Make a disclosure

Proof is not required. However, to help us with audits ‒ or investigations if needed ‒, you must:

• describe the wrongdoing; 
• indicate the public body concerned; and  
• provide as much information as possible.

You can speak out immediately using our secure online form.

The Protecteur du citoyen cannot process disclosures concerning the federal government.

If you are a federal public sector employee, you can contact the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada.

You can check the Intranet of the public body for which you work, or contact us. 

No. You have two options. If you are part of the staff of the public body concerned (except the staff of childcare centres, subsidized day care centres and municipal bodies), you can contact either the Protecteur du citoyen or the disclosure officer within the public body.  

Have you already contacted the disclosure officer? You can contact us anytime, even if an audit is underway. You can also contact us if you are dissatisfied after the disclosure officer has completed the audits.  

If you are not a staff member of the public body concerned, you must contact the Protecteur du citoyen.  

Do you have information to disclose? Do it now.

Are you reluctant to make a disclosure because you feel that you owe your employer loyalty? The Act to facilitate the disclosure of wrongdoings relating to public bodies protects whistleblowers. You are allowed to disclose information you would not otherwise be authorized to give out.

The only exception: the exemption from professional secrecy does not apply to attorney-client or notary-client privilege.

See the How am I protected? section to know more about protection against reprisal.

Does your disclosure concern a childcare centre (CPE), a subsidized daycare centre or a home childcare coordinating office? You can make a disclosure to the Protecteur du citoyen or to the Ministère de la Famille.

If your disclosure concerns a private daycare centre, you must contact the Ministère de la Famille.

No. If you speak out about a wrongdoing publicly or through the media, the Act will not protect you against reprisal.

Exception: if the situation poses a serious risk to a person’s health or safety or to the environment and is urgent, you are protected against reprisal by the Act if:

• you alerted a police force or the UPAC before going public or to the media;
• disclosure does not interfere with measures to prevent these serious risks.

No. You may know that wrongdoing has occurred without knowing who did it. You may also have documents suggesting that wrongdoing has occurred. In these situations, do not hesitate to disclose the information you have to us and we will carry out the required checks.

Anyone (staff, subcontractor, client, citizen, parent, etc.) can speak out about a wrongdoing committed within a public body.  
You can speak out even if you are not an employee of the public body in question.

• A member of the staff of a public body, regardless of rank;
• Any person, business, group or other entity who or that commits a wrongdoing concerning a public body (e.g. misuse of public funds awarded to an organization). 

Important: You may know that wrongdoing has occurred without knowing exactly who did it. This should not prevent you from disclosing the information you have. 

A few examples:

• A wrongdoing brought before a court or tribunal;
• A wrongdoing by an elected municipal official consisting of a breach of the code of ethics and professional conduct;
• A wrongdoing committed within a private company and that does not involve a public body;
• A breach of the rules for calls for tenders for public contracts.

Disclosures made for purely personal purposes are not admissible, for example, if a manager has behaved inappropriately towards you only. For other examples, see the What is a wrongdoing? section.

According to the Act, the following are considered wrongdoings:

• A contravention of a law or regulation applicable in Québec;
• A serious breach of the standards of ethics and professional conduct;
• A misuse of funds or property belonging to a public body, including the funds or property it manages or holds for others;
• Gross mismanagement within a public body, including an abuse of authority;
• An act or omission that seriously compromises a person's health or safety or the environment.

The fact of ordering or advising a person to commit one of these wrongdoings is also considered a wrongdoing.

See the What is a wrongdoing? section for more details. 

As soon as we receive your disclosure, we acknowledge receipt by contacting you by phone immediately if possible or no later than within the next 2 working days. A written notice will be sent to you within 5 working days. Obviously, this does not apply if you chose to remain anonymous.

Next, if your disclosure is admissible (that is, if we can intervene), we conduct an audit during pre-investigation. Once this is done, we decide whether to have a formal investigation.

At each phase (pre-investigation and investigation), we keep you in the loop. When the investigation has been completed and our conclusions have been delivered, we make recommendations to the public body concerned as needed.

The Protecteur du citoyen sends you a notice when it has finished handling your disclosure.

For more information, see the Service Statement and the Handling disclosures sections.

Have you witnessed a wrongdoing that occurred or is about to occur within a municipal body or a municipality? You can speak out against it to the Commission municipale du Québec (CMQ). In certain cases, the Protecteur du citoyen may also handle your disclosure.

Does your disclosure concern several bodies, including a municipality or a municipal body? Contact the CMQ or the Protecteur du citoyen.

Not sure? Contact us and we will refer you to the right organization.