The Canadian Economics Association Code of Conduct

The main goal of the Canadian Economics Association is to promote the development of economic knowledge for the benefit of all parts of Canadian society. It strives to do that through supporting economists in all parts of the profession – academic, public sector, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. The CEA holds that meeting this goal is only possible if all of its members meet a professional standard of conduct based in three principles:

1)    Intellectual and professional integrity -- which involves pursuing research ethically, with honesty and transparency and giving appropriate credit to the work of others.

2)    Respectful interactions with others – which is the necessary basis for an open and productive dialogue. This implies coming to interactions involving the discussion of economics in the spirit of co-operating to advance knowledge and find answers.

3)    Promotion of a diverse and welcoming environment for economic discussion. Only by opening opportunities for people from all parts of society can we generate economic knowledge in as unbiased a manner as possible. 

All three principles point to the need to eliminate inappropriate, unprofessional behaviour, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in workplaces and classrooms and at conferences and other public events. They also point to the promotion of equality of opportunity and treatment of all members of the profession, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, health condition, marital status, parental status, or personal connections.

Based on these principles,

• CEA members agree to act ethically and with integrity and honesty in all their professional interactions. 
• CEA members agree to put respect for others at the centre of their interactions and, through their actions, to help build a respectful community, free of harassment and discrimination, in which economic discussions take place in a way that supports open dialogue, diversity, and intellectual integrity.
• Harassment includes but is not limited to (a) offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion; (b) the display of sexual images in public spaces; (c) deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording; (d) sustained disruption of talks or other events; (e ) inappropriate physical contact or unwelcome sexual attention.
• Discrimination is the unfair treatment of an individual or group based on their age, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, health condition, marital status, parental status, or any other basis proscribed by law.
• CEA members agree not to behave in ways that enable or condone the undermining and harassment of women and minorities.
• CEA members agree to take appropriate action when they observe or become aware of acts of harassment and discrimination so that the victims are supported and not left feeling unsafe

The CEA requires that all its members agree to abide by its Code of Conduct. However, we acknowledge that while we expect honourable behaviour, we cannot monitor or enforce individual actions at all times. We rely on our member’s commitment to uphold these principles and to act responsibly in all professional interactions. Your integrity is crucial to build an inclusive and collegial community of economic researchers.

The CEA will require all participants at its public events — including attendees, speakers, sponsors, staff and volunteers —to abide by this Code of Conduct. These rules apply to all parts of the event, regardless of location or mode of delivery, and to the sponsored social events. CEA public events include the Annual Meeting of the Association and meetings organized by Study Groups that are funded by the CEA, and it extends to online interactions,

Breaches to the Code of Conduct that take place during a public event will be referred to the authorities or local security offices when appropriate. Individuals witnessing a breach of conduct can report the incident to the Committee for the Code of Conduct for investigation.

Process to Address Conduct Breaches

[Approved by the CEA Board of Directors March 14, 2025] 

Télécharger une copie PDF de l'ancien Code de conduite de l'ACE [version 2019]