Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada

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?

• Yes

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

N/A

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?

Both Military Police Complaint Commission (MPCC)’s Codes of conduct for employees and for members that came into force in July 2021 are currently under review. It is expected that the consultation phase with unions will take place in mid-June 2024 and the revised codes will be shared with all staff early in August 2024. The MPCC is proactive in terms of values and ethics and this will be the third time we are updating them since their creation. In 2023-2024, the MPCC’s Vision and Values were revised and updated and communicated to all staff. These two elements are the cornerstones of our code of conduct. 

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.

The revision of the codes of conduct was aimed at ensuring that the principles described in the codes reflected the 2024 context. Emphasis was placed on the appropriate use of resources and stewardship, respect of people and responsibilities pertaining to social media and artificial intelligence will be also added.

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)
• Focused engagement sessions for specific functional areas (e.g., operations, finance, communications, policy, human resources)
• Focused engagement sessions on specific topics (e.g., conflicts of interest, social media, emerging technologies)
• Engagement sessions with equity groups, employee groups, networks and communities
• 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.

In 2023-2024, the MPCC developed awareness sessions to ensure all employees have a deep understanding of the concepts and principles related to Values and Ethic (V&E) and conflict of interest. The following activities have been undertaken:

• Message on Making Security Part of your New Year's Resolution;
• Message on Security Awareness week - Security Beyond the Office;
• Message on Annual Reminder for members to review their responsibilities under the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and the MPCC Code of Conduct for Members;
• Message on Annual Reminder for employees to review their responsibilities under the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and the MPCC Code of Conduct;
• Event - Conversation with John Hannaford on V&E;
• Message on Elections and Political Activities of Public Servants;
• Message on Fraud 101 and how managers can help;
• Message on Scheme spotlight: Conflict of interest vs Corruption;
• Message on Safety and Security – Federal Contracts and Fraud Prevention;
• Meeting - Reminder on V&E during check-in meeting with Senior Management Committee;
• Annual reminder regarding - Conflicts of Interest delivered by the Director General followed by email;
• Communiqué to the supplier community on Proactively addressing conflicts of interest - A mandatory requirement of the Code of Conduct.  

In addition, at our monthly all-staff meeting, one of the frequent topics on the agenda is values and ethics. The following activities have been undertaken:

• Presentation of videos on Social media presence and on Building a strong PS through V&E;
• Presentation of a video on Intergenerational Communication In The Workplace;
• Discussion on conflict of interest and the importance of V&E;
• Verbal Annual Reminder on Code of Values and Ethics.

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
• Integrated in career succession planning (e.g., supervisor, manager, director)

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

A learning session outlining the values and expected behaviors that guide public servants in all activities related to their professional duties was held in April 2024. It was mandatory for all MPCC employees and was offered in a hybrid format. A recording of the session was also sent to employees who were unable to attend. The session was structured as a forum for discussion whilst promoting public sector and MPCC values. At the end, groups were sent to breakout rooms to discuss work-related and everyday scenarios to identify and address ethical dilemmas and potential conflicts of interest.

During our frequent all-staff meetings, our champion on Values and Ethics and executives takes this opportunity to raise employees’ awareness on a variety of topics on Values and Ethic and address current media items related to code of conduct (i.e. March 2024 - declarations of conflict of interest by public servants in their outside activities).  

The outlines of the code of conduct for members of the MPCC are presented to each new member as part of their onboarding process. 

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?

The recurrent themes emerging from conversation with employees and members for both groups are similar: conflict of interest, intergenerational conflicts, the use of artificial intelligence and ethical dilemmas in the workplace. 

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)?

The MPCC is proactive in its awareness-raising activities and adjusts its activities as required. One example is how we addressed intergenerational conflict in the workplace. At the MPCC, various forums are used to address recurring themes and headline topics. The following is a list of activities conducted in 2023-2024:

• Developed learning session on V&E led by our V&E champion with specific case studies;
• V&E champion sent annual email reminder to all employees to review their responsibilities under the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector, the MPCC Code of Conduct for Members and the MPCC Code of Conduct for employees;   
• Add V&E as an item on the agenda to all-staff meetings, when required and view videos on V&E topics;
• Have informal discussions with employees about V&E;
• Showed videos on Intergenerational Communication In The Workplace and in the process of finalizing an information session for all staff on Respect, Civility and Intergenerationality in the Workplace. 

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 learning activity MPCC delivered in April 2024 was successful in advancing discussions on V&E. Employees were actively engaged in the interactive session.

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)?

The MPCC intends to use the following indicators to measure increased awareness with its staff:

• next iteration of the Public Service Employee Survey;
• regular pulse surveys with multiple choice questions.

Also, the topic will be raised at staff meetings to ensure that employees are kept informed on recurring themes.

In terms of measuring increased employee awareness, given the size of the MPCC (30 Full Time Employees), we cannot break down results without the risk of identifying individuals and creating a privacy breach. 

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)?

The MPCC fully contributes to the Government of Canada Wide initiative on Values and Ethics by leading by example. The MPCC will continue routinely to promote Public Service Values and share information about Values and Ethic and expected behaviours as public servants.

It has been a long-standing practice at the MPCC to have common objectives on each employee’s performance management agreement. This practice continued in 2024-2025 dealing with cultivating a values-based culture.

The MPCC has long been committed to enhancing public confidence in the MPCC mandate and providing an impartial complaint process well before the “renewed conversation on values and ethics” initiative was launched. We are grateful that there is now a government-wide initiative on this important issue.

The MPCC is a micro-organization of 30 FTEs, so our small size is our strength as it allows us to engage every employee on key issues such as Values and Ethic and Code of conduct.