CALGARY — Canada’s Justice Department has revealed that a senior executive found to have committed wrongdoing involving the misuse of public funds retired before any disciplinary action could be taken, according to documents first reported by Blacklock's Reporter.The department said an internal investigation concluded the executive had engaged in misconduct, including the misuse of public funds, gross mismanagement, a serious breach of the code of conduct and knowingly directing or counselling another person to commit wrongdoing.“The executive was informed of the conclusion of the investigation establishing that wrongdoing had been committed, and was advised the matter would be addressed through a disciplinary process,” the department wrote in a notice. “However the executive retired from the public service before any administrative measures could be considered.”Officials refused to identify the executive, disclose when the misconduct occurred or reveal how much public money was involved.According to the department’s Act Of Founded Wrongdoing notice, investigators determined the executive authorized work under a contract that was not consistent with the contract’s terms and approved invoiced services that were not properly supported by contractual documentation.“Information obtained during the investigation demonstrated an executive misused public funds by authorizing work under a contract that was not aligned with the contract, and that the authorized work and invoiced services were not sufficiently supported by accurate contractual documentation,” the notice stated..“These findings were found to constitute a misuse of public funds, gross mismanagement and a serious breach of a code of conduct.”The department did not explain why the matter was not referred to police despite the seriousness of the findings.In response to the case, Justice Department managers said they have strengthened oversight among contracting, procurement and finance staff and emphasized the need to identify and report irregularities or conduct that violates government policies and ethical standards.The department also said employees would be encouraged to raise concerns without fear of reprisal and that expectations would be communicated to all managers with financial signing authority.The latest case adds to a growing list of misconduct incidents within the department. Last year, 37 employees faced disciplinary measures for offences ranging from harassment and workplace intimidation to insurance fraud, falsifying résumés and attempting to improperly access secure IT systems.“This report is an important part of our efforts to reinforce a culture where misconduct and wrongdoing are not tolerated,” the department said in its First Annual Report On Addressing Misconduct And Wrongdoing At The Department Of Justice..The disclosure comes amid broader concerns about the federal government’s ability to investigate wrongdoing complaints in a timely manner.Harriet Solloway, Canada’s Integrity Commissioner, warned parliamentarians last fall that her office was struggling to keep up with a growing volume of whistleblower complaints.“A large number of cases are not being immediately assigned to investigators as they are already working at full capacity,” Solloway told the House of Commons government operations committee on Oct. 29.“For both disclosures of wrongdoing and reprisal complaints, I cannot overstate the importance of providing whistleblowers, respondents and other parties with reasoned decisions based on thorough investigations, regardless of whether or not there’s a finding of wrongdoing,” she testified.“That is at the heart of our raison d’être and is critical in maintaining trust in our public institutions.”
