Public servants, political activities and social media

This guidance supports federal public servants who are considering engaging in political activities (supporting or opposing a political party or candidate) on social media. It applies to departments and agencies subject to Part 7 of the Public Service Employment Act.

Balancing rights and responsibilities

As a federal public servant, you have the right to engage in political activities, but that right must be balanced with the responsibility to maintain political impartiality in the public service. You can engage in activities that don’t impair, and won’t be perceived as impairing, your ability to perform your duties in a politically impartial manner.

By engaging responsibly online, you help ensure Canadians can have confidence in a non-partisan public service, which includes fair and equitable delivery of programs and services, as well as impartial advice to ministers.

Dos and don’ts for public servants on social media

Dos

• Taking part in activities to inform yourself as a voter (tuning into broadcast town halls, watching debates and following parties or candidates)

Don’ts

• Taking part in any political activity during working hours, or on government premises, or using government resources, including mobile devices
• Engaging in any political activity that impairs, or could be perceived as impairing, your ability to perform your public service duties in a politically impartial manner

Deputy heads cannot engage in any political activity other than voting in an election.

What to consider

Before you decide to engage in an online political activity (such as “liking” or forwarding a comment, commenting on a post or creating political content), consider some of these factors:

1. Your department or agency’s mandate
   • Any links between the mandate and potential political platform issues
   • Whether you provide direct service to the public
   • Your degree of influence over government decision-making and direction
2. Your duties in your public service position
   • Your duties related to, or affecting, your political activity
   • Your authorities (decision-making, staffing, financial)
3. Your visibility as a public servant
   • Your official interaction as a public servant with people, businesses, associations or groups

Other considerations

• Your digital footprint: online messages can become permanent, and it can be hard to control where they go and who sees them
• Your online visibility: having a higher number of “friends” or “followers” and whether you’re identifiable as a public servant online can increase the level of risk
• Including a disclaimer on social media posts (“This is my personal opinion and not that of my employer”) may not be enough to address the risk of an activity

Improper political activities: what happens

The Public Service Commission of Canada has exclusive authority to investigate allegations of improper political activities.

Other online activities

Activities that don’t fall under the definition of a political activity should be considered in light of the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and your departmental code of conduct. For more information, please consult the Treasury Board Secretariat Guidance for Public Servants on their Personal Use of Social Media, talk to your manager or your values and ethics advisor.

Guidance and support

• Contact your designated political activities representative
• Use the Political Activities Self-Assessment Tool to assess a political activity’s level of risk to non-partisanship in the public service

Sign up for an information session on your rights and responsibilities when engaging in political activities.

Resources

• Political activities provisions of the Public Service Employment Act
• Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector
• Directive on Conflict of Interest
• Guideline on Acceptable Network and Device Use