Political Activities Guidance

August 27, 2021 – Defence Stories

Department of National Defence (DND) employees and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members who are considering personal involvement in political activities at all levels of government need to be aware of their rights and responsibilities.

Here is a breakdown of what military and civilian Defence Team members should take into consideration should they wish to become involved in any political activity during the Federal Election:

Regular and Reserve Force Members

Regular Force members are permitted to participate in municipal level political activities with permission from the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), delegated to the Assistant Deputy Minister (Review Services) (ADM(RS)), and approved through the Defence Ethics Programme (DEP) via a Confidential Report.

However, as per QR&O - 19.44 Political Activities and Candidatures for Office, they cannot take an active part in the affairs of a political organization or party, make a political speech to electors, or announce or allow themselves to be announced as a candidate, or prospective candidate, for election to the Parliament of Canada or a provincial/territorial legislature.

Reserve Force members are not prohibited from engaging in political activities in the same way as Regular Force members. However, Reserve Force members are reminded that they remain subject to the general rules set out in Queens’ Regulations and Orders (QR&Os), and other orders and instructions issued to the CAF, at all times when they are subject to the Code of Service Discipline, including QR&O 19.14 - Improper Comments and 19.36 - Disclosure of Information or Opinion. Consequently, members of the Reserve Force are encouraged to submit a Confidential Report via DEP.

In order to avoid any perceived or real conflict between their obligations of service and their political activities, members of the Reserve Force may also wish to request to be exempt from duty and training for the duration of their political activities under CMP Military Instruction 20/04 - Paragraph 3.11.

Public Servants

Federal public service employees have the right to engage in political activities as long as they do not impair, or are not perceived as impairing, their ability to perform their duties in a politically impartial manner. The Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC) Communiqué will assist DND employees to make informed decisions about participating in political activities. Online tools are also available.

It is important to note that employees must first have requested and obtained permission from the PSC via Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources – Civilian) (available on Defence Team intranet) before seeking nomination as a candidate in any election at the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal levels. When PSC approval has been granted, the employee must then submit a Confidential Report via DEP to ensure that there is no real or apparent Conflict of Interest.

Employees are encouraged to submit their requests for permission in a reasonable timeframe to allow for timely processing and approval.

Please also note that the only political activity permitted of Deputy Heads by the Act is voting in elections.

Under the Public Service Employment Act, the PSC has the authority to investigate potentially inappropriate political activities by federal public service employees, and to take corrective action. Situations where employees may be involved in political activities that could put at risk, or appear to put at risk, their ability to carry out their duties in a politically impartial manner should be brought to the attention of the PSC.

During campaigns, everyone must respect the impartiality and neutrality of the public service and DND/CAF, as well as their obligations or loyalty towards the Government of Canada. All comments in social media and letters to the editor must be well-considered before they are published or submitted for publication.

Voting in an election is your fundamental right as a Canadian citizen.

Further information is available through the Political Activities diagram and the Political Activities and Campaigning CANFORGEN.

All questions related to political activities can be directed to DEP.

Text version of Political Activities infographic

Political Activities: Running as a candidate, volunteering or working for a campaign

What is your status in the DND/CAF?

CAF Members
- Regular Force
  - What level do you want to be involved in?
    - Municipal^{Footnote *}
      - How are you planning on being involved in the upcoming election?
        
        Running for office
        
        Regular Force members are permitted to participate in municipal elections with approval from the CDS, delegated to ADM(RS) and a Confidential Report must be submitted to ADM(RS).
        
        Volunteering /Working for a Campaign
        
        Regular Force members are permitted to participate in municipal elections with approval from the CDS, delegated to ADM(RS) and a Confidential Report must be submitted to ADM(RS).
    - Provincial/Territorial
      - How are you planning on being involved in the upcoming election?
        
        Running for office
        
        Regular Force members cannot engage in any political activity at the Provincial and Federal level, as per QR&O 19.44 - Political Activities and Candidature for Office.
        
        Volunteering /Working for a Campaign
        
        Regular Force members cannot engage in any political activity at the Provincial and Federal level, as per QR&O 19.44 - Political Activities and Candidature for Office.
    - Federal
      - How are you planning on being involved in the upcoming election?
        
        Running for office
        
        Regular Force members cannot engage in any political activity at the Provincial and Federal level, as per QR&O 19.44 - Political Activities and Candidature for Office.
        
        Campaigning
        
        Regular Force members cannot engage in any political activity at the Provincial and Federal level, as per QR&O 19.44 - Political Activities and Candidature for Office.
- Reserve Force (Classes A, B and C; COATS and Canadian Rangers)
  - What level do you want to be involved in?
    - Municipal^{Footnote *}
      - How are you planning on being involved in the upcoming election?
        
