Under Part VI of the Public Service of Ontario Act, 2006 (PSOA) – Disclosing and Investigating Wrongdoing, the Integrity Commissioner has the following responsibilities:
- Receive and review disclosures of wrongdoing from Public Servants (s. 116):
- - who are employed in ministers’ offices
- - who believe that an internal disclosure to their Ethics Executive would be inappropriate, or
- - who have made an internal disclosure to their Ethics Executive and have concerns that the matter is not being dealt with appropriately
- Carry out the duties under Part VI of the PSOA fairly, informally and expeditiously (s. 112)
- Maintain confidentiality and protect the identity of people involved in disclosures of wrongdoing, including those making disclosures, witnesses and those alleged to be responsible for wrongdoing unless the interests of fairness and natural justice require that a person’s identity be disclosed (s. 112)
- Assess each disclosure to determine whether the PSOA permits the Integrity Commissioner to receive the disclosure and, if so, confidentially refer the disclosure to the appropriate Ethics Executive for investigation (ss. 117-118)
- Monitor completion of and receive an investigation report and recommendations (if applicable) from the appropriate Ethics Executive (s. 121)
- Advise and notify the discloser of the status of a disclosure (ss. 134 - 138)
- Commence an investigation under the following specific circumstances (s. 122):
- - the Integrity Commissioner is not satisfied with an investigation report received from an Ethics Executive
- - the Ethics Executive selected by the Integrity Commissioner to complete the investigation report has referred the matter back to the Integrity Commissioner
- - the Ethics Executive selected by the Integrity Commissioner to complete the investigation has not delivered a report within the prescribed time
- Report on the outcome of investigations completed and determine whether it is in the public interest to make the report public (ss. 129 - 130)
- Submit an annual report to the Legislature regarding the number, nature and resolution of disclosures of wrongdoing received and investigated (s. 133)