Contact Information
General Information
Under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (the Act), you may be eligible to receive funding for legal advice. The Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner (PSIC) may grant access to legal advice, under the following terms:
- You may be eligible to receive funding for legal advice if you are involved in a disclosure of wrongdoing or a reprisal complaint, whether you are a discloser or a complainant, a person under investigation or even a witness.
- You may also be eligible to receive funding for legal advice if you are considering making a disclosure of wrongdoing or a reprisal complaint.
- You can obtain legal advice from the lawyer of your choice.
- The maximum amount to be paid for legal advice is $1,500, or up to $3,000, under exceptional circumstances.
- In determining the amount to be paid for legal advice, the public interest and the degree to which you may be adversely affected will be taken into account.
- You must not have access to free legal advice by other means.
- If you are considering making a disclosure of wrongdoing (either to your employer or to the Commissioner), but have not already done so, access to legal advice may be provided only if the subject of your disclosure likely constitutes wrongdoing and is likely to lead to an investigation under the Act.
- If the Commissioner approves your request for access to legal advice, our Office will not reimburse you directly; we will only pay your lawyer directly, to the maximum approved by the Commissioner, on presentation of an invoice (instructions will be provided to you and to your lawyer accordingly).
Note: For privacy and security reasons, the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada will only accept disclosures of wrongdoing, complaints of reprisal and requests for funding for legal advice through this secure online form or by regular mail. Most of the time, we will contact you by regular mail or on the phone. However, we may send you basic status updates about your file or interview requests by email.
