Governmental ethics and ethics agencies
Article Abstract:
The Canadian public is experiencing a lack of confidence in the political process. Academic research reveals that Canadians are becoming less tolerant of unethical behavior in government, in contrast to the early part of the 20th century, when the public accepted political graft and corruption as being part of the political process itself. The public increasingly finds self-serving behavior by politicians and public administrators unacceptable, an attitude partly ascribed to the increasing professionalism of the civil service. The federal government created a code of ethics for the civil service in 1973, which stated that self-serving, unethical behavior was morally wrong. Canadian governments increasingly are taking a proactive rather than a reactive stand in relation to curbing unethical behavior among public officials.
Publication Name: Canadian Public Administration
Subject: Government
ISSN: 0008-4840
Year: 1991
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Vile wretches and public heroes: the ethics of whistleblowing in government
Article Abstract:
Whistle blowers in government are perceived as either heroes or 'vile wretches,' depending on the circumstances of the situation. For a whistle blower to be perceived as a public hero, the event about which the whistle blower is informing authorities must be of such magnitude and quality as to be perceived as abhorrent by the whistle blower's peer group. Whistle blowers are perceived as 'vile wretches' if the act of whistle blowing is seen as being more offensive than the act that was reported. The reasons why whistle blowing is of more importance in the US than Canada include that the US has a higher rate of unethical behavior in response to a desire to succeed, and the US has fewer government controls.
Publication Name: Canadian Public Administration
Subject: Government
ISSN: 0008-4840
Year: 1991
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Living standards and incentives in transition: the implications of UI exhaustion in Hungary. From welfare to work: does the neighborhood matter?
- Abstracts: Considerations on centralization and decentralization. Fear and ferment: public sector management today
- Abstracts: Retrenchment at city hall. Public servants and private contractors: managing the mixed service delivery system
- Abstracts: Contracting-out social services. Political rights for public servants: a federal perspective
- Abstracts: Perceptions of the expenditure budget process: survey of federal and provincial legislators and public servants