The context

The Public Service of Canada is a multifaceted institution staffed by professional, dedicated, and highly skilled people. Its employees play a crucial role in supporting the Government's agenda and helping it deliver programs and services to citizens. Canadians have every right to expect that public office holders and public sector employees behave ethically and in accordance with their legal obligations. The public sector must, therefore, foster an environment in which employees may honestly and openly raise concerns without fear or threat of reprisal.

The Action Plan

The Government of Canada provides real protection for public sector employees who disclose government wrongdoing. Effective April 15, 2007, the Federal Accountability Act:

• gives the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner an expanded mandate;
• gives public sector employees direct access to the Commissioner to report wrongdoing in the workplace;
• gives the Commissioner the authority to deal with reprisal complaints, conduct investigations, and attempt to conciliate a settlement between the parties;
• creates an independent Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal, comprised of judges, with the power to decide whether reprisal occurred and to order action to remedy the situation and ensure that those who took reprisal are disciplined;
• introduces specific penalties for offences under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, including tougher penalties for those who wilfully impede investigations of wrongdoing;
• gives the Commissioner the power to authorize free access to legal advice for both public sector and non-public sector employees;
• removes the ability of the Government to exclude Crown corporations from coverage under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act; and
• requires open and transparent reporting of instances of founded wrongdoing.

For more information

For more information on this specific measure, please refer to the relevant section of the Action Plan, or contact us.