Public Safety Canada Code of Conduct
Preamble
As public servants working at Public Safety Canada, we are accountable to Canada’s Public Safety Minister and through him to the Canadian people.
Our behaviour must, at all times, show that we are worthy of their trust and confidence.
As the Department with the mission of building a safe and resilient Canada, we have a special obligation to ensure that everything we do in our work, whether in an administrative, policy, coordination, advisory or other capacity, ultimately contributes to the safety and security of the Canadian public.
The principles set out in the Public Safety Canada Code of Conduct (the Code) are intended to help us understand those rules and standards of conduct which are necessary to achieve our professional goals and objectives. The Code also provides direction in situations where the right course of action, when faced with a difficult situation, may not always be clear.
The Code applies to employees at all levels of Public Safety Canada. Managers and senior executives are expected to set an example by demonstrating high ethical and professional standards in their own conduct. It should also be noted that due to the nature of their duties, certain positions within the Department have a higher level of risk from the perspective of standards of conducts, and as a result, the conduct of the incumbents of these positions would be subject to a higher level of scrutiny.
The Code is designed to assist us in incorporating the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s values to our departmental values of Service, Unity, Respect and Excellence. It is through adhering to all of these that we can build a strong and durable culture of ethics in our Department.
Purpose
By re-committing to the values of the Public Service, and adhering to the behaviour outlined in this Code, we, as public servants employed at Public Safety Canada, strengthen the ethical culture of the public sector and maintain public confidence in the integrity of all public institutions.
This document also fulfils our requirement to implement an Organizational Code of Conduct following Parliament’s decision to enact the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA).
Objectives
This Code outlines the values and expected behaviours that guide us in all activities related to our professional duties. It was developed in consultation with employees, management and bargaining agents. This Code is consistent with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector (VECPS), as required by the subsection 6(2) of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Should anyone wish to delve more deeply into different issues, specific references to supporting legislation and directives are found at the end of this document.
Values
The VECPS includes five core values: respect for democracy; respect for people; integrity; stewardship and excellence. These encompass several other principles such as lawfulness, impartiality, honesty, courtesy, transparency, accountability and professionalism. Public Safety Canada endorses the core values and aims to integrate them at all levels of decision making.
Respect for Democracy
The system of Canadian parliamentary democracy and its institutions are fundamental to serving the public interest. Public servants recognize that elected officials are accountable to Parliament, and ultimately to the Canadian people, and that a non-partisan public sector is essential to our democratic system.
Respect for People
Treating all people with respect, dignity and fairness is fundamental to our relationship with the Canadian public and contributes to a safe and healthy work environment that promotes engagement, openness and transparency. The diversity of people and the ideas they generate are the source of our innovation.
Integrity
Integrity is the cornerstone of good governance and democracy. By upholding the highest ethical standards, public servants conserve and enhance public confidence in the honesty, fairness and impartiality of the federal public sector.
Stewardship
Federal public servants are entrusted to use and care for public resources responsibly, for both the short-term and long-term.
