Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about the urgency for whistle-blower protection legislation in our jurisdiction.

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I appreciate, Mr. Speaker, that this was a topic of discussion nationally, prior to the last federal election, but it somehow fell off the federal agenda with the call of the June election. I do not know when this will get back on their agenda, but I don't believe we need to wait around for some other governments to do the job. I believe we need to do this ourselves, and the sooner we deal with it, the better, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the primary responsibility of an MLA, as I see it, is to be the voice of the people we represent. Our job is to listen to their views and to their grievances. We are to learn from their views and to work hard to help them resolve them, but this is very difficult when people are afraid to speak out. Even when they get enough will and courage to contact their MLA, we're limited in what information we can use as long as they are afraid of having their identities known.

Mr. Speaker, the fear is the greatest among those who work for the government, even if it is a legitimate issue that they are entitled to raise as a private citizen, regardless of the fact that they work for the government. The latest concerns being raised from employees from correctional facilities is one more example, but I've seen this from people who bring up concerns about their WCB claim, health care professionals, or those who are concerned about the split of RWED, goings-on at the Power Corp, and the list goes on and on, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I believe we all understand deeply that democracy is a very fragile machinery, and that all of us need to be ever so vigilant in protecting her every day. Democracy means protecting its citizens from the authoritarian tendencies of their government, and undue powers of the people in the system who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Surely one of the most important things to protect in democracy is the people's right to speak out against the government in their private time and in private life. We need to make sure that the freedom of the citizens to speak out without the fear of retribution or fear of losing their jobs or fear of losing their livelihood is secure at all costs. I believe, Mr. Speaker, our very own whistle-blower protection legislation will make this possible, as well as providing safeguards and checks and balances for all the parties involved. I would urge the government to put this on the top of their legislative agenda immediately. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause