Scenario: Reprisal for Alert to Safety Violation
This scenario may contain explicit language and references to harmful situations which may be emotionally activating for some people. If you need support, services are available through the CAF Member Assistance Program (CFMAP) and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Group Size: 4-15
Scenario
In carrying out her duties as a vehicle technician, Corporal (Cpl) Mariana Alvarez finds that several of her peers had cut corners making repairs to certain vehicles and had forgotten to do all the safety checks. This situation could jeopardize the safety of the users after leaving the maintenance garage of the unit.
Cpl Alvarez, concerned with safety and adherence to good procedures, shares her observations with her immediate supervisor, Master Corporal (MCpl) Tim Troudon. MCpl Troudon listens to her briefly but doesn’t pay much attention to her observations.
At the end of the meeting, MCpl Troudon says, "Great. Now, get back to your work as soon as possible because our section is already four vehicles behind schedule to repair this week."
Cpl Alvarez sees that MCpl Troudon will not issue any safety directives or reminders to the unit. She is concerned that the issues she presented were brushed off.
A few days later, Cpl Alvarez asks to speak directly to her maintenance officer. Her request is immediately denied by MCpl Troudon, who claims that the maintenance officer does not want to know anything about these things and that he is too busy to listen to corporals complain. He tells Cpl Alvarez to get back to her daily tasks.
The next morning, Cpl Alvarez tries again to request a meeting with the maintenance officer. MCpl Troudon tells her that she has been assigned to duty next Sunday to backfill for another member of the unit who has an unexpected family obligation.
Categories
- Principles: Serve Canada before Self, Obey and Support Lawful Authority
- Values: Integrity, Courage, Stewardship, Excellence
- Cultural themes: Service, Identity, Leadership, Teamwork
- Misconduct types: Harassment
- GBA Plus themes: Not Specific
- Audience: Canadian Armed Forces
Facilitator’s Guide
Learning Objectives
- Discuss how hiding a wrongdoing or suppressing information about a safety problem can cause serious harm and is at odds with the principles and values of the Defence Team.
- Understand how reprisal against whistleblowers is at odds with both Defence Ethics and the law.
Facilitation Questions
- What is the problem in this scenario?
- Open group discussion.
- What are the facts? What are the assumptions? Could bias or sexism be involved?
- Open group discussion.
- What are the obvious courses of action (COAs)? Are there other possible COAs?
- Open group discussion.
- Which principles, values and results are at play for each option, including the option to do nothing?
- Open group discussion.
- Discuss “Serve Canada before Self,” and “Obey and Support Lawful Authority” in relation to this scenario. Are these two opposing in this scenario?
- Discuss the Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) values of integrity, courage, stewardship, loyalty, and excellence as well as duty, the professional expectation in the CAF ethos, in relation to this scenario.
- As Cpl Alvarez, how would you handle this situation? What if you were MCpl Troudon?
- Open group discussion.
- Discuss with reference to Defence Ethics, the military ethos, and relevant policies.
- Hiding a wrongdoing about safety problem can cause serious harm.
- Reprisal against whistleblowers is at odds with CAF ethics and values.
- How does gender or gender stereotypes impact the interactions and courses of action in this scenario?
Page details
- Date modified: