The Public Service Labour Relation Board has ordered Health Canada to reinstate one of three scientists fired simultaneously in 2004 for “insubordination.”
     
In a 208-page ruling released last month, the board rejected the termination grievances of Shiv Chopra and Margaret Haydon and upheld the same grievance of Gérard Lambert. All three worked as drug evaluators and were well known for going public over years with their food safety concerns and departmental practices prior to their firing.
     
The scientists’ testimony over drug approvals and inadequate protection of Canada’s food system before a Senate Committee in the late 1990s made headlines around the world and led to a ban in most developed countries — Canada included — of Monsanto’s controversial bovine growth hormone, even though it had already been approved in the U.S.
     
Health Canada has repeatedly denied the scientists were fired for whistleblowing, saying their termination was due to insubordination.
     
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, which contested the dismissals before the board, is labeling the ruling a “sad day” for public servants who are raising awareness on health and safety issues.
     
“The government of Canada offers little protection to whistleblowers,” PIPSC president Gary Cor­bett said after the decision was released.
     
“In our view Dr. Chopra, Dr. Haydon and Dr. Lambert are practised and meticulous scientists. Devoted to protecting the health of Canada’s citizens, the three scientists acted morally to defend the public from products they had reason to believe could have harmed the food chain and ultimately the lives of Canadians. Their only defiance is that they resisted commercial pressure and provided evidence to official parliamentary committees.
     
“Cases of dismissal like these do nothing good to help public service whistleblowers to come forward and denounce wrongdoing within their departments.”
     
Corbett also said at first glance, it is unclear why Lambert’s grievance was upheld while Chopra and Haydon’s same grievances were dismissed and said next steps could involve appealing the decision in federal court.
     
Over the past seven years none of the three scientists have found other jobs.