CONFLICT OF INTEREST RULES FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS (MINISTRY) AND FORMER PUBLIC SERVANTS (MINISTRY)

CONTENTS PART I RULES FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO WORK IN A MINISTRY Interpretation 1. Definitions 2. Application Prohibited Conduct 3. Benefiting self, spouse or children 4. Accepting gifts 5. Disclosing confidential information 6. Giving preferential treatment 7. Hiring family members 8. Engaging in business, etc. 9. Participating in decision-making Matters That Might Involve the Private Sector 10. Interpretation 11. Duty to declare certain financial interests 12. Prohibition on certain purchases 13. List of positions PART II RULES FOR FORMER PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO WORKED IN A MINISTRY Interpretation 14. Definition 15. Application Prohibited Conduct 16. Seeking preferential treatment, etc. 17. Disclosing confidential information 18. Restriction on lobbying 19. Restriction on employment, etc. 20. Restriction re certain transactions part i rules for public servants who work in a ministry Interpretation Definitions 1. In this Part, “confidential information” means information that is not available to the public and that, if disclosed, could result in harm to the Crown or could give the person to whom it is disclosed an advantage; “gift” includes a benefit of any kind; “spouse” means, (a) a spouse as defined in section 1 of the Family Law Act, or (b) either of two persons who live together in a conjugal relationship outside marriage. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 1. Application 2. This Part applies to every public servant who works in a ministry. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 2. Prohibited Conduct Benefiting self, spouse or children 3. (1) A public servant shall not use or attempt to use his or her employment by the Crown to directly or indirectly benefit himself or herself or his or her spouse or children. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 3 (1). (2) A public servant shall not allow the prospect of his or her future employment by a person or entity to detrimentally affect the performance of his or her duties to the Crown. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 3 (2). Accepting gifts 4. (1) A public servant shall not accept a gift from any of the following persons or entities if a reasonable person might conclude that the gift could influence the public servant when performing his or her duties to the Crown: 1. A person, group or entity that has dealings with the Crown. 2. A person, group or entity to whom the public servant provides services in the course of his or her duties to the Crown. 3. A person, group or entity that seeks to do business with the Crown. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 4 (1). (2) Subsection (1) shall not operate to prevent a public servant from accepting a gift of nominal value given as an expression of courtesy or hospitality if doing so is reasonable in the circumstances. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 4 (2). (3) A public servant who receives a gift in the circumstances described in subsection (1) shall notify his or her ethics executive. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 4 (3). Disclosing confidential information 5. (1) A public servant shall not disclose confidential information obtained during the course of his or her employment by the Crown to a person or entity unless the public servant is authorized to do so by law or by the Crown. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 5 (1). (2) A public servant shall not use confidential information in a business or undertaking outside his or her work for the Crown. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 5 (2). (3) A public servant shall not accept a gift directly or indirectly in exchange for disclosing confidential information. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 5 (3). Giving preferential treatment 6. (1) When performing his or her duties to the Crown, a public servant shall not give preferential treatment to any person or entity, including a person or entity in which the public servant or a member of his or her family or a friend has an interest. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 6 (1). (2) When performing his or her duties to the Crown, a public servant shall endeavour to avoid creating the appearance that preferential treatment is being given to a person or entity that could benefit from it. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 6 (2). (3) A public servant shall not offer assistance to a person or entity in dealing with the Crown other than assistance given in the ordinary course of the public servant’s employment. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 6 (3). Hiring family members 7. (1) A public servant shall not, on behalf of the Crown, hire his or her spouse, child, parent or sibling. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 7 (1). (2) A public servant shall not, on behalf of the Crown, enter into a contract with his or her spouse, child, parent or sibling or with a person or entity in which any of them has a substantial interest. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 7 (2). (3) A public servant who hires a person on behalf of the Crown shall ensure that the person does not report to, or supervise the work of, the person’s spouse, child, parent or sibling. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 7 (3). (4) A public servant who reports to, or supervises the work of, his or her spouse, child, parent or sibling shall notify his or her ethics executive. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 7 (4). Engaging in business, etc. 8. A public servant shall not become employed by or engage in a business or undertaking outside his or her employment by the Crown in any of the following circumstances: 1. If the public servant’s private interests in connection with the employment or undertaking could conflict with his or her duties to the Crown. 2. If the employment or undertaking would interfere with the public servant’s ability to perform his or her duties to the Crown. 3. If the employment is in a professional capacity and is likely to influence or detrimentally affect the public servant’s ability to perform his or her duties to the Crown. 