Investissement Québec refuses to disclose where the money is spent, citing the protection of their employees’ personal information to censor suppliers. It is important to note that this is not about digging through employees’ personal credit cards, but rather showing corporate credit cards that are supposed to be used strictly for employment-related activities and expenses. .
Fears
To a certain extent, we can understand the caution of Investissement Québec, which is the financial arm of the government. The organization wishes to avoid finding itself in the same situation as the Office de la consultation publique de Montréal.
They don’t want journalists to uncover potentially questionable or questionable spending, which would put them in a difficult position. They therefore prefer to face the pressure linked to this opacity rather than that linked to expenses which would have escaped the vigilance of those responsible.
- Listen to the political meeting with Yasmine Abdelfadel and Marc-André Leclerc via QUB :
Inconceivable
However, what is inexplicable and unjustifiable is hiding behind their employees to justify the lack of transparency. Expenditures incurred with taxpayer money through corporate credit cards are always subject to disclosure. Employees should be aware of this, as should managers.
Judgement
When millions of dollars of public money are committed, we hope they are committed wisely. We expect Investissement Québec employees to dine at restaurants with clients, obtain computer equipment, travel, particularly by plane, and spend to recognize the work of certain employees, etc.
All of this requires measure, balance and judgment. Refusal to answer legitimate questions asked by the investigation office could be a first sign of a lack of judgment.