Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act

Marginal note:Right to refuse

• 24 (1) The Commissioner may refuse to deal with a disclosure or to commence an investigation — and he or she may cease an investigation — if he or she is of the opinion that

  • (a) the subject-matter of the disclosure or the investigation has been adequately dealt with, or could more appropriately be dealt with, according to a procedure provided for under another Act of Parliament;

  • (b) the subject-matter of the disclosure or the investigation is not sufficiently important;

  • (c) the disclosure was not made in good faith or the information that led to the investigation under section 33 was not provided in good faith;

  • (d) the length of time that has elapsed since the date when the subject-matter of the disclosure or the investigation arose is such that dealing with it would serve no useful purpose;

  • (e) the subject-matter of the disclosure or the investigation relates to a matter that results from a balanced and informed decision-making process on a public policy issue; or

  • (f) there is a valid reason for not dealing with the subject-matter of the disclosure or the investigation.

• Marginal note:Adjudicative decisions

  (2) The Commissioner must refuse to deal with a disclosure or to commence an investigation if he or she is of the opinion that the subject matter of the disclosure or the investigation relates solely to a decision that was made in the exercise of an adjudicative function under an Act of Parliament, including a decision of the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police under Part IV of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act.

• Marginal note:Jurisdiction of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner

  (2.1) The Commissioner must refuse to deal with a disclosure or to commence an investigation if he or she is of the opinion that the subject-matter of the disclosure or the investigation is within the jurisdiction of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner under the Conflict of Interest Act and must refer the matter to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

• Marginal note:Notice of refusal

  (3) If the Commissioner refuses to deal with a disclosure or to commence an investigation, he or she must inform the person who made the disclosure, or who provided the information referred to in section 33, as the case may be, and give reasons why he or she did so.