The B.C. government is facing questions about an investigation into the whistleblower who gave the Official Opposition information about an investigation into diverted ‘safe supply’ drugs.
In February, a Ministry of Health document was leaked and made public by BC Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko.
The document revealed that government-prescribed drugs were being diverted and trafficked, and that 60 pharmacies were being investigated.
The release of the document led to Sturko being interviewed by the RCMP’s anti-corruption unit.
“If they’re willing to send the police to try to find a whistleblower, what are they going to do if this is a healthcare employee or any other member of the community?” Sturko asked on Wednesday.
After the leak, B.C. Director of Police Services Glen Lewis wrote to the RCMP, ordering a police act investigation.
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“I think that the director of investigations is fully within his role to act as he did,” B.C. Public Safety Minister Gary Begg told reporters on Wenesday.
The RCMP told Global News, “the investigation focused on the actions of any active law enforcement officer(s), subject to the BC Police Act. The elected official is not now, nor was, under investigation.”
BC Conservative Leader John Rustad said the move was clear overreach.
The premier confirmed today that his police service director violated the NDP whistleblower protection law by referring this case to an investigative branch,” he said.
B.C. Premier David Eby then said the investigation never should have happened.
“She shouldn’t get a phone call from police for doing her job. She was sent here by British Columbians to do a specific job and that she was doing,” he said.
The Whistleblowing Canada Research Society said the incident was deeply disturbing.
“How else are we ever going to know what is really going on if people who have knowledge are punished for letting us know about something that is of harm to the public?” society president Pamela Forward said.
B.C.’s public safety minister later clarified his position in a statement.
“I’ve now had the opportunity to speak to the Premier. We’ve discussed the issue, and I’d like my position to be clear. What I approve of is an independent process, and the Director of Police Services was operating under his authority. We support whistleblowers and whistleblower protections – and the need to ensure criminal investigations can proceed so charges can be laid,” he said.
“It is our view that everyone should be focusing attention on investigating the pharmacies alleged to be involved in drug diversion. I fully agree MLA Elenore Sturko was doing her job.”
Sturko, meanwhile, said she will continue to protect her source.
“I will not divulge who the source of this document was but except it wasn’t a police officer,” she said.
Despite what happened, Sturko says she’ll continue to protect whistleblowers.
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