Global Affairs broke rules by promoting executive who slapped, yelled at staff, watchdog says

The federal government's integrity watchdog has concluded that Global Affairs Canada committed gross mismanagement by failing to keep employees safe from an executive who slapped, pushed and yelled at staff.

A damning new report says Global Affairs conducted its own internal investigation five years ago and found executive Latifa Belmahdi breached its code of conduct.

Despite that finding, the department didn't monitor Belmahdi or stop her from continuing to mistreat staff and make inappropriate comments, the report says.

Instead, the department promoted Belmahdi in 2018 to a higher leadership role.

Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada Joe Friday called the promotion a "serious error" and a "matter of significant importance."

"In promoting the executive, Global Affairs appeared to be condoning the unacceptable behaviour, eroding employees' trust in the processes for bringing forward their concerns," Friday said in a video posted online.

"When confidence in reporting mechanisms is shaken, it is a disservice to public servants and all Canadians."

In the wake of reports that Julie Payette mistreated her staff as governor general, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that everyone has a right to a "safe, secure workplace, free from harassment."

Payette stepped down in 2021 after the government triggered a third-party workplace review that found that she presided over a toxic work environment. Payette apologized for what she called "tensions" in the workplace. New federal regulations came into force that year to prevent workplace harassment and violence.

Friday's report, tabled in Parliament Thursday, says that Global Affairs committed wrongdoing under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act by allowing an executive to rise through the ranks despite a documented track record of mistreatment and "disturbing comments."

The report says that Belmahdi told a Jewish employee that a training session she was attending was a "concentration camp." It says Belmahdi commented on a staff member's weight by saying "she must have eaten too many cupcakes again." She also introduced a team member as "their terrorist colleague," the report says.

In 2020, as the investigation was proceeding, Belmahdi was an executive director managing about 25 employees in the public affairs branch in Ottawa, which is responsible for communications within Global Affairs.

Friday found Belmahdi committed a serious breach of the code of conduct under the Act and recommended the department consider disciplinary action.

The integrity commissioner's office launched an initial investigation in February 2020 after a whistleblower came forward with examples of Belmahdi's inappropriate conduct in the fall of 2019, the report says.

About eight months later, Friday launched a larger probe of Global Affairs' management of the case. Investigators at the commissioner's office spoke to 24 witnesses and reviewed a series of documents, says the report.

'Throwing objects ... pushing and slapping an employee'

Investigators found that Global Affairs conducted an internal investigation in 2016 after several employees complained about Belmahdi's behaviour, and the department identified a number of inappropriate incidents, the report says.

"Incidents included throwing objects, mocking the work of employees, regularly expressing that she hates her job and will kill herself, pushing and slapping an employee ..." says the integrity commissioner's report.

Global Affairs determined there was a high risk of "creating a poisoned environment" if the problem wasn't addressed quickly, the report says.

Global Affairs "attempted" to help Belmahdi by giving her a professional coach, but the coach was later replaced with another executive and the behaviour continued, the report says.

The report adds Belmahdi told the commissioner's office she "took the results of the GAC report very seriously and was working hard to change her behaviour."

But according to the commissioner's report, the mistreatment didn't stop.

The report says Belmahdi called a pregnant employee who was at home and unwell at 7 a.m., telling her to come to work anyway. It says another employee was reprimanded for taking leave due to a death in their family.

A co-op student had to take time off work because they were affected by Belmahdi publicly embarrassing and humiliating students, the report says.

The integrity commissioner's report also says Belmahdi intimidated employees, raised her voice during meetings, mocked peoples' work and called some "incompetent."

Management failed to follow up and monitor Belmahdi's behaviour or check in with the employees who spoke up originally to see how they were doing, the report says.

Promotion signalled department condoned behaviour: report

When Belmahdi was promoted in 2018, it signalled to staff that the department condoned her behaviour, leading them to give up on reporting problems, the commissioner's report says.

"Employees believed if they complained it would be career-limiting and that they had to deal with issues themselves," says the report. "Some employees also felt that making a complaint would be pointless, since the GAC report did not lead to any concrete action."

The commissioner's report says that, during an interview with Belmahdi, she "expressed remorse and stated that she took the findings seriously." As a manager setting an example for employees, the report adds, she should be held to a higher standard. 

"Her conduct has been repetitive and sustained over a long period, both before and after the GAC report, and negatively affected several employees," says the report.

"As such, Ms. Belmahdi made serious errors that are not debatable among reasonable people, and her behaviour shows a significant degree of willfulness and recklessness."

The integrity commissioner's office can only issue recommendations and does not have the power to discipline. In a statement, the office said the publication of the report shows the "seriousness of the wrongdoing committed" and offers a way to hold the department and its leadership to account.

The office has recommended Global Affairs consider launching a healthy workplace initiative.

It's now up to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs to decide what happens next. Global Affairs told the commissioner it would initiate a disciplinary process which would include "appropriate disciplinary and/or corrective action" for Belmahdi's behaviour, says the report.

The department also said it will "assess the need" for a review of the affected branch and will continue to "promote" the fact that all managers and employees are expected to follow its values and ethics code.

Global Affairs is required to submit an update to the commissioner's office on the matter within six months.

In a statement sent to CBC News, Global Affairs said it accepts the report and is "committed to working diligently to implement the recommendations that will assist in improving health and well-being."

The department would not say if any disciplinary measures have been taken against Belmahdi, citing "privacy obligations." Belmahdi is still an employee at Global Affairs Canada.

"Global Affairs Canada takes very seriously all matters related to the health and well-being of employees, whether at home or abroad,"  the department told CBC News.

CBC News has requested a comment from Belmahdi and has not yet received a response.

Have a story or news tip about Global Affairs Canada? Confidentially email ashley.burke@cbc.c