Discover the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada

Our Raison d’être

Established in 2007 under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada (the Office) is an independent organization that strengthens accountability in the federal public sector. It investigates and exposes major wrongdoing through reports to Parliament, and investigates complaints of reprisal.

Our Vision

A premier investigative and decision-making body, known for its impartiality and fairness, the Office acts as an Agent of Parliament in the public interest to expose major wrongdoing in the federal public sector.

Our Values

The Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada operates under a set of values that defines who we are and how we interact with our clients and stakeholders:

Harriet Solloway is an expert in international administrative law, humanitarian law, and criminal law who has dedicated most of her career to the advancement of human rights and the rule of law.

She has worked for the defence and the prosecution, including investigations, and has led reform and capacity-building efforts for the justice sector, including the judiciary. She has also worked extensively in management, operational policymaking, and change management at the senior executive level. She has experience promoting stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and consensus building across a wide range of interlocutors and organizations, where multiple perspectives and interests are at play.

Ms. Solloway began her career in Montréal, working in labour relations and criminal defence. In 1996, she began working internationally, first as an investigator at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and then as a legal adviser, where she guided the investigation conducted by a team of sex crime investigators. She then worked as the Legal Adviser to the Head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Kosovo. She also served in Vienna as the Legal Adviser to the OSCE Secretary General and in The Hague as the Head of the Victims and Witnesses Unit for the International Criminal Court. In 2004, she was appointed Director of the Rule of Law Section at the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where she created and oversaw the work of Prosecution Support Cells composed of Congolese and international investigators that investigated and prosecuted war crimes. This was followed by roles as Military Justice Adviser for the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and Legal Adviser and Acting Chief of Staff for the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic. She joined the United Nations (UN) Department of Safety and Security in 2016, where she worked as Chief, Field Support Service and Deputy Director of the Division of Operational Support.

Ms. Solloway holds a Master’s degree in Public International Law from Leiden University, in The Netherlands, a licentiate in Civil Law from the University of Ottawa, and a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations from McGill University.

Where to join us

PO Box 987
Ottawa PO B, ON
K1P 5R1

613-941-6400 or 1-866-941-6400 (toll-free)

info@psic-ispc.gc.ca

For inquiries to the Communications team

Bronwyn Johns-O'Hara 
Head of Communications and Parliamentary Affairs

613-415-5185

communications@psic-ispc.gc.ca

Any inquiries on accessibility can be addressed directly to our Accessibility Representative:

Email: accessible@psic-ispc.gc.ca
Telephone: 613-941-6400 or 1-866-941-6400 (toll-free in Canada)
In-person (upon request) or by mail:
Accessibility Representative
Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada
PO Box 987
Ottawa PO B, ON
K1P 5R1

Click here to find out more about accessibility at the Office.

Our jurisdiction

Our Office can investigate most federal public sector organizations, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Crown Corporations

The Commissioner does not have jurisdiction over:

• The Canadian Forces
• The Canadian Security Intelligence Service 
• The Communications Security Establishment 
• Elected officials or their staff
• Employees of the House of Commons and the Senate
• Political parties
• Organizations falling under provincial, territorial, regional and municipal legislation, such as hospitals or schools
• The private sector

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Wrongdoing

Our Office investigates cases of wrongdoing that pose a serious threat to the integrity of the public service. In other words, cases that could shake public confidence if not reported and corrected.

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Reprisal

The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (the Act) protects federal public servants from reprisal in the workplace if they have reported wrongdoing or participated in an investigation into alleged wrongdoing. This protection also applies to members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and employees of federal Crown corporations.

Our Office is the only organization that investigates reprisal complaints under the Act. If, during an investigation, the Commissioner finds that it is more likely than not that a reprisal has occurred, the case may be referred to the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal, which has the authority to order remedies.

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2025

• Patrick Martel v. Global Affairs Canada

2024

• Erik Dumouchel v. Department of National Defence

2023

• Langille v. Transport Canada et al.

2017

• Agnaou v. Public Prosecution Service of Canada et al.

2016

• Dunn v. Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada et al.

2014

• Gardiner v. Blue Water Bridge Canada
• Joy v. Blue Water Bridge Canada
• Korosec v. Blue Water Bridge Canada

2012

• Lambert v. Health Canada

2011

• El-Helou v. Courts Administration Service et al.
• Roberts v. Atomic Energy Canada Limited

As each case is unique, it is difficult to set out a specific timeframe for how long the disclosure process takes.

For example, factors that affect the length of time the process can take include:

• availability of documentation and key witnesses;
• complexity of issues;
• whether specific expertise or research is needed.

We are committed to reporting on the following service standards to achieve our results of dealing with public sector disclosures of wrongdoing and complaints of reprisal in a timely and effective manner.

Notes:

1. As required under subsection 19.4(1) of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act.
2. As stated in the 2025–26 Annual Report and 2024–25 Annual Report, the Office must still manage an exceptional and sustained increase in the volume of disclosures of wrongdoing, reprisal complaints and general inquiries. This surge in activity is exerting considerable pressure on operational resources, resulting in delays in the processing of files and investigations into allegations are to be expected.
3. The impact of resource challenges was felt from fall 2023. Though the Office did not achieve the targeted 80% rate for investigations completed within one year in 2023–24, we have made progress compared to previous results, and we continue to make concerted efforts in overcoming a backlog stemming from pandemic-related delays. Read the 2023–24 Annual Report for more details.