15 people fired while others face reprimands, suspensions, says inaugural report outlining ethical breaches
Statistics Canada has published its inaugural Report on Misconduct and Wrongdoing, outlining ethical breaches and disciplinary actions within the federal public service.
For HR professionals, the report is a case study in best practices for handling allegations of misconduct, implementing progressive discipline, and supporting a culture of integrity.
In a message accompanying the report, Chief Statistician André Loranger emphasized the agency’s commitment to “fostering a culture of trust, where individuals are supported and expected to make ethical, well-informed decisions that inspire public confidence.”
He added, “The goal through this report is to provide transparency, reinforce accountability, and support our culture of ethical behaviour at Statistics Canada.”
Misconduct, discipline in Ottawa
During the 2024-2025 fiscal year, Labour Relations investigated 89 allegations of misconduct at Statistics Canada. Of these, 72 were founded.
Misconduct was categorized into five major themes:
- failure to protect information
- failure to protect and manage public funds
- failure to protect the agency’s reputation
- non-compliance with workplace presence directives
- breaches of the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and Statistics Canada’s Code of Conduct.
The most frequent issues involved failure to protect and manage public funds, non-compliance with workplace presence requirements, and breaches of ethical codes.
Disciplinary actions for public service
The agency reviewed each incident thoroughly “and took all necessary and appropriate measures to address the issues and help prevent future occurrences,” the report states.
Disciplinary measures were rendered in 65 cases, ranging from oral reprimands to suspensions to termination of employment:
- 2 oral reprimands
- 25 written reprimands
- 7 one-day suspensions
- 3 two-day suspensions
- 4 three-day suspensions
- 3 five-day suspensions
- 3 ten-day suspensions
- 2 twenty-day suspensions
- 1 thirty-day suspension
- 15 terminations of employment
Misconduct in government agencies
The Office of Harassment and Violence Prevention received 21 notices of occurrences, 17 of which have been resolved. Nine of these were related to prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act.
The Security Facilities Division reported two incidents in 2024-2025, resulting in the revocation of one security status and the denial of another. The agency also reported the loss or theft of 31 government assets, including cellular phones, computers, and other electronic equipment, amounting to a total loss of $10,222.
The Office of Privacy Management and Information Coordination recorded 34 breach incidents, including seven privacy breaches (none deemed material), five information breaches, and one pre-release of statistical information.
“All were deemed to be the result of inadvertent errors, none resulting from malicious actions by employees, third parties or intruders,” says Statistics Canada, while the remaining 21 were confirmed as non-breaches.
Commitment to ethical leadership
The report notes an increase in disclosures under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, reflecting “growing awareness of the Act and a willingness to report wrongdoing, a trend that is expected to continue.”
Statistics Canada says it is taking steps to reinforce ethical leadership through targeted training and continuous engagement with bargaining agents.
“We recognize that ethical behaviour is a shared responsibility, and all employees—regardless of role or seniority—play a vital part in upholding our values and fostering a culture of integrity across the Agency,” the report concludes.
The agency has also revised its Code of Conduct to ensure a common understanding that promotes a respectful, ethical, and inclusive workplace culture.
