reveals the price of speaking out—and the lengths to which our so-called leaders will go to hide their dirty laundry.

Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC):
This scandal emerged in early 2023, when whistleblowers within SDTC—a federal green fund intended to support sustainable technologies—raised alarms about rampant financial mismanagement. Senior executives were accused of approving large grants to companies with which they had personal ties, bypassing established funding protocols meant to ensure fairness and accountability. Investigations revealed that millions of taxpayer dollars had been misallocated, with some funds allegedly diverted for personal or non-environmental uses. CEO Leah Lawrence resigned in November 2023 amid mounting public and political pressure. By mid-2024, the fallout led to the dissolution of SDTC as an independent entity, marking a significant failure in oversight of a key federal initiative aimed at combating climate change.


ArriveCAN Contracting Fraud:
The $54 million ArriveCAN app, ostensibly developed to streamline Canada’s pandemic-era border protocols, became a lightning rod for controversy after whistleblowers exposed irregularities in its procurement process. Investigations revealed that GCStrategies, a consulting firm with ties to Liberal-affiliated individuals, acted as a middleman for contracts worth millions. The firm outsourced much of the app’s development to smaller subcontractors while retaining a significant cut of the funds. Critics questioned why the federal government didn’t rely on in-house developers, who could have completed the app for a fraction of the cost. The revelations sparked investigations by the RCMP and parliamentary committees, with whistleblowers alleging that government officials ignored proper oversight to steer contracts toward preferred vendors. Public outrage continues as investigations remain unresolved.


Chinese Election Interference:
In late 2022, a whistleblower within the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) leaked explosive documents detailing Beijing’s covert interference in Canada’s federal elections. According to the classified intelligence, the Chinese government funneled money to at least 11 candidates in the 2019 election and executed disinformation campaigns to influence voter behavior. These efforts were allegedly coordinated by China’s Ministry of State Security and the United Front Work Department, with the goal of securing a Liberal minority government while undermining Conservative candidates perceived as critical of Beijing. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was briefed on the interference but reportedly took no substantive action, sparking accusations that his government prioritized political convenience over national security. Further leaks in 2023 outlined similar interference in the 2021 election, leading to a public inquiry headed by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue. The whistleblower’s disclosures have intensified scrutiny on the Trudeau government’s handling of foreign interference.


Public Sector Integrity Commission’s Incompetence:
The Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, created to provide whistleblowers with a safe avenue to report misconduct in federal workplaces, has become emblematic of bureaucratic failure. As of October 2024, the office faced an overwhelming backlog, with some cases languishing for up to three years without resolution. Whistleblowers have reported losing faith in the system, with delays often leaving them exposed to retaliation while their allegations go unaddressed. Commissioner Harriet Solloway admitted that resource constraints and poor internal management have exacerbated the backlog, effectively rendering the office incapable of fulfilling its mandate. Critics argue that this dysfunction discourages whistleblowing and emboldens bad actors within the federal government.


SNC-Lavalin’s Never-Ending Fallout:
The SNC-Lavalin affair, though originating in 2019, continues to cast a long shadow over Canadian politics. At its core, the scandal involved allegations that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office improperly pressured then-Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to secure a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) for SNC-Lavalin, a Quebec-based engineering giant accused of bribery and fraud. Whistleblowers exposed the extent of political interference, leading to Wilson-Raybould’s

Trudeau’s Corruption and NDP Complicity: Laurentian Elites Are Selling Out Accountability

The Trudeau government’s corruption isn’t just a headline—it’s a pattern. A federal green fund turned into a slush fund, shady app contracts funneled to Liberal insiders, Chinese interference in our elections swept under the rug—it’s one scandal after another. And every time, Trudeau shrugs, dodges questions, and tells Canadians to trust him. Trust him? After yesterday’s non-confidence vote, it’s clear he doesn’t need Canadians’ trust as long as he has Jagmeet Singh and the NDP propping up his government.

Let’s not mince words: the NDP just sold out Canada’s integrity. Singh and his party could have stood for whistleblowers, accountability, and democracy. Instead, they chose to keep Trudeau’s corrupt regime afloat, betraying every Canadian who hoped for real leadership. It’s a disgrace, and it proves the NDP has become nothing more than a branch office of the Liberal Party.

