Report Shows Canada Facing Increasing Perception of Corruption
According to Public Safety Canada, fostering a ‘strong ethical tone’ at the senior level is a useful tactic to combat corruption in Canada. The report mentions that the country is experiencing an “increasing perception of corruption” and suggests that establishing a strong ethical tone at the top can be effective in addressing the issue.
The report highlights Canada’s declining global ranking on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), indicating a rise in perceptions of corruption. In the 2022 CPI rankings, Canada was placed 14th among 180 countries. Public Safety Canada’s report reviews literature on methods to prevent corruption and identifies four key approaches for tackling the issue.
One approach highlighted in the review is the “tone at the top principle,” emphasizing the importance of having strong anti-corruption values at the senior level of an organization. The report also highlights that the decline in Canada’s CPI score is attributed to major political scandals, money laundering, criticism from international organizations regarding Canadian whistleblower protections, and outdated access to information legislation.
Transparency International’s analysis of the 2022 CPI drew attention to corruption concerns related to money laundering and the harbouring of corrupt assets in Canada. This relates to the investigation into money laundering in various sectors in British Columbia, including casinos, the real estate market, luxury car sales, and illicit drug trade. The report also points out the abuse of anonymous legal entities in Hong Kong for corrupt practices and the use of shell companies for money laundering and asset concealment by individuals with ties to the Kremlin.
