Scenario: Questionable Claim

Group Size: 4-15

Scenario

“Yana, do you have a minute? I need to talk to you about a claim,” asks Pat Roedig, a supervisor at the base orderly room. 

“Sure Pat. What’s up?” replies Captain (Capt) Yana Ivanko, whose unit has been tasked to provide support to the upcoming military athletic games being hosted by the base. 

“It’s this travel claim for Capt Charleton. They work for you, right?” 

“Yeah, but not for much longer. The games are over soon, and they’ll be on their way back to Ontario. Not a minute too soon, if you ask me. We brought Capt Charleton in as an augmentee because the Commanding Officer (CO) was told that support for the games was ‘no-fail.’ Remember? At first, we were glad to have the extra help, right? Charleton just couldn’t do the job though and, on top of that, they’d get all confrontational if anybody questioned them on anything.” 

“Well anyhow, Yana,” says Pat Roedig, “the CO approved a claim for Capt Charleton to do a recce last week to that resort up north, the one that’s hosting the triathlon. I thought you and your team already did that though.” 

“We sure did, Pat,” replies Capt Ivanko. “My warrant officer (WO) and I did a site visit a few months back and set up a contract with the hotel. It’s all good to go.” 

“Which means that Capt Charleton’s travel claim is not valid or justified, right?” asks Pat. 

“Hang on a second,” says Capt Ivanko. “Do you think maybe the rumours are true about Charleton and the CO having a love affair?” 

“That may be so, but what are you going to do about this claim?” 

“Hey, don’t look at me,” says Capt Ivanko. “The CO writes my Performance Appraisal Report (PAR) and I just missed being promoted last year.”

Categories

• Principles: Serve Canada before Self, Obey and Support Lawful Authority
• Values: Integrity, Courage
• Cultural themes: Service, Identity
• Misconduct types: General Misconduct
• GBA Plus themes: Gender, Marital Status, Rank
• Audience: Defence Team

Facilitator’s Guide

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the ethical principles of Serve Canada before Self and Obey and Support Lawful Authority in this scenario. 
• Discuss the ethical values of integrity and courage in this scenario. 

Facilitation Questions

1. What is the problem in this scenario?  
   • Allow for open group discussion.
2. Discuss the ethical obligation of Respect the Dignity of all Persons in this scenario?  How about inclusion and fairness in this workplace? 
   • Allow for open group discussion. 
   • Discuss the ethical obligations of Serve Canada before Self and Obey and Support Lawful Authority in this scenario. 
3. Should Capt Ivanko report the unjustified travel claim of Capt Charleton to their superiors, given the questionable nature of their potential involvement with the CO? Is the CO's approval of Capt Charleton's travel claim indicative of bias or favoritism?  
   • Capt Ivanko must ensure that claims are legitimate and justifiable. They should report the issue to the appropriate authority and maintain transparency and integrity in financial matters. 
   • If there is evidence to suggest that the CO is showing favouritism or fraternization, it raises questions about fairness and impartiality in decision-making. 
4. What action(s) should Capt Ivanko take? Why?
   • Option 1.  Report the claim.  Capt Ivanko can report the unjustified travel claim made by Capt Charleton to the appropriate authority, such as their superiors, chain of command, or the Comptroller/Finance Officer.    
   • Option 2:  Discuss with Capt Charleton.  They could discuss the issue with Capt Charleton, address their concerns, and inquire about the travel claim. This approach might encourage transparency and provide an opportunity for Capt Charleton to explain their actions. 
   • Option 3: Ignore the situation. *Note to Facilitator: This is not the recommended action, as it would not be ethical to ignore the situation if there is a serious concern about the legitimacy of a financial claim.