On occasion, (INAC) receives allegations and complaints about the conduct of First Nation and Inuit government bodies and organizations in relation to the funding / mandate of the department. If a complaint or an allegation is received, guidelines are in place to deal with the concerns addressed to the department.

Allegations and complaints can be defined as follows:

Allegations: suggestions of criminal wrongdoing raised in the context of perceived action or inaction on the part of officials of First Nation and Inuit government bodies or organizations.

Complaints: concerns of a non-criminal nature about perceived action or inaction on the part of officials of First Nations / Inuit government bodies or organizations.

INAC has taken the following steps with respect to the management of allegations and complaints:

• a national Allegations and Complaints Coordinator and regional coordinators are in place to manage the flow of allegations and complaints
• the development of a database which tracks incoming allegations and complaints, their referrals and ultimate resolution
• the drafting of a national policy on dealing with Allegations and Complaints
• annual public reporting on activities relating to allegations and complaints in the Departmental Performance Report each fiscal year

Allegations and complaints can come in any form including oral, written or in person. They can also be provided anonymously and from any source, including First Nations / Inuit, a Member of Parliament, the media or the public. These allegations or complaints can be forwarded directly to the Allegations and Complaints Unit at INAC through a regional office of the department or the Minister's Office.

Each case is different and therefore each allegation or complaint made is examined and the appropriate action is taken in each instance. The most important issue in every case however is the respect for privacy. Any person intending to make an allegation or complaint is immediately advised that:

1. the information they provide to INAC staff becomes a departmental record subject to release under the provisions of the Access to Information Act and/or of the Privacy Act;
2. while every effort will be made to maintain confidentiality of the personal information, in the event that a concern leads to a police investigation, the individual may be asked to provide their name in support of proceeding with a criminal investigation; and
3. if they have evidence of criminal wrongdoing, they are encouraged to take that information directly to the appropriate police force, as the department has no investigative mandate.

When a person still wishes to provide information about an allegation to the department, there is referral to, or informal consultation with, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (or the appropriate policing force having exclusive authority to investigate potential criminal acts) for appropriate follow-up, if required.

When a complaint is made, the department will use the necessary resources to examine the issue thoroughly, taking all available measures to protect the confidentiality of the person raising the complaint. When the department has exhausted all avenues and gathered all the information on the issue, where possible (if the complaint was not made anonymously) a written response will be provided to the individual or group making the complaint.

The department's guidelines and procedures to deal with allegations and complaints were developed in response to recommendations from the Auditor General and the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. This formal process also responds to concerns raised in the course of public debate around the need to maintain confidentiality for people writing to the Minister.

The allegations and complaints process is in place to ensure that each case is taken seriously, that the facts are examined properly, and that the privacy of individuals is protected. This process is also intended to support the development of good government, so if issues are raised, policies can be developed to address and improve programs as required.

INAC is continuing its work to fine-tune this relatively new function of the department.

To communicate with the National Allegations and Complaints Coordinator:

National Allegations and Complaints Coordinator
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Room 1210
10 Wellington Street
Hull, QC
Postal Address: Ottawa, ON K1A 0H4
CNAP-NACC@ainc-inac.gc.ca

1 (800) 567-9604
Tel.: (819) 953-7012
Fax.: (819) 994-7984

July 2003

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