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Inclusive and respectful service
A specialized approach for the First Nations and Inuit
The Protecteur du citoyen has undertaken a cultural safety initiative with First Nations and Inuit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make a complaint
The institution called the Protecteur du citoyen was created in 1968 under the Public Protector Act. The purpose of the Act was to create an institution mandated to receive, examine and handle complaints regarding Québec government departments and agencies. This is what the Protecteur du citoyen does.
The Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse can intervene if your complaint is related to the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms (e.g. the right of each individual to safety, integrity, freedom, or economic, social, legal or political rights). The Commission also oversees youth protection, respect of children’s basic rights, and elder rights (e.g. protection against financial abuse).
Not sure? Contact us. We will help you find the right resource.
Denounce a reprehensible act
As soon as we receive your complaint, our reporting centre acknowledges receipt. We will phone you within 2 working days.
We examine your complaint within 10 working days to determine whether we can process it. Among other things, we check that it is indeed a reprisal or threat of reprisal. If the reprisal is not within our jurisdiction, we quickly refer you to the appropriate recourse.
If we can handle your complaint, we inform you of this and suggest a mediation process that may lead to a rapid settlement. If you agree to mediation and the person who allegedly committed reprisal agrees, mediation can take place. Mediation must occur within 30 days of the mediator being appointed.
If no settlement is reached or if mediation is refused, you have two options.
First, we offer you a free legal representation service. We can represent you in any administrative or civil proceedings we deem appropriate, including before the Tribunal administratif du travail (TAT) if your complaint is employment-related. When this happens, your complaint is transferred to the TAH without delay, if you agree.
The second option is to hold an administrative investigation within 9 months of receiving your complaint to determine whether reprisal has occurred. This investigation can only be carried out if the courts are not involved. If we find that reprisal has occurred, we make recommendations to rectify the situation.
In addition to these last options, we can also conduct a criminal investigation to determine whether there is an offence in connection with your reprisal complaint.
To find out more, see the Handling reprisal complaints page and our Service statement.
This is usually the person responsible for managing the public body, such as the deputy minister, president or executive director. It can also be the board of directors in the case of a school service centre or the council of commissioners in the case of a school board, or the minister responsible for the public body. This is particularly the case if the person with the highest administrative authority is the perpetrator of the alleged wrongdoing.