Reference Number: 2021-PSDPA-01
Organization: National Research Council Canada
File Identification Number: 2021-PSDPA-01
File Identification Date: 2021-09-16
Findings and Conclusions: 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 Senior Officer for Disclosure at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) engaged an external investigator to conduct an investigation under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA) following the receipt of a protected disclosure of wrongdoing. The investigation resulted in findings of wrongdoing by a senior researcher and team leader, for a misuse of public funds and for serious breaches of the NRC Code of Conduct. The employee was found to have been in a conflict of interest with a team member and failed to report and resolve the conflict. The employee was also found to have misused NRC resources (funds, people and facilities).
Recommendations and Corrective Measures: The Senior Officer for Disclosure presented 4 recommendations to NRC senior officials: - Determine the need for appropriate disciplinary measures in relation to the above conclusions regarding the researcher's actions - Determine the need for any additional fact-finding in relation to other research team members involved in this matter - Ensure that the NRC review procedures and oversight mechanisms for the negotiation of collaboration agreements with outside entities and the valuation of in-kind contributions from the NRC, in particular when those relate to an NRC employee's adjunct professorship - Ensure that all NRC staff are reminded of their obligations under the NRC Code of Conduct and the NRC Policy on Conflict of Interest, including to conduct themselves in a manner that could withstand careful scrutiny, to proactively prevent conflicts of interest from arising between public duties and private interests, and to safeguard NRC human resources, funds, facilities and assets, and refrain from using these for anything other than officially approved activities. These recommendations have been approved by the NRC President and are being implemented.