On February 4, 2026, the Protecteur du citoyen sent a letter to the Commission de l’aménagement du territoire. In this letter, it comments on Bill 13 – An Act to promote the population’s safety and sense of security and to amend various provisions.
This bill introduces, among other things, the Act respecting the public disclosure of information concerning certain sex offenders at high risk of reoffending. The definition of “sex offender”—which is central to this Act—would be set out in a separate regulation. It would therefore be established and, if required in the future, amended without being subject to review by parliamentarians.
The Protecteur du citoyen emphasizes that this definition will significantly impact the rights of individuals identified as sex offenders. Which is why it believes that the matter should be debated publicly in the Assemblée nationale. It makes a recommendation to that effect.
In addition, the bill proposes the creation of Indigenous police management boards. According to the Protecteur du citoyen, this addresses concerns raised during the hearings of the Public Inquiry Commission on relations between Indigenous Peoples and certain public services in Québec: listening, reconciliation and progress (CERP in French).
However, other CERP calls for action must be implemented to enable Indigenous police forces to fulfill their mission and deploy their services optimally. In this regard, the Protecteur du citoyen recommends that the existence and status of Indigenous police forces be acknowledged, in the Police Act, as being similar to those of other police organizations in Québec.
Lastly, the Protecteur du citoyen points out that Indigenous police services are and have always been underfunded. According to the Protecteur du citoyen, this shortfall must be addressed to ensure that Indigenous police services enjoy the same conditions as other police services in Québec.
Learn more about this Protecteur du citoyen intervention:
- Letter concerning Bill 13 – An Act to promote the population’s safety and sense of security and to amend various provisions (PDF, 139 Ko, in French)—An English version of this letter will be available soon.
