- A serious 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;
- 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;
- Directing or counselling a person to commit a wrongdoing.
Examples of disclosure that the Québec Ombudsman can investigate
- The director of the public body where you work is in conflict of interest by repeatedly using public property (computer, phone, printer, etc.) for tasks related to commercial activities unconnected with his or her job.
- A senior manager buys overpriced office furniture.
- A manager appoints employees without a competition or the proper paperwork.
- A consultant falsifies information in order to get more funding than he or she qualifies for.
- In awarding a grant, a manager favours an organization with which he or she has personal ties.
- A student realizes that a professor is using research money for other purposes.
- A CPE employee sees that a manager abuses his or her authority with the workers.
- In order to get funding, the manager of a family medicine group changes the way patients are counted.
- The members of a college selection committee change the hiring rules to favour certain applicants.
- A wrongdoing that is the subject of court proceedings or of a court decision;
- A disclosure made for solely personal purposes and that, as a result, is not in the public interest;
- Questioning the policies and program objectives of the government or of a public body;
- Questioning the strategies, policy directions and operations of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and of Investissement Québec. This includes decisions about investments, fund management or debt management.
Who can disclose?
Anyone can make a disclosure, whether:
- an employee of the public body where wrongdoing allegedly occurred;
- an employee of a supplier or subcontractor of the public body concerned;
- anyone else: client, external consultant, citizen, student, parent, etc.
Who can a disclosure be made about?
- An employee of a public body, regardless of rank;
- Any person, business, group or other entity who or that commits a wrongdoing concerning a public body subject to the Act (e.g. mismanagement of public funds awarded to an organization).
You may know that wrongdoing has occurred without knowing exactly who did it. This should not prevent you from disclosing the information you have.
