Update on the Public Service Integrity Office

UPDATE ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE INTEGRITY OFFICE

On Wednesday, July 3rd, the Public Service Integrity Officer, Dr. Edward W. Keyserlingk, LL.M., Ph.D. released this update on the status of the Public Service Integrity Office. For the Association’s point of view regarding this initiative, click here.

Dear Colleagues:

It now has been six months since I last wrote to you concerning the progress made by the Public Service Integrity Office. As promised then, on April 2, 2002 the Office opened its doors and began its work of investigating good faith allegations of wrongdoing in the workplace.

Indeed, I now have the facilities and staff to support the mandate that was set out for this Office to:

Provide employees with an external, independent, impartial and fair mechanism to review and investigate good faith disclosures by employees alleging wrongdoing, when employees believe a disclosure cannot be raised within their department/agency, or believe a disclosure was not adequately dealt with, and, to protect from reprisal employees that have made disclosures in good faith.

To ensure that the external reviews and investigations we provide are independent, comprehensive, impartial and fair, the Public Service Integrity Office has been provided with considerable authority and delegation to act in matters of its function.

In addition to establishing our operation, one of the main tasks that we have been working on is to make the Public Service Integrity Office known within the Public Service. In this regard, I have had the occasion to meet many of you at a DM breakfast earlier this year and have spoken to some management teams at your invitation.

I am encouraged by the support that I have received in my role and for the work that the Office has undertaken. For those of you whom I have not had the chance to meet individually, let me say that I and my colleagues in this Office would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your representatives to discuss our mutual contribution towards building a strong values and ethics framework in the Public Service.

In recent months, I have also had the chance to meet with several members of the National Joint Council and they too have provided strong support for the work of this Office.

We recently took another big step forward by launching the Public Service Integrity Office website: www.integritas.gc.ca. Our website explains the mandate, procedures and jurisdiction of the Office, and how to communicate with us.

To help make it known, I would be grateful if you would inform your employees that our website is now available. As well, would you please establish and maintain a link to our website via the Intranet service that you provide for your employees?

For employees without access to the Internet, we can be reached at:

Public Service Integrity Office
60 Queen Street, Suite 605
Ottawa ON  K1P 5Y7
Telephone:  613.941.6400
Toll Free:  1.866.941.6400
Fascimile:  613.941.6535
E-mail:  integritas@psio-bifp.gc.ca

I will continue to provide regular updates and keep you informed of our progress. Again, I make myself and this Office available to you if you wish to obtain more information, discuss concerns or provide feedback. I wish you and yours a good summer.

Edward W. Keyserlingk, LL.M., Ph.D.
Public Service Integrity Officer