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Disclosure

  • 1 Disclosure of wrongdoing
  • 2 What is the subject of your allegations?
  • 3 In which organization did the alleged wrongdoing take place?
  • 4 Representation
  • 5 Tell us what happened
  • 6 Supporting Documentation
  • 7 Other Proceedings
  • 8 Review your disclosure

Disclosure of wrongdoing

Before you start a submission, watch the video below and read the following explanation to understand what kinds of wrongdoing our Office can investigate. This will only take a few minutes.

“Our Office investigates allegations of wrongdoing that could seriously impact the public’s trust in the integrity of the federal public sector.”

Read video transcription

We can only investigate wrongdoing as defined by the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA). Under the PSDPA, wrongdoing can be:

(a) A contravention of any Act of Parliament or of the legislature of a province, or of regulations made under such Act.
Click here to learn more and see examples of founded cases of wrongdoing that meet this definition.

(b) A misuse of public funds or a public asset, such as expenditures made without following proper procurement procedures or that are wastefully unnecessary.
Click here to learn more and see examples of founded cases of wrongdoing that meet this definition.

(c) A gross mismanagement, which means cases of mismanagement that go beyond minor wrongdoing or negligence. They usually affect a group of people rather than one individual only.
Click here to learn more and see examples of founded cases of wrongdoing that meet this definition.

(d) An act or omission that creates a substantial and specific danger to the life, health or safety of persons, or to the environment.
Click here to learn more and see examples of founded cases of wrongdoing that meet this definition.

(e) A serious breach of a code of conduct that can have a significant impact on the organization's employees, clients and the public trust.
Click here to learn more and see examples of founded cases of wrongdoing that meet this definition.

(f) Someone knowingly directing or counselling a person to commit a wrongdoing set out in any of paragraphs a) to e).
Click here to learn more and see examples of founded cases of wrongdoing that meet this definition.


What about harassment complaints and workplace grievances?

Harassment and workplace grievances are generally not considered wrongdoing under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. They can be addressed through other mechanisms, such as your organization’s harassment policy or the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Directive on the Prevention and Resolution of Workplace Harassment and Violence.

In assessing whether allegations constitute wrongdoing under the Act, it is important to note that the Courts have held that generally the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act is not intended to address matters of a personal nature, such as individual harassment complaints or grievances.

Learn more

Read video transcription

Learn more about the PSDPA

Any questions?

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