The document says such comments on social media can undermine the public’s trust in the public service’s ability to support the federal government.
A view of Centre Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the seat of Canada’s government, in a file photo. (Matthew Little/The Epoch Times)
Ottawa has issued a guidance document informing public servants they may face scrutiny if they post content on social media that it deems partisan, disrespectful, or critical of government policies—even when shared from anonymous personal accounts.
The document seeks to provide “guidance for public servants on their personal use of social media.”
“Ultimately, we need to carefully think about how to uphold confidence in our ability to provide advice to the government and serve Canadians in a non-partisan and impartial manner,” said the guidance document issued by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, which assists the Treasury Board in overseeing government spending and operations.
As first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, the document defines social media as encompassing a wide range of online activities across various platforms, websites, and applications. They include social networking sites like Facebook, X, and Instagram; professional sites like LinkedIn; and video-sharing platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Also included are blogs, online forums such as Reddit, review websites such as Google and Amazon, and comment sections on news articles and brand websites.
The guidance document says that it is “not meant to discourage” federal employees from participating on those platforms, but rather to help them understand “how to live up to” their responsibilities as public servants while also “respecting our individual right to freedom of expression.”
Employees are asked to consider a series of “reflection questions” before posting comments or content publicly.
“Ask yourself how your post could be perceived by a reasonable person. Will they question whether you are able to perform your duties in a non-partisan and impartial manner?” reads one of the questions in the reflection section.
“Does the post imply criticism of the decisions and policies of the Government of Canada?”
‘Potentially Risky’
The guidance document notes that while public servants may use privacy settings or anonymous accounts to manage their digital footprint and separate their personal and professional lives, “there are still risks.”
“Screenshots can be taken and disclosed publicly, or employees could be identified,” it says. “Even if the public servant’s identity is not revealed, anonymous posts can undermine public trust in the Government of Canada’s institutions, potentially harming the reputation and effectiveness of the public service.”
If employees were to add disclaimers stating that their online posts reflect personal opinions, the guidance says there is “always a possibility” that their views could still be perceived as representing those of the government.
The guidance document provides examples of social media use under the three categories of “appropriate,” “potentially risky,” or “inappropriate.” “Appropriate use of social media” includes activities such as networking, sharing job opportunities, and sharing information not related to the employees’ work, such as recipes, tips, and hacks.
“Potentially risky” social media activities for public servants include creating, signing, or sharing petitions in protest of the federal government, a policy, or a minister. Other such activities include responding to partisan content; commenting on their own or another jurisdiction’s government or leaders; and creating, sharing, or liking posts that criticize decisions made by their organization.
“Inappropriate” activities include engaging in “bullying, discrimination, [or] aggressive behaviour” on social media; sharing false or misleading content; and criticizing the work, ethics, or behaviour of a manager or a colleague in a way that “results in workplace tension.”
“Posting, sharing, tagging or liking content or photos that may be in violation of the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector or your organization’s code of conduct may lead to disciplinary actions,” the guidance document says.
It adds that federal employees must adhere to the “duty of loyalty”—an underlying principle of the Values and Ethics Code,” which outlines the values and behaviours expected of public servants.
“[T]he nature of your position means that there is a higher degree of visibility, and with that, a higher degree of scrutiny and expected behaviours.”
The guidance document notes three scenarios that could result in an exception to the duty of loyalty—namely, when the federal government is engaged in illegal acts; when its policies jeopardize life, health, or safety; or when the public servants’ criticisms have no impact on their ability to perform their duties effectively or on the public’s perception of that ability.
Employees who experience difficulty in aligning their personal values with the public service values “are strongly encouraged to seek guidance” from their manager, their ombud, or their organizational values and ethics office, the document said.