Canada’s auditor general’s office has fired two of its employees and is investigating a third after it says it became aware they had a second source of income through contracts with the federal government, the office confirmed on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Office of the Auditor General, the employees did not disclose the information to their managers and says the two cases are “completely separate.”
The office said it had become aware of one of the cases in 2020 after another government department inquired about one of the contractor’s security status, which is required for contractors looking to bid on federal contracts that require a security screening.
“The OAG conducted its own investigations in both cases. The investigations began in June 2023 and concluded in September in one case and December in the other,” the office said.
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Following an investigation, the office says two employees were “terminated” and both cases have been referred to law enforcement. A third employee’s case remains under investigation, with the OAG saying it would provide no further comment at this time.
“The OAG first referred both cases to the RCMP, in early January 2024. On the advice of the RCMP, the OAG referred the cases to the Ottawa Police Service in early February 2024,” the office said.
The OAG referred Global News to Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC) for more information on how long the former public servants had outside employment or activities “that should have been disclosed.”
The police referral was due to the Treasury Board’s directive on security management which requires that security events that could be related to criminal activity be referred to law enforcement.
Each case is separate, with neither individual being a member of management or senior management, with neither former employee having outside contracts with the OAG.
Business names could not be disclosed due to privacy reasons, the office said, but added that additional values and ethics training will be rolled out to all employees in the coming months.
Additional controls are also being implemented to verify outside contracts or employment.
—with files from Global News’ Jillian Piper