        Running for office
        
        Reserve Force members are not prohibited from engaging in political activities under QR&O 19.44 (7) but remain subject to the rules set out in QR&O at all times when they are subject to the Code of Service Discipline, including QR&Os 19.14—Improper Comments and 19.36—Disclosure of Information or Opinion. Members of the Reserve Force are encouraged to submit a Confidential Report to ADM(RS) and may also wish to request to be exempt duty and training for the duration of their political activities (CMP Military Instruction 20/04, para 3.11).
        
        Volunteering /Working for a Campaign
        
        Reserve Force members are not prohibited from engaging in political activities under QR&O 19.44 (7) but remain subject to the rules set out in QR&O at all times when they are subject to the Code of Service Discipline, including QR&Os 19.14—Improper Comments and 19.36—Disclosure of Information or Opinion. Members of the Reserve Force are encouraged to submit a Confidential Report to ADM(RS) and may also wish to request to be exempt duty and training for the duration of their political activities (CMP Military Instruction 20/04, para 3.11).
    - Provincial/Territorial
      - How are you planning on being involved in the upcoming election?
        
        Running for office
        
        Reserve Force members are not prohibited from engaging in political activities under QR&O 19.44 (7) but remain subject to the rules set out in QR&O at all times when they are subject to the Code of Service Discipline, including QR&Os 19.14—Improper Comments and 19.36—Disclosure of Information or Opinion. Members of the Reserve Force are encouraged to submit a Confidential Report to ADM(RS) and may also wish to request to be exempt duty and training for the duration of their political activities (CMP Military Instruction 20/04, para 3.11).
        
        Volunteering /Working for a Campaign
        
        Reserve Force members are not prohibited from engaging in political activities under QR&O 19.44 (7) but remain subject to the rules set out in QR&O at all times when they are subject to the Code of Service Discipline, including QR&Os 19.14—Improper Comments and 19.36—Disclosure of Information or Opinion. Members of the Reserve Force are encouraged to submit a Confidential Report to ADM(RS) and may also wish to request to be exempt duty and training for the duration of their political activities (CMP Military Instruction 20/04, para 3.11).
    - Federal
      - Running for office
        
        Reserve Force members are not prohibited from engaging in political activities under QR&O 19.44 (7) but remain subject to the rules set out in QR&O at all times when they are subject to the Code of Service Discipline, including QR&Os 19.14—Improper Comments and 19.36—Disclosure of Information or Opinion. Members of the Reserve Force are encouraged to submit a Confidential Report to ADM(RS) and may also wish to request to be exempt duty and training for the duration of their political activities (CMP Military Instruction 20/04, para 3.11).
      - Volunteering /Working for a Campaign
        
        Reserve Force members are not prohibited from engaging in political activities under QR&O 19.44 (7) but remain subject to the rules set out in QR&O at all times when they are subject to the Code of Service Discipline, including QR&Os 19.14—Improper Comments and 19.36—Disclosure of Information or Opinion. Members of the Reserve Force are encouraged to submit a Confidential Report to ADM(RS) and may also wish to request to be exempt duty and training for the duration of their political activities (CMP Military Instruction 20/04, para 3.11).
All DND Employees
- What level do you want to be involved in?
  - Municipal^{Footnote *}
    - How are you planning on being involved in the upcoming election?
      - Running for office
        
        DND employees can participate with approval from COI/DEP and the Public Service Commission of Canada if running as a candidate for office.
      - Volunteering /Working for a Campaign
        
        DND employees can participate with approval from COI/DEP and the Public Service Commission of Canada if running as a candidate for office.
  - Provincial/Territorial
    - How are you planning on being involved in the upcoming election?
      - Running for office
        
        DND employees can participate with approval from COI/DEP and the Public Service Commission of Canada if running as a candidate for office.
      - Volunteering /Working for a Campaign
        
        DND employees can participate with approval from COI/DEP and the Public Service Commission of Canada if running as a candidate for office.
  - Federal
    - How are you planning on being involved in the upcoming election?
      - Running for office
      - DND employees can participate with approval from COI/DEP and the Public Service Commission of Canada if running as a candidate for office.
      - Volunteering /Working for a Campaign
      - DND employees can participate with approval from COI/DEP and the Public Service Commission of Canada if running as a candidate for office.
Vote!
- This diagram pertains solely to running for office, volunteering or working for a political campaign. Any other matters related to political activities are addressed through DAOD 7021-1 Conflict of Interest. It is the responsibility of all DND employees and CAF members to ensure their political activities do not jeopardizes the impartiality and neutrality of the DND and CAF. For all questions, contact the Defence Ethics Programme at 613-901-1090, COIDEP-CIPED@forces.gc.ca

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Date modified:: 2021-08-27

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