4. If the employment would constitute full-time employment for another person. However, this paragraph does not apply with respect to a public servant who is employed part-time by the Crown. This paragraph also does not apply with respect to a public servant who is on an authorized leave of absence from his or her position, but only if the employment is not contrary to or inconsistent with the terms of the leave of absence. 5. If, in connection with the employment or undertaking, any person would derive an advantage from the public servant’s employment as a public servant. 6. If government premises, equipment or supplies are used in the employment or undertaking. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 8. Participating in decision-making 9. (1) A public servant shall not participate in decision-making by the Crown with respect to a matter that the public servant is able to influence in the course of his or her duties if the public servant could benefit from the decision. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 9 (1). (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the public servant obtains the prior approval of his or her ethics executive to participate in decision-making by the Crown with respect to the matter. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 9 (2). (3) A public servant who, in the course of his or her employment in a ministry, is a member of a body or group shall not participate in, or attempt to influence, decision-making by the body or group with respect to a matter if the public servant could benefit from the decision or if, as a result of the decision, the interests of the body or group could conflict with the interests of the Crown. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 9 (3). (4) A public servant described in subsection (3) shall inform the body or group if the circumstances described in that subsection exist. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 9 (4). Matters That Might Involve the Private Sector Interpretation 10. (1) Sections 11 and 12 apply to every public servant who works in a ministry, who routinely works on one or more matters that might involve the private sector and who has access to confidential information about the matter obtained during the course of his or her employment by the Crown. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 10 (1). (2) In this section and in sections 11 and 12, “matter that might involve the private sector” means a matter, (a) that relates to services currently provided under a program of the Crown or by a public body, an agency of the Crown or a corporation controlled by the Crown with respect to which it is possible that a private sector entity will provide all or part of the financing for the services or will provide some or all of the services, and (b) that has been referred to a ministry, a public body or an agency of the Crown by the Executive Council or a member of the Executive Council for review or implementation. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 10 (2). Duty to declare certain financial interests 11. (1) When a public servant described in subsection 10 (1) begins work on a matter that might involve the private sector, he or she shall make a declaration to the Integrity Commissioner in which the public servant discloses the following matters respecting his or her financial interests: 1. A legal or beneficial interest of the public servant in securities or derivatives of corporations or governments, other than the Government of Ontario. 2. A legal or beneficial interest of the public servant in a business entity or a commercial operation or in the assets of such an entity or operation. 3. A legal or beneficial interest of the public servant in real property. 4. A legal or beneficial interest of the public servant in a mutual fund that is operated as an investment club where, i. its shares or units are held by not more than 50 persons and its indebtedness has never been offered to the public, ii. it does not pay or give any remuneration for investment advice or in respect of trades in securities, except normal brokerage fees, and iii. all of its members are required to make contributions in proportion to the shares or units each holds for the purpose of financing its operations. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 11 (1); O. Reg. 82/19, s. 1 (1). (2) Despite subsection (1), the public servant is not required to disclose his or her legal or beneficial interest in any of the following: 1. A mutual fund within the meaning of subsection 1 (1) of the Securities Act other than a mutual fund described in paragraph 4 of subsection (1) of this section. 2. Fixed-value securities issued or guaranteed by a government or a government agency. 3. A guaranteed investment certificate or similar financial instrument issued by a financial institution entitled by law to issue such instruments. 4. A registered pension plan, an employee benefit plan, an annuity or life insurance policy or a deferred profit sharing plan. 5. Real property that the public servant, or a member of his or her family, uses primarily as a residence or for recreational purposes. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 11 (2); O. Reg. 82/19, s. 1 (2). (3) The public servant shall disclose the information required by subsection (1), with necessary modifications, in respect of his or her spouse and dependent children, but only to the extent that the legal or beneficial interests of the spouse or a child could create a conflict of interest. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 11 (3). (4) For the purpose of subsection (3), the public servant shall make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the financial interests described in subsection (1) of his or her spouse and dependent children. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 11 (4). (5) The public servant shall give the Integrity Commissioner a revised declaration whenever there is a change in any of the information required to be disclosed. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 11 (5); O. Reg. 82/19, s. 1 (3). Prohibition on certain purchases 12. (1) A public servant described in subsection 10 (1) shall not purchase, or cause another person to purchase on his or her behalf, a legal or beneficial interest in an entity that is carrying on, or proposes to carry on, an activity relating to a matter that might involve the private sector. