Corruption
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According to Canadian legislation, corruption is when a person in public office receives an undue reward to influence their behavior in office, contrary to the rules of honesty and integrity.
In Canada, both domestic and foreign corruption are criminal offences. Corrupt practices include:
- embezzlement of funds
- theft of corporate or public property
- influence peddling
- bribery
- extortion
Examples of corruption
Bribery comes in different forms and can involve sophisticated schemes. Examples include:
- hiring a public official's unqualified relative to get a contract
- paying a public official not to do their job
- giving a public official extravagant gifts (such as cars, homes, furniture, etc.)
- making a large charitable donation (linked to a public official)
- paying for the education of the children of a public official
- diverting contracts, real or not, to an entity owned or linked to a public official (beneficial ownership)
- using agents or third parties to funnel bribes to a public official
Report corruption
Bribery and corruption have an impact on our society, economy, health and safety in all sorts of ways. Corrupt practices increase the costs of goods and services. This means that every single Canadian is a potential victim.
Contact your local police if you know about an act of corruption that involves:
- businesses
- municipal or provincial government employees
- municipal or provincial government institutions
Report it to the RCMP if it involves:
- Canadian businesses offering bribes to foreign officials
- Canadian federal government employees or institutions
- businesses dealing with the federal government
- companies operating outside of Canada
Self-reporting corruption allegations for businesses
Businesses who self-report allegations of corruption may be able to avoid criminal convictions.
To self-report a corruption allegation, your lawyer should contact a law enforcement agency. This process is voluntary, so you don't have to identify yourself to law enforcement until you're satisfied with the process.
Report cheating in federal government contracts: Submit a tip
The impact of corruption
Bribery:
- raises serious moral and political concerns
- undermines good governance and sustainable economic development
- distorts the conditions of international competition
Corruption has devastating consequences for its victims. It contributes to the abuse of human rights by impairing developmental aid.
International action against corruption
According to the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development, all countries share a responsibility for combatting bribery in international business transactions. This goal requires a global strategy, coordinated and executed at the national level.
Canada is one of 44 countries that signed the convention in 1997 and in 1999. The creation of the Corruption of Foreign Public Official Act made it illegal to pay bribes to foreign officials.
International Foreign Bribery Taskforce
The International Foreign Bribery Taskforce (IFBT) is a collaborative law enforcement initiative of the Five Eyes partners:
- Australia
- Canada
- New Zealand
- the United Kingdom
- the United States
The task force is dedicated to combating foreign bribery and corruption through enhanced international cooperation. The task force gathers specialists from agencies including the RCMP, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Australian Federal Police, United Kingdom Serious Fraud Office, United Kingdom National Crime Agency, New Zealand Police, and New Zealand Serious Fraud Office. Together they share intelligence, investigative methodologies, and best practices in support of cross-border corruption investigations.
The task force strengthens the ability of member countries to detect, investigate, and deter foreign bribery through coordinated efforts, information sharing, and joint analytical work. It also promotes integrity and accountability in international business and government transactions.
To learn more about indicators of foreign bribery and how to report it for each partner country, please visit this page.
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