Claude DeBellefeuille, MP for Salaberry-Suroît, and Jean-Denis Garon, MP for Mirabel, welcomed the unanimous passage at third reading of Bill C-290, An Act to amend the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, and applauded the all-party collaboration in strengthening whistleblower protection.

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"Victory for our democracy! Victory for our whistleblowers! Today, we are sending a message of hope to all federal public servants watching: your integrity and safety matter. MPs from all political parties have answered the Bloc Québécois' call by trading partisanship for a sense of duty. I thank them," said Claude DeBellefeuille.

"For too long, the current law has failed to protect our whistleblowers. On the contrary, it punished them instead of encouraging them to disclose. There are hundreds of dramatic stories like those of Luc, Julie and Joanna. If C-290 doesn't solve everything, it's an inescapable first step as a responsible society," she added.

Present at the vote were: Julie Dion and Luc Sabourin, whistleblowers and former officials at the Border Services Agency; Joanna Gualtieri, whistleblower and former official at the Department of Foreign Affairs; Pamela Forward, President of Whistleblowing Canada Research Society; and David Hutton, expert co-founder of WIN, the world's largest network of whistleblowers whose mission is to strengthen the legal, technical and strategic skills of civil society to support whistleblowers internationally.

"After several hours of debate, numerous votes and testimonies in committee, today we were at a crossroads. I am moved and proud of this unequivocal result. The House of Commons has risen to the occasion.Today, we are clearly on the side of the whistle-blowers," concluded Jean-Denis Garon, MNA for Mirabel.

After third reading, Bill C-290 will be sent to the Senate for consideration and passage.