1. PPAL 6120 Ethics, Privacy and Access to Information
March 10, 2009
Ian Greene

2. Ethics in the public service, ethics education, and enforcement
Topics tonight:
Greene & Shugarman, Honest Politics Ch. 2: Presentation by David Rudoler
Greene & Shugarman, Honest Politics, Chapter 7 (Prof. Shugarman, primary author
of Chapter 7, will be present for the first hour of the Tuesday class): commentary by Prof. Shugarman and Andrew Tapp
Kernaghan & Langford, The Responsible Public Servant, Ch. 2 & 3: presentation by Ian Greene
Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service (Canada) (class web page): presentation by Marlon Rhoden
2003 November Report of the Auditor General of Canada, Chapter 2, Accountability and Ethics in Government: ( presentation by Glenda Providence

3. Shugarman-Greene Position
Democracy is government based on the principle of mutual respect, which implies:
Social equality
Deference to the majority
Minority rights
Freedom
Integrity
These principles imply ethical duties for public officials: impartiality, fiduciary trust, and accountability & responsibility. The 5 principles and 3 ethical duties are supported by the legal principles of the rule of law, and the doctrine of fairness.
Ethics principles in the public sector are derived from mutual respect

4. Kernaghan & Langford Ch 2 Acting in the Public Interest
Conflict between “the public interest,” and doing the will of elected politicians through political neutrality.
J.E. Hodgetts: p.i. “slippery and mercurial”
“abolitionists” – Glendon Schubert
Can’t separate from result of interest gp pol’s
Public choice: maximize self-interest
“preservationists”

5. Preservationist positions
Dominant value: a particular value is ultimate criterion (justice, equality, freedom, dignity)
Rawls: justice as fairness
Procedural: proper procedures – pub int
Consensual: also consider minorities
Cost-benefit

6. Neutrality Neutrality doesn’t mean lack of analysis or recommendations
Avoid self-interest
Overcoming value conflicts

7. Kernaghan & Langford Ch 3 The politically neutral public servant
Ideal-type model
Meritorious public servant
Pub servant’s political rights
Silent servant
Responsible minister
Public service anonymity
Loyalty