The TPS By-law political activity provisions affirm that all members of the public service have the right to participate in political campaigns. However, in order to balance political neutrality, this is subject to restrictions based on one’s level of responsibility and visibility to the public. If you are interested in supporting or opposing a political campaign or a candidate, you should understand your role and responsibilities under the TPS By-law political activity provisions and seek advice from your supervisor, manager or Ethics Executive.
Questions & Answers
What kind of political activities are prohibited?
- You may not engage in campaign activity during working hours or while wearing a city uniform including for municipal, provincial or federal elections.
- You may not use City or Agency resources, including facilities, equipment or supplies while engaging in campaign activity.
What kind of political activities can I engage in?
- Most types of campaign activities are permissible outside of the workplace for federal, provincial or non-Toronto municipal elections for most employees. Senior employees have specific restrictions.
If you have more responsibilities such as supervising staff or overseeing financial allocation or if your work is very visible to the media and public, you should exercise greater caution in what campaign activities you undertake, particularly for a Toronto election or referendum.
- A self-assessment tool is being developed and will be available to help guide employees to make decisions about how to balance their ability to be politically neutral and their desire to participate in campaign-related activities for Toronto elections.