The Real Takeaway

The Laurentian elites love to preach about transparency and fairness, but when whistleblowers come forward to expose the rot, those same elites close ranks. Why? Because the system works for them. Corruption is fine—as long as it benefits the right people. And make no mistake, in Trudeau’s Canada, “the right people” are his donors, his insiders, and anyone who helps him cling to power.

What about the people who risk everything to speak the truth? They’re treated like enemies of the state. Retaliation, ruined careers, and endless delays—this is how whistleblowers are punished for defending democracy.

If we don’t demand better, Canada’s message is clear: there’s no price for corruption, and there’s no reward for bravery. This isn’t just about Trudeau’s scandals or the NDP’s betrayal; it’s about whether we believe in the principles that make a free society work—truth, accountability, and justice.

Whistleblowers shouldn’t be punished—they should be celebrated. They’re the last line of defense in a government that has forgotten its duty to the people. It’s time to stop the rot, call out Trudeau’s corruption for what it is, and hold accountable every single person and party enabling it.

Canada deserves better than Trudeau’s Laurentian cronies and the NDP lackeys who keep them in power.

The Opposition is supported by our readers.
Please consider subscribing to receive our posts and support our work. 

Subscribe to The Opposition with Dan Knight .

For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.

Todayville is a digital media and technology company. We profile unique stories and events in our community. Register and promote your community event for free.

Follow Author

2025 Federal Election

The “Hardhat Vote” Has Embraced Pierre Poilievre

Published on

David Krayden's avatar David Krayden

Blue collar and unionized workers are supporting Pierre Poilievre and the CPC

When President Richard Nixon won a landslide in his 1972 reelection, he did so by broadening his own personal popularity and the appeal of the Republican Party to blue collar and unionized workers. It was called the hardhat vote and many working people embraced Nixon because he seemed to be talking the same language as they were. Nixon talked about law and order and getting tough on crime; safer streets and harsher penalties for serious crime. Although unionized workers had traditionally voted for the Democratic Party and seen the Republicans as the party of the wealthy, by 1972 the Democrats had moved far to the left on social issues and were completely out of touch with average Americans who saw Democratic presidential nominee Sen. George McGovern as being soft on crime and approving of the anarchy on the streets.

It’s precisely the language that Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievere is speaking in the 2025 federal election. As support for the New Democratic Party has collapsed throughout the election campaign, don’t think most of it is going to the Liberal Party. Poilievre has been targeting blue collar workers for years with his emphasis on the trades and talking about middle class tax cuts and safe streets. A factory or construction worker is middle class and just want an affordable lifestyle for their families. They don’t have a lot of time for the woke underbelly of the Liberals or the NDP and are increasingly reluctant to support either party because both have appealed to elites.

Listen to Karl Lovett, the president of the Local 773 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, talk about Carney corruption and why he is supporting Poilievre and the CPC in 2025.

“Mark Carney also failed to pay $5 billion in Canadian taxes by hiding his company’s assets in Bermuda above a bike shop. Hard to believe that information comes from Canada’s NDP, or at least who is left of them, because the irony is, Mark Carney has eaten all those people alive. Even the mayor of Lima has warned Canadians not to vote for Mark Carney, and why for ripping him off the poorest of the poor people in Peru. That’s who he ripped off,” Lovett said.

“Listen, there are countless other outrageous examples proving that Mark Carney doesn’t give a damn about the Canadian working man. And now, as prime minister, which he’s not, Carney is promising to put carbon tax and tariff on the auto industry. It’s another rip-off screen that’s right. We’re getting punched by Trump on one side of the border, and Carney plans to punch us on this side of the border, also pretending it’s all about climate change, and now he’s made millions off the workers’ backs. He wants more than money. He wants more power. He wants all of the power to do whatever he wants to do. Mark Carney cannot be trusted with this power. Mark Carney cannot be trusted to protect workers,” Lovett continued.

The union leader told a cheering crowd that “Mark Carney is in it for himself, and when he loses this election, you can bet Mark Carney is going to leave Canada in a New York minute. But there’s hope, there’s hope, there’s our last hope. His name is Pierre Poilievere – the .only hope for Canadian workers. You see Mark Carney fooled Justin Trudeau. We can’t let him keep fooling us.”

