Auditor general John Doyle says whistleblowers in British Columbia shouldn't have to put their jobs on the line to protect the public.
Doyle said in a report released Thursday that he's concerned about B.C.'s lack of protection for whistle-blowers, especially since two major investigations conducted by his office this year relied heavily on information provided by whistleblowers.
"It seems to me, based on my recent experience with this, that whistleblowers do need protection and legislation seems to be the best way to provide that protection," he said in an interview.
"There have been some draft legislation put forward to the legislative assembly in the past, but none of it got through at this stage."
Doyle's report stated he can offer whistleblowers anonymity if they come forward to his office, but that same protection doesn't extend to their jobs.
Doyle's report said he was working on high-level summaries of two previous investigations that involved information provided by whistleblowers.
The report stated a whistleblower contacted Doyle's office last March about alleged inappropriate activities within the Pharmaceutical Services Division of the Ministry of Health.
In September, Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid announced an ongoing investigation into alleged abuse of the drug research grant process and the firing of seven government employees.
