Parole Board 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?

• No

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

To set a strong foundation of Values and Ethics within the organization, the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) requires new employees, supervisors, managers, and executives to take mandatory training in Values and Ethics within their first three months on the job.

In 2021, the PBC developed a values and ethics strategy and action plan for employees, which encompasses training-related activities, to continue strengthening values and ethics within the organization. This strategy and actions defined continue to be implemented and fostered today. Since then, awareness sessions on values and ethics have, and will continue to be offered, to employees (whether newly onboarded or by demand to divisions/sections) and to Board members during their Board Member Orientation. 

In 2024, the PBC began to carry out renewed conversations on values and ethics across the organization. To ensure that these guided conversations are tailored, held in a safe and secure space and are meaningful, senior executives are incorporating this exercise into their pre-planned training sessions (with functional specialists), team meetings, or other planned group events, and using scenario-based questions relevant to their work to stimulate honest conversations, real feedback and reflections. The feedback, which is captured anonymously, is then provided to the values and ethics office to consolidate and identify the areas that warrant additional awareness in order to inform future training plans/organizational needs. Ongoing dialogue on values and ethics with staff members on personal accountability to uphold the public sector values will be sustained throughout the year and will be led by senior executives. 

With the feedback collected from the ongoing renewed conversations on values and ethics, the PBC will be better equipped to address identified gaps and develop specific training plans over the next year that will help further enable and guide staff members in their official roles.

A Work Plan is also in progress for Governor in Council (GIC)-appointed Board members and will be actioned throughout the 2024-2025 fiscal year, with specific target dates identified for each activity.

The PBC will continue to develop necessary tools for staff members that are aligned with and enabled by our values and serves the public interest in the delivery of PBC’s high-quality conditional release and record suspension/pardon decisions, expungement decisions and clemency recommendations mandate.

Forthcoming, all employees and Board members will also be invited to take part in mandatory Departmental Training on Preventing Harassment and Violence in the Workplace, which must be retaken in accordance with a prescribed schedule to maintain awareness.

Part II. Codes of conduct

Question 3

Has your organization reviewed its code of conduct?

• Yes, my organization has reviewed 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?

The PBC has two distinct codes of conduct: one for public servants and a second for Governor in Council appointees (Board members). Both codes were last updated in the fall of 2022. 

Question 5

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

• Yes, my organization updated 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 PBC’s Public Servant Code of Conduct was reviewed and updated in 2022. Several changes were made to the Code, which are aligned with current legislative and various policy changes. Each section of the code was updated, clarified, and now defines the roles and responsibilities for each level of responsibility, the expected behaviours around the usage of social media and on the consumption of controlled substance, and of the expectations and responsibilities regarding conflicts of interest and conflict of duties.

Furthermore, with the revisions made to the PBC’s Public Servant Code of Conduct, PBC’s Confidential Report form used by employees to identify and report conflict of interest and conflict of duties situations became mandatory to complete and file as part of every staffing-relation action (applicable to all initial and subsequent employment at the PBC). The Confidential Report form was also updated to identify the potential sources of conflicts of interest, and a new section was added where employees can attest their conformity to the Directive on Conflict of Interest and indicate that they have no conflicts of interest or conflicts of duties situation to report.

The Board Members’ Code of Professional Conduct outlines the professional conduct expected of Board members in their role. This Code focuses on expected behaviors and obligations of PBC Governor in Council appointees. The Code was reviewed and updated in 2022, along with the PBC’s Public Servant Code of Conduct, in order to ensure full alignment and consistency with other corporate documents, such as the PBC’s Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Policy. The Code was also updated to offer useful links to guide the work of a Board member (i.e., link to the Board Members’ Corner of the PBC’s intranet page) as well as supplementary information on Board member responsibilities in their work environment, including explicit direction to not report to work if under the influence of alcohol, cannabis or other drugs or intoxicants.

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
• 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)
• Specific values and ethics communications campaigns

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

In recent years, the PBC has incorporated values and ethics (V&E) into its annual corporate priorities in the form of one of its key priorities; “Cultivate a people management and training approach that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion, recognizes the benefits of flexible work arrangements, and promotes a healthy, respectful, productive, and safe work environment.”  These priorities are woven into various plans, reports, and performance agreements to support the delivery of high-quality conditional release and record suspension decisions.

Since 2021, the PBC continues to offer V&E awareness sessions to employees, which stimulated the conversation and enhances awareness. These sessions provide an overview of the public sector Code and its enduring values, PBC’s core values with examples of effective behaviours, expectations on the usage of social media, the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, and the application and requirements of the Directive on Conflict of Interest. These sessions include case scenarios on situations that can place public servants in a conflict of interest situation. At the end of the session, employees are reminded of the different resources available to help sustain a healthy work environment and promote a values-based culture.

