An unnamed executive at the federal Department of Environment resigned while under investigation for serious misconduct that included belittling and humiliating employees, according to an internal notice released by the department.Blacklock's Reporter says the investigation, conducted by the department’s Internal Disclosure Office, found that the executive’s actions constituted wrongdoing under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Managers said the executive maintained unreasonable expectations and fostered a toxic work environment through both specific actions and an overall harmful management style.The executive, who did not cooperate with the investigation, left the public service before the probe concluded. The behaviour was deemed a “serious breach of a Code Of Conduct,” prompting a warning to all senior staff about maintaining professional standards.Although the investigation did not reveal any systemic issues, the department emphasized it is continuing prevention efforts, including mandatory values and ethics commitments for executives and a renewed focus on employee wellness.The resignation comes amid broader efforts across the federal public service to address workplace harassment. Since the 2018 passage of Bill C-65, which amended the Canada Labour Code to require anti-harassment policies in federally regulated workplaces, federal employees have filed more than 7,200 complaints. The legislation defines harassment broadly, including any conduct — verbal, physical, or online — that can reasonably cause offence, humiliation, or psychological harm.Labour Minister Patty Hajdu previously noted that such harassment can take many forms, from yelling and bullying to assigning inappropriate tasks or using jokes that make others uncomfortable. The law aims to create a respectful workplace culture, regardless of whether harassment occurs during regular work hours or in offsite or digital environments.
