Welcome

Welcome to the first edition of Window on V&E, the e-newsletter of the Office of Public Service Values and Ethics (OPSVE). This newsletter is intended for the partners we have formed ties with over the years, both inside and outside the Public Service, and for anyone else interested in values and ethics within the Public Service.

Between You and Me…

It's my pleasure to personally welcome you to the first edition of the Office of Public Service Values and Ethics' new electronic bulletin, Window on V&E.; It will be published every three months as another important communication forum with the federal public service values and ethics community, as well as a way to promote broader dialogue with anyone interested in these issues, and to nurture the valuable partnerships outside the public service that the Office has established over the years.

In Perspective

Federal public servants who witness potential wrongdoing in the workplace will soon have a legislated framework – the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA) – that will encourage them to come forward and report it.

Focus On...

The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Forces (CF) are composed of a mix of dedicated military members and civilian employees who share the values that exist in Canadian society. They are unique organizations for whom, given the nature of their role, it is important to establish the measures to maintain public confidence in their ability to accomplish their mission. The values-based Defence Ethics Program (DEP) encourages ethical behaviour in the working environment so that all members will perform their duties in the best possible way.

Heart and Soul at Work

On June 16, 2006, the Canadian Embassy in Kabul won the 2006 Public Service Award of Excellence in the category Exemplary Contribution under Extraordinary Circumstances. The work of the embassy staff and the professionalism they showed in carrying out their duties have helped Canada achieve recognition on the international scene as a leader in the efforts towards the reconstruction of a stable and democratic Afghanistan. On August 23, the Window on Values and Ethics (WVE) team was able to interview the Canadian Ambassador to Kabul, His Excellency David Sproule, during his trip to Ottawa.

Ethical Challenge

This is a hypothetical situation for illustrative purposes only. I am a term employee with the Department of Housing Canada. Two of the Senior Housing Officers in my work unit have been bragging about "padding" their travel expense claims. They claim that our boss is aware of this and is just turning a blind eye to it.

She said

Ethics is a code of values which guide our choices and actions and determine the purpose and course of our lives.

Ayn Rand, Russian-American novelist and philosopher