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The report, by Canadians for Tax Fairness, was based on 28 interviews with former and current auditors and other tax specialists. They alleged the agency is mismanaged, undermined by major budget cuts, and that it targets ordinary taxpayers over the “big-time tax cheats” hiding money offshore.

Public servants are supposed to be non-partisan and loyal to the elected government. They face even stricter limits on their behaviour during an election.

Aboultaif argued neutrality is part of the job and that public servants give up the right to criticize government policies when they join the public service.

“Public servants take an oath of office and agree to abide by a code of ethics while employed in the civil service,” he said.

The NDP also wants an investigation, but it wants a probe of the report’s allegations that corporations successfully lobby to avoid prosecutions and stop audit investigations.

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NDP revenue critic Pierre-Luc Dusseault said the Liberals should bring in independent investigators to fix the problems plaguing the tax system flagged by employees in the report – including restoring the funding that the Conservatives cut.

He said he found the report so “concerning” because it was an insider’s view of the impact of the Conservatives’ spending cuts and employees felt they were unable to do their jobs.

“The new government has to address that quickly,” Dusseault said. “They should go with independent investigators because they promised greater transparency and accountability.