Twenty-two Canadian diplomats were fired last year for misconduct ranging from fraud and embezzlement to soliciting kickbacks and misusing government resources, according to a newly released report from Global Affairs Canada. Blacklock's Reporter says despite the serious nature of the violations, none of the cases were referred to police.The department received 218 complaints of wrongdoing in 2024, leading to 125 formal investigations. Of those, 120 were found to be valid, resulting in administrative or disciplinary action, including the termination of 22 employees. The individuals were not named..Wrongdoing included theft, falsified travel claims, improper use of fuel cards, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of position, harassment, and conflict of interest. In one case, an employee submitted fraudulent receipts over seven years to claim unearned allowances, while another facilitated salary overpayments to locally engaged staff and pocketed the money in a kickback scheme.“These actions demonstrated a clear lack of integrity and resulted in financial losses to the department,” the report stated. One employee was fired after colluding with gas station attendants to misuse government-issued fuel cards, while another was dismissed for falsifying their credentials on a résumé..The report, titled Addressing Misconduct And Wrongdoing At Global Affairs Canada, outlined a range of other disciplinary measures, including reprimands for yelling, arriving at work intoxicated, telling inappropriate jokes, pressuring colleagues for loans, and sharing explicit videos using government-issued computers.The department, which employs over 13,000 people in Canada and at missions around the world, said it is taking legal action to recover stolen funds and emphasized its commitment to a respectful and accountable workplace.“All complaints will be taken seriously, properly assessed, and if proven founded, followed up with administrative or disciplinary action in a timely manner,” said the report.