“Local 773, which I represent, knows Pierre Poilievre very well. We can proudly tell you that Pierre has our back. Pierre has been putting Canadian people to work and Canadian workers. First, local 773 began working with Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Member of Parliament Chris Lewis, some years ago, when it became all too clear that the Liberal Party had zero interest in helping out workers. Upon winning the leadership of the party, Pierre made Local 773 his very first priority, he came to my union hall. Pier made the Local 773 Visitor Training Center, and he met all our workers, and he made a pledge to me; he’s not going to turn his back on us, and I believe him,” Lovett said.

Toronto Sun columnist Joe Warmington agreed with me and you can hear that entire interview, below. “Labor wants to work, and they want to, you know, build things, and they want those good, paying jobs, and that’s what Poilievre has always been about, you know.”

“He wants more power. He wants all of the power to do whatever he wants to do. Mark Carney cannot be trusted with this power. Mark Carney cannot be trusted to protect workers,”

“Again, it’s hard to know, but I always felt … and I still think that Poilievre is going to pull this off because of these reasons that you’ve raised today, I never really bought into and again, I’m just one person’s opinion, and I go on the ground. In the air, the polls are saying, I know there’s this main street poll today, maybe it’ll swing differently. But in the air, it says one thing, and on the ground, it says another thing. And that clip you just showed, that’s the ground, that’s where the workers are, that’s where the families are.”

Continue Reading

2025 Federal Election

Poilievre will cancel Mark Carney’s new Liberal packaging law and scrap the Liberal plastic ban!

Published on

From Conservative Party Communications

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre promised today that a new Conservative government will stop Mark Carney’s proposed Liberal food tax and scrap the existing Liberal plastic ban. Poilievre will:

  • Stop proposed new labelling and packaging requirements that will raise the cost of fresh produce by as much as 34% and cost the average Canadian household an additional $400 each year.
  • Scrap the Liberal plastics ban, including the ban on straws, grocery bags, food containers and cutlery, and other single-use plastics, letting consumers and businesses choose what works for them.
  • Protect restaurants, grocers, and low-income Canadians from one-size-fits-all packaging rules that disproportionately affect those who can least afford it.

“After the Lost Liberal Decade, many Canadians can barely afford to put food on the table. And now Mark Carney and the Liberals want to make it even harder with a new food packaging law that will raise the price of food–again,” said Poilievre. “A new Conservative government will keep food prices down by scrapping the Liberal plastic ban and stopping Carney’s new Liberal food tax.”

After a decade of out-of-control spending and massive tax increases, families are spending $800 more on food this year than they did in 2024, and food banks had to handle a record two million visits in a single month. In Montreal, 44 percent of CEGEP students are experiencing some form of food insecurity, while places like HawkesburyKingstonToronto and Mississauga have all declared food insecurity emergencies.

And food prices are still rocketing upwards, surging by 3.2% over the last year, with no end in sight. In the last month alone, food inflation increased by 1.9 percentage points—the largest monthly jump in food prices in decades.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, Liberals have made life even more expensive and inconvenient for Canadians by banning plastics – including everything from straws to bags to food packaging. The current Liberal ban on single-use plastics will cost Canadians $1.3 billion dollars over the next decade.

Now Mark Carney wants to make it worse by adding complicated and costly new food packaging rules that will drive up the price of food even more–in effect, a new Liberal food tax. Plastic food packaging makes up 1/3 of all plastic packaging in Canada. The proposed Liberal food tax will cost the average Canadian household an additional $400 each year, waste half a million tonnes of food, decrease access to imported fruit and produce, and increase food inflation. The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada has also warned that this tax will put up to 60,000 Canadians out of work.

“The Liberals’ ideological crusade against convenience has already driven up food prices and the last thing Canadians need is Mark Carney’s new food tax added directly to your grocery bill,” said Poilievre. “The choice for Canadians is clear, a fourth Liberal term that will make food even more expensive or a new Conservative government that will axe the food tax and bring back straws, grocery bags and other items, to make life more affordable and convenient for Canadians – For a Change.”

Continue Reading

Trending

X