This is a very complex question, the answer to which has not yet been fully determined. For example: it is clear that, if the above criteria are met, federal government offices and departments, as well as Crown corporations (such as Canada Post and Via Rail) qualify. For other organizations, such as the RCMP, it is not always so clear (because sometimes a provincial or municipal government contracts with RCMP instead of creating its own police service, and in such instances the RCMP are arguably not acting as part of the federal government) . Sometimes, even a privatized corporation can be deemed a “federal institution” for these purposes (for example, Air Canada, which was privatized in1988). Courts continue to examine the issue to determine the extent of the rights involved. Last Reviewed: May 2011