Parks Canada investigation of Banff superintendent key for 'trust in public institutions': expert

Parks Canada investigation of Banff superintendent key for 'trust in public institutions': expert

'People at the top set the tone for the organizational culture,' says governance expert

An ongoing investigation of Banff National Park superintendent Sal Rasheed after he was photographed walking his dog Max off-leash is raising some concerns on long-term public trust in the federal agency.

The top bureaucrat in Canada’s premier national park previously said it was an “isolated, lapse in judgment” and a Parks Canada spokesperson said the federal agency had completed an internal review, denied releasing it and was “satisfied that the matter was appropriately addressed.”

However, Parks Canada’s vice-president of operations Jewel Cunningham confirmed an investigation had been launched, saying the agency was “reviewing the matter further and will ensure appropriate action.”

Joe Lyons, an assistant professor in Western University’s local governance program, said the investigation will be important in maintaining public trust.

“The public, in order to have trust in public institutions, need to know that people in them, especially those at most senior levels, are behaving appropriately and following the rules they’re enforcing,” he said.

Rasheed has been Banff superintendent since 2022 and had been serving as acting executive director for Parks Canada in Alberta for several months. He was previously superintendent in Jasper and Waterton Lakes national parks.

Lyons said it’s important for senior leaders to be conscious of their actions since “people at the top set the tone for the organizational culture.”

“If they are not upholding the agency’s rules, that might lead people lower in the organization to wonder why they need to follow the rules,” he said.

Rasheed didn’t immediately respond and Parks Canada’s national office said it would get back to CBC News.

A large male elk seen on Oct. 3, 2026 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course. The elk are in rutting season and off-leash dogs can be seen as a threat by wildlife. (Greg Colgan/CBC)

What does an investigation look like?

Both Parks Canada and Rasheed confirmed he violated the Canada National Parks Act he’s meant to regulate as Banff’s top bureaucrat.

But an investigation isn’t as cut and dry, according to multiple current and former parks wardens who spoke to CBC News.

Gord Irwin, a retired Parks Canada warden who worked in five national parks including Banff for 31 years, said wardens will collect evidence, interview anyone involved and work with the federal Crown prosecutor's office.

He said the Crown will look at past incidents for the likelihood of prosecution and decide whether to move forward or not.

“When there’s suspicion that a crime has been committed, the enforcement officers are acting as agents of the court. … They must be seen to be independent from the political body.”

He cautioned messaging should solely come from park wardens or the federal Crown to avoid any potential view of “political or bureaucratic interference.”

2 hikers and dog encounter grizzly bear in Banff National Park

'Our dogs, unfortunately, can get into interactions with wildlife'

Dogs have to be on-leash in Canadian national parks to minimize potential conflicts with wildlife.

Wildlife, people and domestic pets can pose serious risks to one another, which has led to injury and death, said Bear Safety and More owner Kim Titchener.

An off-leash dog killed a mule deer in Canmore on Oct. 11, highlighting the potential risk. Alberta Parks conservation officers laid charges under the Provincial Parks Act.

“Our dogs, unfortunately, can get into interactions with wildlife. They can harass them, chase them, whether it’s a bird species, a bear or a deer,” Titchener said.

She said many incidents where black or grizzly bears attack people in Canada and the U.S. occur when dogs are involved.

“If we want to live somewhere that has so much wildlife, we have to realize we have to make a compromise,” she said. “Part of living with wildlife means putting your dog on-leash to protect yourself, to protect the wildlife and also protect your dog.”

Dogs can increase risk of conflict between people and bears: study

'Staff have to believe those higher values of what a national park is are worth protecting'

The greatest harm from the incident could be the reputational impact.

Several former and current Banff field unit staffers told CBC News it’s been a "blight" to the national park and federal agency and it's negatively impacted morale. They expressed concern for the long-term impact, citing Parks Canada’s values and ethics code, in potentially affecting the public’s confidence in the agency.

“They’re likely very proud of the work they do and insofar that this is undermining the reputation of the organization they work for, you can see that as being very demoralizing,” Lyons said.

Irwin said it’s important for people in senior leadership roles to be “leading by example and setting the standard of what is ethical, what values there are and living and showing those.”

“The damage this can do is far beyond the $100, $200, $2,000 fine. The damage this does to credibility for Parks staff can leave them wondering what’s going on if the superintendent breaks the law and nothing happens. … If the people at the top can get away with it, how does this motivate and energize staff that are inundated with visitors, traffic and all the other issues the park has got to face? Staff have to believe those higher values of what a national park is are worth protecting.”

Greg Colgan is a journalist for CBC in the Bow Valley. He was previously the editor of the Rocky Mountain Outlook in Banff and Canmore. He has also worked for media outlets in Ontario and has experience covering topics such as sports, politics, housing and development, courts and arts and entertainment. He joined CBC in 2025. He can be reached at greg.colgan@cbc.ca.