The PBC also coordinates information sessions in collaboration with stakeholders, on interrelated topics such as the disclosure of wrongdoing, the Ombuds Services, and workshops that help participants develop the skills to manage and deal with conflict effectively in the workplace.

In response to the Clerk’s next steps on V&E, the PBC began to carry out conversations with employees. As part of these conversations, an exercise on personal accountability to uphold the public service V&E is conducted through scenario-based exercises adapted to the realities faced by staff in their professional role, which stimulates honest conversations and reflections on how the enduring values and Codes of conduct can be exemplified. These exercises will be led by senior executives, which also support the Government-Wide Priority for 2024-2025 on cultivating a values-based culture. This priority will be enshrined as a commitment in all PBC’s executives’ performance agreements.

A Work Plan was developed by the Board Member Secretariat to further implement values and ethics strategies and activities for Board members. As part of the plan, the PBC Board Member Secretariat and the PBC V&E Office will collaborate to develop training specifically for Board members and employees. Furthermore, discussions are held during the bimonthly Vice-Chairperson meetings with the Executive Vice-Chairperson; the purpose of these discussions is to encourage Vice-Chairpersons to discuss values and ethics with their Board members and to share experiences.

A training session on fostering a healthy workplace was delivered to Board members of the Ontario region in April 2024; this same session will be delivered to other regions/Appeal Division this fiscal year. Specific actions will be added throughout the year, such as incorporating conversations on V&E in the Evaluation Process and further strengthening content in the Board member and Vice-Chairperson Orientation training session pertaining to Professional Conduct.

As part of ongoing awareness activities, the PBC prepares and disseminates communication products to all employees sensitizing them of their responsibilities in matters relating to values and ethics. A revised communiqué on social media will also be distributed to all Board members in June 2024.

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.

As part of PBC’s mandatory learning plans, all new employees and managers are required to complete the Values and Ethics Foundation training for employees/managers, offered by the Canada School of Public Service in the months following their arrival at the PBC. To complement this training, new employees are also invited to participate in the in-house awareness session on values and ethics.

In February 2024, the PBC began to carry out distinct conversations on personal accountability to uphold the public service values and ethics with functional specialists working across the region, which involved a mixture of in-person and remote attendees. These conversations, led by Regional Director Generals, were integrated into pre-planned trainings, and included eight questions regarding their professional role vis-à-vis values and ethics in today’s context. A professional conduct scenario was also shared with participants along with key discussions questions to enable meaningful group discussions on professional conduct. This exercise will continue to be carried out across the organization over the coming year with other functional specialists and staff members.

As part of the Work Plan for Board members, the onboarding letter for new appointees, provided by the Chairperson, will be modified to incorporate the values of the Board. Additionally, Board Member and Vice-Chairperson Orientation trainings will be reviewed to further elaborate on Values and Ethics during the session on Professional Conduct (slides/scenarios/reference). The Training Section for Board members will also incorporate new courses to the Board Member Learning Roadmap, including mandatory training pertaining to Values and Ethics.

Vice-Chairpersons are accountable for the conduct of Board members assigned to their region/division. The training provided to them provides Vice-Chairpersons with the necessary tools and resources to assert their authority regarding conduct of members. During fiscal year 2024-2025, the development of further guidance and tools will be explored to aid Vice-Chairpersons in their oversight of Board members appointed to their region/division.

The PBC Middle Managers’ Network will continue to be a stimulus for building ethical leadership, equipping them with the necessary tools and resources to carry out their managerial role, and provide continuous learning opportunities to foster a workplace culture that is driven by values and ethics.

The PBC will continue to share regular communications to all employees and Board members on the importance of personal accountability when carrying out PBC’s mandate and in their daily lives as public servants or as Governor in Council appointees.

In the coming year, the PBC will review and modernize its Welcome and Orientation Guide for new employees to add additional information on values and ethics, including information about the Codes of conduct, PBC’s guided values, and a time frame for when employees are expected to file their Confidential Report form, complete mandatory training and information on upcoming awareness sessions.

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?

Since the revisions made to PBC’s Public Servant Code of Conduct in 2022, where PBC’s Confidential Report form became mandatory for public servants, a significant increase in reports filed and openness of situations have been noticed. There has been a surge in questions, enquiries, advice and guidance requested by various employee levels and a keen interest to learn more.

In looking at the reported trends over the past year, managers and employees have been identifying and reporting situations that could give rise to conflicts of interest, particularly those involving outside employment/dual employment or outside activities, and most recently, emerging conversations regarding expectations with social media platforms/visibility and trends that are susceptible to place public servants in a risk of a conflict-of-interest situation.

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)?

