Our journalists share their horror stories with access to information, to obtain information that should be public and that you have a right to know.
As part of a file on the expenditures of public bodies, we asked ministries, crown corporations and certain cities for all their credit card transactions for a given period.
Although the exercise worked rather well for the cities, the vast majority of ministries and state companies that we contacted refused to send us the data.
- Listen to the interview with Jean Louis Fortin, director of the Quebecor Investigation Bureau, via QUB :
In some cases, they sent partial or summary data. Those responsible for access to information claimed that they would have to calculate, compile or create a file in order to respond to our request.
However, if the organization in question did not have a database on their expenses, credit card statements are easily accessible online from a financial institution.
These requests for access to information are necessary and make it possible to verify that elected officials or civil servants do not spend public funds as they wish.