A former detainee filed a complaint against the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale when it turned down his social assistance application.
The man was on parole but because he had a severe addiction, the court ruled that he had to go into rehab.
The Department agent he talked to misunderstood his situation. Thinking he was still a detainee, she turned down his application.
After the Protecteur du citoyen intervened, the Department quickly corrected the mistake and the man received his social assistance payments.
The Department also told the agent that in such a situation, she is not the one who decides. Instead, she must forward the application to the section responsible for assessing it.
The Protecteur du citoyen ensures that your rights are upheld in your dealings with Québec public services. Are you dissatisfied with the services of a Government of Québec department or agency? Or with those of a health and social services network institution (2nd level of recourse)? File a complaint by calling 1-800-463-5070 or using our online complaint form.
