Public Sector Integrity Commissioner makes a finding of wrongdoing at the Canada School of Public Service

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Ottawa, November 7, 2013 – The Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, Mario Dion, tabled a Case Report of wrongdoing today in both Houses of Parliament. The report concluded that wrongdoing was committed by the previous President of the Canada School of Public Service, Mr. Guy McKenzie. 

Commissioner Dion found that Mr. McKenzie failed to protect the identity of persons involved in a disclosure process when an unredacted copy of an investigation notice letter from the Commissioner’s Office, relating to a separate process, was shared to all persons named in the letter. This act contravened paragraph 11(1)(a) of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, thereby constituting a wrongdoing as defined by that Act.

“Mr. McKenzie admitted that he had given a copy of the letter to all individuals named in order to inform them of the investigation and to urge their cooperation”, states Dion in his report.

“Mr. McKenzie stated that he only realized his mistake when informed of the investigation.  He indicated that he acted in good faith with no intention of causing harm to anyone.”

Mr. Dion stated that the findings made in this report demonstrate the importance for all public servants to understand, at all times, the privacy and confidentiality protection requirements of the various statutes that govern the federal public sector. He has also pointed out that confidentiality is a cornerstone of the disclosure regime. This finding also demonstrates that even with good intentions, one’s actions can inadvertently constitute an act of wrongdoing.

As required by the Act, Mr. Dion must table all findings of wrongdoing in Parliament and include recommendations, when required, made to the Chief Executive of the affected organization.

 The School’s current president, Linda Lizotte-MacPherson, accepted the recommendations and already took steps to establish as required all necessary procedures required to manage internal disclosures of wrongdoing made under the Act and to establish a process to deal with disclosures being investigated by the Commissioner’s Office.  

  

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For more information, contact:

Christine Lamadeleine,

Communications Advisor

Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada

(613) 941-8272