When noticeable trends are identified, the PBC will either organize a workshop/awareness session to address the recurring theme or disseminate a communication product that provides further clarity.

In addition, the in-house values and ethics awareness session offered to employees was also updated to incorporate information on the expected behaviours around the usage of social media, additional examples of effective behaviours that demonstrate qualities of the organization and the public sector’s enduring values, and tailored scenario-based exercises to stimulate reflections and questions amongst participating employees on ascertain theme.

Since March 2024, the PBC has revised its presentation to new Board members as part of the Board Member Orientation. The PBC is placing greater emphasis on the roles and responsibilities of Board members as well as reminding them that they must abide by the Terms and Conditions applying to Governor in Council appointees. The training for new Board members also speaks to their responsibilities as Public Office Holders that they are expected to respect the principles of any code applicable to them and that they are held to the highest standard of integrity. The Values and Ethics Foundations course from the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) will be added to the mandatory training roadmap for Board members, and the Values and Ethics for Managers course from the Canada School of Public Service will be added to the mandatory training roadmap for Vice-Chairpersons. In addition to the CSPS courses, the Training Section will explore the potential for supplementary training/information to PBC decision-makers to reinforce the topic of Values and Ethics.

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)?

Since the creation of the Board’s values and ethics office in 2021, the PBC has increased the awareness and visibility of values and ethics amongst employees across the organization. Sessions were offered, and continue to be offered, and communication products on matters related to values and ethics are regularly disseminated. The intranet page continues to evolve and remains a resourceful tool for employees. Employees have confidence in seeking advice and guidance on matters related to conflict-of-interest situations and requests assistance with navigating PBC wellbeing programs and services.

In recent years, the values and ethics practitioner has worked closely with PBC’s middle managers’ network to learn about their needs and coordinate valuable workshops to help develop their abilities in demonstrating public sector values as leaders. The PBC will continue to invest in this network and offer learning activities to expand their toolbox and provide strategies to address workplace situations.

The tailored group conversations with functional specialists, led by Director Generals, on personal accountability to uphold the public service values and ethics, have also been quite successful to date. Employees are providing concrete and honest feedback which will enable the organization to have a better picture of areas that may require additional action, develop new tools, and present learning opportunities to continue cultivating a values-based work environment. The PBC will continue to carry out similar exercises with small groups over the year.

The PBC also offered a session on fostering a healthy workplace to the Board members of the Ontario region in April 2024. Many tips were given during this session as well as reminders on the importance of collegiality.

As part of the April 2024 Board Member Orientation (BMO) and for every forthcoming session, the Professional Conduct module further emphasized the importance of Values & Ethics; newly appointed Board members discussed various scenarios related to Professional Conduct. Moving forward, scenarios capturing each Public Service values will be created and included in the Conflict of Interest and Professional Conduct session at the Board Member Orientation (BMO) and other regional/divisional training when discussing values and ethics. 

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 Public Service Employee Survey will remain a tool that will inform the PBC on how its employees and Board members are versed and aware of their obligations vis-à-vis values and ethics. The PBC also has an employee departure questionnaire where it will be revised forthcoming and additional questions will be included to solicit feedback about values and ethics at the PBC. The recently updated end of mandate questionnaire for Board members will also serve as a tool to measure awareness.

With the renewed conversations that are currently being carried out, the PBC will adapt its learning activities to address any gaps brought to light and areas that require additional awareness, enabling employees and Board members to continue serving the public interest in the delivery of PBC’s mandate.

Efforts are ongoing to track the completion of mandatory Board member training, thereby validating that Board members have received information to inform them of the role of values and ethics in their daily work. As well, a Board Member Orientation Checklist is completed by the Board member and signed by the Vice-Chairperson during the onboarding process to confirm that Board members completed the orientation sessions (block 2) which includes the session on the PBC’s values and the Board Member’s Code of Professional Conduct, and the Board Member and Vice-Chairperson Evaluation Process continues to serve as a mean to gather information regarding possible gaps or needs.

Question 12

Will these indicators be disaggregated by identity factors?

• Yes

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)?

In the summer of 2023, the PBC revised its delegation instrument that authorizes designated senior officials to exercise their human resources authorities in virtue of the Directive on Conflict of Interest for public servants.

PBC’s recourse mechanisms for different processes will also be reinvigorated to ensure that all employees are informed and supported in any challenge faced, especially in the event of situations that may constitute potential violations of any of the two codes of conduct or applicable legislations. Reinvigorating these mechanisms will further increase confidence amongst employees and uphold any applicable consequences accordingly.

Specific to Board members, the PBC will work to fully implement the activities embedded within Board Member Secretariat-led Work Plan related to values and ethics during the 2024-2025 fiscal year.