Reference Number: PSDPA2021-0021
Organization: Global Affairs Canada
File Identification Number: PSDPA2021-0021
File Identification Date: 2021-10-18
Findings and Conclusions: a contravention of any Act of Parliament or of the legislature of a province, or of any regulations made under any such Act, other than a contravention of section 19 of this Act; a misuse of public funds or a public asset; a serious breach of a code of conduct established under section 5 or 6
Case Description: The Global Affairs Canada Senior Officer for Internal Disclosure (SOID) received a disclosure of wrongdoing under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA), alleging wrongdoing under section 8 (a) a contravention of any Act of Parliament, (b) a misuse of public funds or a public asset, (e) a serious breach of a Code of Conduct and (f) knowingly directing or counselling a person to commit a wrongdoing. The investigation concluded that an executive contacted several employees to offer them money in exchange for including their former partner’s personal effects in their diplomatic shipment. Neither the executive nor their former partner was accredited to this host country at the time. The investigation determined the executive committed wrongdoing, as described in paragraph 8 (a) and (e) of the PSDPA; that being a contravention of any Act of Parliament and a serious breach of the Departmental Values and Ethics Code as it relates to the values of integrity and stewardship. The investigation also determined that one of the solicited employees accepted the offer from the executive and included personal effects of the ex-partner in their diplomatic shipment. The addition of those items to the shipment caused an additional cost to the department. The employee, who accepted to include the items in their diplomatic shipment, committed wrongdoing as per paragraph 8 (a), a contravention of any Act of Parliament, and (b), a misuse of public funds or a public asset. Finally, it was also determined that this employee committed a wrongdoing as per paragraph 8 (e) of the PSDPA, a serious breach of our Departmental Values and Ethics Code, as well as the Code of Conduct for Canadian Representatives Abroad, by demonstrating a serious lack of integrity and stewardship by using their position and their diplomatic privileges for personal gain.
Recommendations and Corrective Measures: The Senior Officer for Internal Disclosure (SOID) recommended the delegated managers conduct a disciplinary process to address the founded wrongdoing and consider whether it would be appropriate to repatriate both respondents. The employee was subject to a period of suspension without pay, and measures for the executive are pending following their return from extended leave. The SOID also recommended that relevant information be shared with the Personnel Security group to determine if a review of the security clearance is warranted. Lastly, relevant stakeholders are to determine the appropriate amount that the employee will reimburse the department for the additional costs incurred by the government.