The Department of Public Safety is patting itself on the back for its “values,” “ethics” and “moral compass” in an internal audit, even after it played a lead role in spreading false claims about the 2022 Freedom Convoy.“As the department with the mission of building a safe and resilient Canada, public safety employees at all levels have a particular obligation to ensure that everything they do in their work reflects the Values And Ethics Code For The Public Sector,” said the Internal Audit Of Values And Ethics. Blacklock's Reporter said the report praised the department’s “ethical culture” and said staff are guided by the principle to “act in good faith and trust others do as well.”The audit did not address the department’s discredited claims used to justify the Emergencies Act. In 2023 the Federal Court ruled the government acted unlawfully, though an appeal is pending..Among the false allegations were that convoy protesters ransacked federal offices, harassed families trying to reach daycare, and threatened women with rape. Records later proved those incidents never happened. Public Safety also claimed protesters were bankrolled by suspicious foreign donors. Then–Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair both insisted the Freedom Convoy was a foreign-funded, criminal conspiracy, statements later shown to be untrue.Despite this record, the audit concluded the department’s “values and ethics” contributed to public confidence and showed it upheld the “highest standard” of professionalism.
