Understand your rights and responsibilities concerning political activities during elections

March 11, 2025 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time - 6:00

With a federal election approaching, military and civilian Defence Team members should keep in mind their rights and responsibilities when engaging in political activities.

Regular Force members

Regular Force members may participate in municipal-level political activities with permission from the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). This permission is delegated to the Assistant Deputy Minister (Review Services) (ADM(RS)) and assessed by the Conflict of Interest Section, Executive Director of Integrity and Inquiries via a Confidential Report.

As per the Queen’s Regulations and Orders (QR&O) – 19.44, Regular Force members 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 for election to the Parliament of Canada or a provincial/territorial legislature.

Regular Force members with questions related to political activities should consult their local chain of command.

Reserve Force members

Reserve Force members are allowed to engage in political activities at all levels; however, they must also:

• Adhere to the general rules outlined in QR&O 19.14 - Improper Comments and 19.36 - Disclosure of Information or Opinion, and other orders and instructions issued to the CAF, and
• Submit a Confidential Report via the Conflict of Interest Section.

To avoid any apparent, potential, or real conflict between their service obligations and political activities, Reserve Force members may request an exemption from duty and training for the duration of their political involvement, as outlined in CMP Military Instruction (20/04-3.11).

Reserve Force members with questions related to political activities should consult their local chain of command.

Public service employees

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.

Before seeking nomination as or becoming a candidate in an election at any level, public service employees at DND must:

• Request and obtain permission from the Public Service Commission (PSC),
• Send a copy of the completed request for permission form to politicalactivities-activitespolitiques@forces.gc.ca. As indicated in DND’s Instrument of Delegation [PDF-945KB], Part C of the Request for permission form (Senior Management Information) must be completed by the appropriate delegated authority.
• Enter leave without pay, and
• Upon PSC approval, submit a Confidential Report via the Conflict of Interest Section

This requirement applies to all employees, including term and indeterminate employees, students, and those on leave of absence.

Since the PSC has 30 days from the receipt of complete information to render a decision, it is important to submit requests for permission as early as possible.

Please note that the PSC has exclusive authority to look into allegations of improper political activities, which can be made by anyone. If the investigation finds the allegation to be valid, the PSC may recommend corrective action as deemed appropriate.

Civilian employees with questions should consult their designated political activities representative, Brianne Lapointe at brianne.lapointe@forces.gc.ca. The designated political activities representative is an individual designated by an organization to raise awareness, provide advice, and act as a liaison with the PSC.

Guidance for personal use of social media

Social media and technology have made it challenging to separate work and personal lives. Unless specifically stated otherwise, users may interpret Defence Team members’ posts as representing the opinions of the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Armed Forces, or the Government of Canada.

Defence Team members should be aware of their existing responsibilities when using personal social media accounts on personal devices, on non-Government of Canada networks, and on personal time. Please consult the Guidance for Public Servants on their Personal Use of Social Media for more information.

In addition to this guidance, members of the Canadian Armed Forces can consult additional resources to learn more about the use of social media:

• CANFORGEN: Guidance on social media and other internet communications – personal security (accessible only on the National Defence network)
• CANFORGEN: Guidance on blogs and other internet communications – CF operations and activities (accessible only on the National Defence network)
• Social media familiarization course available through the Defence Learning Network

Additional guidance and advice regarding political activities is available from the ADM(RS) Conflict of Interest section.

Useful links

• PSC communiqué to employees: Elections and political activities of employees
• ADM(Human Resources-Civilian) webpage
• Political Activities Diagram [PDF-346KB]
• Political Activities Self-Assessment Tool
• Public Service Commission of Canada: Political Activities
• I want to become a candidate
• Non-Candidacy Political Activities
• Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector
• Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces Code of Values and Ethics