Forwarded from Operation 2030x - Freedom News
Federal accountants knew of irregularities in the $59.5 million ArriveCan program but were too frightened to speak out, a union executive yesterday told MPs. Accountants feared they’d be “committing career suicide” if they reported the misconduct they see in federal bookkeeping, said Dany Richard, president of the Association of Canadian Financial Officers.
“Our members are faced with this situation: ‘I know ethically I have to report this. How do I do this without committing career suicide? How do I do the right thing?’” Richard told the Commons public accounts committee. Richard said as many as five accountants “flagged their concerns to management” over ArriveCan.
The Association represents accountants, comptrollers and internal auditors. “They know not to push too hard,” said Richard. “Look at the stories we hear in the media, what happens to whistleblowers.”
“Do you know who your members raised their concerns to?” asked Conservative MP Kelly Block (Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek, Sask.). “We don’t have the exact details,” replied Richard. “I can tell you why. Our members are afraid.”
“People gave us information but they didn’t want to give us their name,” said Richard. “I had a few people reach out to me personally because they knew me. They said, ‘Dany, you cannot name me on this.’ They are concerned for their well-being. Blowing the whistle doesn’t do you any good.”
“Some people raised red flags?” asked Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Terrebonne, Que.). “Exactly,” replied Richard.
“Remember, the majority of our members are accountants,” said Richard. “They do have Code Of Conduct obligations to raise anomalies. They have to do it and I am happy they do that. But because we are not protecting them, it is hard for them to go further.”
“Too often you will hear this in media all the time,” said Richard. “Somebody spoke up and their life became a living hell, because if you’re a bad actor you are going to try to cover up your tracks and that is at the cost of our members.”
Police investigations are ongoing into ArriveCan spending that saw lucrative, sole-sourced contracts make millionaires of favoured suppliers. The Auditor General in a February 12 report said piecemeal records suggested contractors pocketed 30 percent commissions and billed at the rate of $1,090 a day as ArriveCan went ten times over its original budget.
“All too often we receive a call from a member who is faced with a difficult choice,” said the Financial Officers’ Richard. “Should they blow the whistle by speaking up at the risk of jeopardizing their career or do they simply flag their concerns and walk away? It is incredibly difficult.”
https://www.blacklocks.ca/accountants-afraid-to-speak/
“Our members are faced with this situation: ‘I know ethically I have to report this. How do I do this without committing career suicide? How do I do the right thing?’” Richard told the Commons public accounts committee. Richard said as many as five accountants “flagged their concerns to management” over ArriveCan.
The Association represents accountants, comptrollers and internal auditors. “They know not to push too hard,” said Richard. “Look at the stories we hear in the media, what happens to whistleblowers.”
“Do you know who your members raised their concerns to?” asked Conservative MP Kelly Block (Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek, Sask.). “We don’t have the exact details,” replied Richard. “I can tell you why. Our members are afraid.”
“People gave us information but they didn’t want to give us their name,” said Richard. “I had a few people reach out to me personally because they knew me. They said, ‘Dany, you cannot name me on this.’ They are concerned for their well-being. Blowing the whistle doesn’t do you any good.”
“Some people raised red flags?” asked Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Terrebonne, Que.). “Exactly,” replied Richard.
“Remember, the majority of our members are accountants,” said Richard. “They do have Code Of Conduct obligations to raise anomalies. They have to do it and I am happy they do that. But because we are not protecting them, it is hard for them to go further.”
“Too often you will hear this in media all the time,” said Richard. “Somebody spoke up and their life became a living hell, because if you’re a bad actor you are going to try to cover up your tracks and that is at the cost of our members.”
Police investigations are ongoing into ArriveCan spending that saw lucrative, sole-sourced contracts make millionaires of favoured suppliers. The Auditor General in a February 12 report said piecemeal records suggested contractors pocketed 30 percent commissions and billed at the rate of $1,090 a day as ArriveCan went ten times over its original budget.
“All too often we receive a call from a member who is faced with a difficult choice,” said the Financial Officers’ Richard. “Should they blow the whistle by speaking up at the risk of jeopardizing their career or do they simply flag their concerns and walk away? It is incredibly difficult.”
https://www.blacklocks.ca/accountants-afraid-to-speak/
www.blacklocks.ca
Accountants Afraid To Speak | Blacklock's Reporter