Evidence of meeting #79 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was wrongdoing.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I'm just going to interrupt.
It says, “Treasury Board must promote ethical practices in the public sector and a positive environment...disseminating knowledge of this Act and information”.
It sounds like it's just getting offloaded onto CEOs and not going any further.
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
No, no.
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
We actually do the surveys.
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
We administer the triennial surveys.
Conservative
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
Which ones are you referring to?
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I've looked at quite a few that show that more than 50% don't have faith in the program—
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
Right.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
—and there is, again, a lack of understanding or knowledge of what their protections are.
I'm just curious.
Are we not getting the information out enough? Is Treasury Board not doing its work, as required under section 4?
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
I'll explain what we do.
When the departments put up their own code, they don't just put it up. There are engagement processes that they do with employees.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
How do we follow up to make sure that's actually getting done, or that it's proper code?
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
We do. We check in. We have monthly meetings with them.
There are best practices shared. In many cases, if somebody is doing an integrity week as a theme, we suggest it to other departments. You actually heard from some of the best practices, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency with the ombudsperson, so—
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Considering their record, I'm not sure if I would use them as a best practice.
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
I'm just saying that for them, it works.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
I just want to bounce over to section 10, because I don't have a lot of time.
Section 10 requires that CEOs, as you've mentioned, establish procedures and manage disclosures. Has this been done, and what kind of guidance and direction are they getting?
It's one thing to say that they each have to have their own code, but the system has failed our public servants. It has failed our taxpayers. It has failed people dealing with the government, quite massively.
It's wonderful that we're doing this, and we have very non-partisan agreement that we have to fix this issue, but what's Treasury Board doing?
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
All I can tell you is that we make every effort to make sure that the codes are talked about, and that people are aware of them.
Conservative
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
We have tracking. It used to be a three-year survey, so three years ago we found some alarming—
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Do you have tracking follow-up to make sure that their responsibility to the CEOs—
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
We've now gone to an annual survey, so that tells you—
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
The annual surveys say that it's not getting done.
Does your department track what the CEO said, and which guidelines were followed?
Chief Human Resources Officer, Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
If they haven't done it, we follow up. If they're not doing dissemination, awareness, and making sure the support is available.... Part of it is making sure that there is a respectful, healthy workplace, right?