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 12 (1). (2) Despite subsection (1), a public servant may purchase an interest in a mutual fund (within the meaning of subsection 1 (1) of the Securities Act) that includes securities of a person or entity described in subsection (1) but not an interest in a mutual fund described in paragraph 4 of subsection 11 (1) of this Regulation that includes such securities. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 12 (2). (3) The prohibition described in subsection (1) ceases to have effect with respect to the matter, (a) six months after the date on which the action in respect of the matter is completed; or (b) six months after the date the Crown ceases to work on the matter. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 12 (3). List of positions 13. (1) The Public Service Commission shall maintain a current list of positions in which public servants work in a ministry and routinely work on one or more matters that might involve the private sector. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 13 (1). (2) The Commission shall ensure that public servants employed by the Crown in the positions described in subsection (1) are advised of the duties and restrictions imposed upon them under sections 11 and 12. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 13 (2). (3) Every ethics executive shall notify the Commission of changes to be made to the list with respect to those persons for whom he or she is the ethics executive. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 13 (3). part ii rules for former public servants who worked in a ministry Interpretation Definition 14. In this Part, “designated senior position” means any of the following positions: 1. The Secretary of the Cabinet. 2. Deputy minister, associate deputy minister or assistant deputy minister. 3. A position that is classified under subsection 33 (1) of the Act as SMG 2, XOFA 1, XOFA 2, ITX 2, ITX 3 or ITX 4. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 14. Application 15. (1) This Part applies with respect to every former public servant who, immediately before he or she ceased to be a public servant, worked in a ministry. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 15 (1). (2) Despite subsection (1), this Part does not apply to a person who ceases be a public servant before the day on which section 57 of the Act comes into force. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 15 (2). Prohibited Conduct Seeking preferential treatment, etc. 16. A former public servant shall not seek preferential treatment by, or privileged access to, public servants who work in a minister’s office, a ministry or a public body. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 16. Disclosing confidential information 17. (1) A former public servant shall not disclose confidential information obtained during the course of his or her employment by the Crown to a person or entity unless the former public servant is authorized to do so by law or by the Crown. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 17 (1). (2) A former public servant shall not use confidential information in a business or undertaking. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 17 (2). Restriction on lobbying 18. (1) This section applies to a former public servant who, immediately before ceasing to be a public servant, was employed in a designated senior position. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 18 (1). (2) For 12 months after ceasing to be a public servant, the former public servant shall not lobby any of the following persons on behalf of a public body or another person or entity: 1. A public servant who works in a ministry or public body in which the former public servant worked at any time during the 12 months before he or she ceased to be a public servant. 2. The minister of any ministry in which the former public servant worked at any time during the 12 months before he or she ceased to be a public servant. 3. A public servant who works in the office of a minister described in paragraph 2. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 18 (2). Restriction on employment, etc. 19. (1) This section applies to a former public servant who, immediately before ceasing to be a public servant, was employed in a designated senior position and who, at any time during the 12 months before he or she ceased to be employed as a public servant, in the course of his or her employment as a public servant, (a) had substantial involvement with a public body or another person or entity; and (b) had access to confidential information that, if it were to be disclosed to the public body, person or entity, could result in harm to the Crown or could give the public body, person or entity an unfair advantage in relation to one or more third parties. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 19 (1). (2) For 12 months after ceasing to be a public servant, the former public servant shall not accept employment with the public body, person or entity or serve as a member of the board of directors or other governing body of the public body, person or entity. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 19 (2). Restriction re certain transactions 20. (1) This section applies to a former public servant who, when he or she was a public servant working in a ministry, advised the Crown about a particular proceeding, negotiation or other transaction. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 20 (1). (2) The former public servant shall not advise or otherwise assist any public body or any other person or entity in connection with the particular proceeding, negotiation or other transaction until the Crown ceases to be involved in it. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 20 (2). (3) Despite subsection (2), the former public servant may continue to advise or otherwise assist the Crown in connection with the particular proceeding, negotiation or other transaction. O. Reg. 381/07, s. 20 (3). 21. Omitted (provides for coming into force of provisions of this Regulation). O. Reg. 381/07, s. 21.