Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I'll be very brief. I'll provide a quick overview of the steps taken by the Privy Council Office in response to the Auditor General's recommendations.
Prior to appointment, conflict of interest and expected standards of conduct are discussed with each proposed governor in council appointee. Candidates are provided with a copy of the Conflict of Interest and Post Employment Code and instructed to contact the Office of the Ethics Commissioner to discuss any concerns or queries.
Upon appointment, each new full-time governor in council appointee is contacted by the Ethics Commissioner to discuss their situation. A condition of holding office for all public office holders is compliance with the Conflict of Interest and Post Employment Code and each new appointee must sign a certificate of compliance.
Moreover, as you are aware, the new Conflict of Interest Act will enact stronger compliance measures, including the power for the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to initiate formal investigations and to levy monetary sanctions for administrative breaches under this act.
We are also updating our guidebooks for Governor in Council appointees to reflect changes in the conflict of interest regime and other changes brought about notably by the Federal Accountability Act.
To ensure proper orientation of new appointees, we are proceeding with one-on-one briefings for newly appointed heads of agencies that cover terms and conditions of employment, conflict of interest, and standards of conduct. We are also providing a session covering standards of conduct in the orientation program for heads of agencies offered by the Canada School of Public Service, which has also become compulsory. The next session is on April 3. Finally, we are issuing more fulsome guidance to deputy heads on the approval, usage, and reporting of their leave.
In summary, we take every opportunity to emphasize ethics and values in both our guidance and training initiatives to ensure that public office-holders are aware of their responsibilities and their obligations with regard to standards of conduct.