Canadian welfare payments supporting Iraqui insurgency

[Good Times]

 

"An acquaintance who works for a welfare office in Ontario was recounting
over dinner recently her experiences dealing with recipients who obtained
benefits fraudulently. Pausing momentarily, she said: "But our internal
auditor has found worse stuff." "He says some recipients were sending their
welfare payments to designations in Iraq. He is so appalled that he is
ready to go public." I contacted the auditor indirectly (through the
acquaintance) to try to ascertain the details, but his ardor for whistle blowing is  wavering as he reflects more seriously on the possible repercussions to
career and family."

 

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article.jsp?content=20060216_152238_3944

 

 

What can I say - good times, good times...

[Good Times]

Actually there was another reason for my quoting the article above. It relates to an issue I've been meaning to discuss.

 

See how the author concludes in the end:

 

"Meanwhile, much of the skullduggery at the grassroots goes uncovered by the media. The problem seems to be getting people to come forward with what they readily discuss amongst their friends and acquaintances."

 

I thought of writing to the author to ask "Why should they?"

 

If you were on the receiving end of any of these alleged benefits, would you have come forward and shot yourself in the foot by snitching on those who were trying to save you from a tight corner?  (I'm referring to the case of the fellow who got his medical treatment sooner, for example)

 

Or even if you didn't directly benefit from what happened, but ended up witnessing or discovering it anyway (as in the case of the auditor) would you blow the whistle and risk losing your peace of mind and possibly your job in the end?