Health Canada fires 3 scientists

maplesyrup · July 15, 2004

Last year a memo revealed that they warned their superiors that the department's strategy to fight BSE was inadequate.
In 2001, Chopra and Haydon said the department was leaning on them to approve a drug that would be used in chickens and cows that could lead to antibiotic resistance in people.

Health Canada officials denied it.

That year, Chopra also accused Health Canada of media hype by overstating the danger to Canadians posed by bio-terrorism agents such as anthrax.

Whatever happeded to that whistleblower legislation, eh?

I miss Reagan · July 15, 2004

I don't believe for a second that Health Canada would try to muzzle anyone. :lol: I trust the government completely, they take care of all our needs and know what's best for us don't they Maplesyrup?

Bro · July 16, 2004

Muzzle,what the hell kind of comment is that against the beloved liberals.

We all know they are trying their best to resolve the adscam issue by trying to get people to talk.

caesar · July 16, 2004

I do think this is a serious topic and we should look for answers to why these people were fired.

Bro · July 16, 2004

So as a liberal supporter,you actually find something serious?Forgive me,but this is totally against party policy.

Maybe you had better produce some ID checks and background on yourself.

caesar · July 16, 2004

Just what are you talking about Bro? I am not any party supporter; just choosing the least of two evils. Anyhow, if that is why they were fired; they are fighting back and will probably be reinstated again.

playfullfellow · July 16, 2004

We all seem to know that there is plenty of rotten crap heading out of the government beaurocracies these days anyways so why does this sort of stuff surprise anyone? We know our testing for BSE in inadequate but no one can seem to come up with an answer as to what has to be done.

Drug resistant bugs are just as much, if not more the fault of dumb ass people heading to the doctor for a pill everytime they get a fart stuck. Livestock farmers live under very strict rules in regards to withdrawel times and dosages.

After 9/11, there are plenty of incedences of various government departments getting leaned on to show that there was a much more severe terrorist threat to Canada than there actually was. The bigger the threat, the more money the Liberlas were going to throw at it. Call it job security if you may. Something the government is good at, creating work for itself.

The Liberals will hang a few scapegoats out to dry now and slap a couple of hands to make it look like they are keeping their promises. As for the whistle blowing legislation, by the time it comes to any sort of reality, it will be so watered down that we might as well not waste our time or money on it.

maplesyrup · July 17, 2004

Editorial: Shield whistle-blowers

Steve Hindle, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, says that when appeals of the dismissals are heard later this year, they will prove the scientists were fired for speaking out.
Until more details emerge, it's impossible to pass judgment on this.

But Chopra was reprimanded four years ago for accusing Health Canada of pressuring him to approve bovine growth hormone, a drug he considered unsafe. The Federal Court of Canada upheld his right to speak out, ruling that the public interest outweighed the traditional requirements of employee loyalty.

That was reassuring.

If scientists who are employed in the public health service have concerns about a policy, they should be free to speak up. And the law should protect those who do.

IF Canadians want our civil servants to be able to report on wrong doings in the government we MUST protect them with protective whistleblower legislation. so far we have not done it, sp please STOP blaming our wonderful civil servants, for our politicians shortcomings (And no, I am not a civil servant).