Military Grievances External Review Committee

Part I. Values and ethics training plans

Question 1

Has your organization developed department-specific values and ethics training plans down to the divisional level?

• Yes

If not, to what level have department-specific values and ethics training plans been developed and what is your target time frame for completing this work?

N/A

Question 2

Has your organization fully implemented department-specific training plans?

• No

If not, what is your target time frame for completing this work?

The original plan estimated the work to be conducted within this fiscal year. We will review the code of conduct and training plan based on the feedback received from the dialogue sessions. As such, timelines may shift.

Part II. Codes of conduct

Question 3

Has your organization reviewed its code of conduct?

• My organization is in the process of reviewing its code of conduct.

Question 4

If your organization is in the process of reviewing its code of conduct, what is your target time frame for completing the review?

Initial revisions of the code of conduct have been conducted. The intent is to incorporate feedback and comments from employees. The code will be finalized once the Values and Ethics (V&E) dialogue sessions with all employees are completed. Aiming to have finalized version of the code published on the intranet by December 2024.

Question 5

If your organization has completed the review of its code of conduct, did this review lead to updates?

• My organization is in the process of updating its code of conduct.

Please briefly describe the nature of any updates made (e.g., to clarify expected behaviours, to align with the emerging context, to include emerging risks) or explain why no updates were deemed necessary.

N/A

Part III. Discussions on personal accountability in upholding public service values and ethics

Question 6

What activities or actions has your organization undertaken to foster a conversation at all levels on personal accountability to uphold our public service values and ethics?

• Dedicated discussions at executive and management committee meetings
• All-staff engagements (e.g., town halls)
• Inclusion in employees’ performance and talent management cycle discussions
• Specific values and ethics communications campaigns

Please provide additional details on activities that you have undertaken, including those not listed above.

• A 1.5 day workshop was offered to all the management team in Fall 2023 and was focused on mobilizing people in fostering psychological safety in the workplace. The learning objectives for this workshop were:
  • Explain how leadership behaviours can either multiply or diminish the capacity of colleagues and employees.
  • Describe Multiplier and Diminisher behaviours in certain leadership situations.
  • Describe what it means to feel psychologically safe in the workplace and why safety is necessary for effective team performance.
  • Describe specific strategies to mobilize people as a Multiplier leader.
• A short video was presented on navigating social media as a public servant at an all staff meeting in Fall 2023 - Dos and Don'ts of Navigating Social Media as a Public Servant (TRN1-V13) - CSPS (csps-efpc.gc.ca).
• A blog was published in March to invite employees to participate in information sessions hosted by the Public Service Commission (PSC) on the rights and responsibilities of employees regarding their involvement in political activities.
• At the all-staff meeting in January 2024, the Chairperson provided highlights on the Deputy Minister’s task force team and the report. The Chairperson introduced the employees to the Military Grievances External Review Committee’s (Committee) plan on upcoming mandatory values and ethics dialogue sessions and how to prepare for them i.e. Values and Ethics for Employees (Canada School of Public Service (CSPS)) training, reviewing the Committee’s code of conduct.
• Employees and managers were invited to re-read the Committee’s code of conduct and redo Values and Ethics for employees and managers (CSPS) to prepare for the dialogue sessions.
• At a subsequent management meeting, managers were reminded to have a conversation with their employees and to ensure their values and ethics training is completed.
• Reminder blogs were published to prepare for the values and ethics dialogue sessions, including inviting employees to listen to Clerk of the Privy Council’s conversation - Conversation with John Hannaford on Values and Ethics (Webcast) (INC1-E42-V)
• A short video entitled on building a strong public sector through values and ethics was played at the “Introduction meeting of the values and ethics dialogue session”. These introductory meetings were led by the Chairperson, who provided context and concrete examples of the core values. It was also explained how the sessions would take place in the upcoming weeks - Building a Strong Public Sector Through Values and Ethics - YouTube.
• Senior leaders were individually tasked to facilitate the values and ethics one hour dialogue sessions (review the proposed questions).
• Plenary values and ethics sessions are scheduled for May 2024, led again by the Chairperson. The entire organization will reconvene so the Chairperson can summarize the results of the individual sessions. 

Question 7

Has your organization taken any actions to ensure that conversations on personal accountability to uphold our public service values and ethics occur on a continuing basis?

• Included as part of the onboarding process for new employees
• Incorporated in employees’ professional development and mandatory learning plans

Please provide details on activities that you have undertaken, including those not listed above.

During the onboarding process of any new employees, the following documents are shared:

• The Committee’s Code of Conduct 
• The Confidential Report
• Political Activities and You brochure (by the PSC)
• Brochures from the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada on making a protected disclosure of wrongdoing

The values and ethics courses offered by the CSPS are listed on the mandatory training as part of the onboarding of new employees and managers.

This fiscal, the values and ethics training plan at the Committee is mandatory for all employees.

Part IV. Additional information

Question 8

What recurring themes (e.g., social media, emerging technology, conflicts of interest) have emerged from conversations with employees (e.g., students, new public servants, front-line service providers, managers, executives, members of functional/horizontal communities/employee networks) across your organization?

• How to navigate social media
• How to navigate artificial intelligence (AI) as a public servant
• What are our roles and responsibilities with regards to climate change 

Question 9

How have you adjusted your learning activities to address recurring themes (e.g., adjusted training plans, developed specific case studies, invited expert speakers to focus on emerging themes)?

• Promoting CSPS services, courses and resources; screening related videos during all-staffs; and publishing blogs on particular topics.

Question 10

Are there any actions or learning activities that have been particularly successful in fostering conversations within your organization (e.g., new tools, creative approaches that have resonated well with employees and managers, meeting with small groups, equipping managers to lead conversations, equipping values and ethics office/practitioners)?

• The Mobilizing People workshop for the management team in Fall 2023 was an opportunity to have conversations on upholding values as managers in the public service.

Question 11

What indicators will be used to measure increased employee awareness of the role of values and ethics in their daily work (e.g., Public Service Employee Survey, pulse surveys, engagement with focus groups)?

• Public Service Employee Survey 
• Internal focus groups and surveys

Question 12

Will these indicators be disaggregated by identity factors?

• No

Question 13

Is there any additional information that you would like to share regarding your organization’s work on values and ethics (e.g., to advance particular recommendations of the Deputy Ministers’ Task Team on Values and Ethics Report)?

As a micro-organization, we collaborate with other organizations to brainstorm on best practices and we participate in interdepartmental committees.