Allan Cutler
Encyclopedia
Allan S. Cutler is a former Canadian public servant notable for his role as the whistleblower
who reported anomalies in a Canadian sponsorship program designed to raise awareness in Quebec
of the Government of Canada
's contributions to Quebec industries and culture. This program was undertaken to counter Quebec separatism
. The ensuing scandal implicated high-ranking bureaucrats and politicians in the Liberal Party of Canada
and contributed to the setback of the Liberal Party in the 2004 Federal election
and its defeat in the 2006 Federal election
.
Cutler, who reported to Charles Guité
at the Ministry of Public Works and Government Services, was responsible for negotiating the terms and prices of government advertising contracts. He objected to procurement practices that failed to follow proper procedures or ensure value for money. After expressing his concerns to Chuck Guite, he was effectively demoted. A subsequent labour dispute was resolved by his being re-assigned to a different section.
He testified at the Gomery Commission
, providing evidence that commissions were paid for no apparent service and improper advances were made to agencies with connections to the Liberal Party. Gomery concluded that Cutler was penalized for his whistle-blowing efforts and that Mario Parent, and probably others, adopted a complacent behaviour to the mismanagement of the sponsorship program due in part to apprehensions about suffering similar repercussions as Cutler.
Cutler ran as the Conservative Party of Canada
candidate in the Ottawa South
riding in the 2006 Federal election. He was defeated by incumbent Member of Parliament
David McGuinty
.
Mr. Cutler is the current president of Canadians for Accountability
, an non-profit organization
for whistleblowers in Canada.
As the case has developed, federal legislation was passed in late 2007 to protect future whisteblowers in the Canadian federal civil service. Several convictions have resulted from investigations by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
and other law enforcement authorities,
and proceedings are still in process.
Cutler was born in Ottawa
, is married and has two children. He has a degree in Economics
from Carleton University
.
Whistleblower
A whistleblower is a person who tells the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities occurring in a government department, a public or private organization, or a company...
who reported anomalies in a Canadian sponsorship program designed to raise awareness in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
of the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
's contributions to Quebec industries and culture. This program was undertaken to counter Quebec separatism
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
. The ensuing scandal implicated high-ranking bureaucrats and politicians in the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
and contributed to the setback of the Liberal Party in the 2004 Federal election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
and its defeat in the 2006 Federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
.
Cutler, who reported to Charles Guité
Charles Guité
J. Charles Guité , raised in Campbellton, New Brunswick, is a former Canadian civil servant who was in charge of the federal sponsorship program from 1996 to 1999....
at the Ministry of Public Works and Government Services, was responsible for negotiating the terms and prices of government advertising contracts. He objected to procurement practices that failed to follow proper procedures or ensure value for money. After expressing his concerns to Chuck Guite, he was effectively demoted. A subsequent labour dispute was resolved by his being re-assigned to a different section.
He testified at the Gomery Commission
Gomery Commission
The Gomery Commission, formally the Commission of Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program and Advertising Activities, was a federal Canadian Royal Commission headed by the retired Justice John Gomery for the purpose of investigating the sponsorship scandal, which involved allegations of corruption...
, providing evidence that commissions were paid for no apparent service and improper advances were made to agencies with connections to the Liberal Party. Gomery concluded that Cutler was penalized for his whistle-blowing efforts and that Mario Parent, and probably others, adopted a complacent behaviour to the mismanagement of the sponsorship program due in part to apprehensions about suffering similar repercussions as Cutler.
Cutler ran as the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
candidate in the Ottawa South
Ottawa South
Ottawa South is a federal electoral district in Ottawa in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is represented in the Canadian House of Commons by David McGuinty, brother of Ontario Premier and Ottawa South MPP Dalton McGuinty. The riding was created in 1987 from parts of Ottawa—Vanier, Ottawa...
riding in the 2006 Federal election. He was defeated by incumbent Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
David McGuinty
David McGuinty
David Joseph McGuinty, MP is a Canadian lawyer politician from Ontario, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Ottawa South and sits in the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Party of Canada's Critic for Natural Resources...
.
Mr. Cutler is the current president of Canadians for Accountability
Canadians for Accountability
Canadians for Accountability is a non-profit organization established in 2008 to advocate on whistleblowing issues in Canada and provide support to both public sector and private sector whistleblowers. Canadians for Accountability is Canada's only national whistleblower protection organization...
, an non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
for whistleblowers in Canada.
As the case has developed, federal legislation was passed in late 2007 to protect future whisteblowers in the Canadian federal civil service. Several convictions have resulted from investigations by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
and other law enforcement authorities,
and proceedings are still in process.
Cutler was born in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, is married and has two children. He has a degree in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
.