About the Ethics Officer

The Ethics Officer is appointed by Cabinet (the Commissioner in Executive Council) on the recommendation of the Minister responsible for the Public Service Act.  She is not a member of the public service and holds office during good behaviour for a term of five years.

Powers of the Ethics Officer

The Ethics Officer has broad powers to investigate.  This includes the power to summon witnesses and require them to give evidence and the power to require documents to be produced.

The Ethics Officer may, in the course of an investigation, enter any premises occupied by a department or public body.

The Ethics Officer decides whether an investigation will be done in private or in public.

A deputy head must co-operate and ensure that his or her employees co-operate in an investigation by the Ethics Officer. Failure to do so is an offence with a fine up to $10,000.

An employee must provide information requested by the Ethics Officer. Failure to do so is an offence with a fine of up to $5,000.

Sheila MacPherson was raised in Iqaluit and has spent more than 35 years practicing law in the North, including more than 30 years as Law Clerk in the NWT, along with extensive work in the public sector in Nunavut.