When she took office in February 2022, the president of the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM), Isabelle Beaulieu, inherited a poorly managed organization, without a clear framework, without a code of ethics, where employees were engaged in “time theft,” she said during her appearance before a municipal commission Friday morning.
“There were a lot of gaps, there are still some,” she said in her presentation at city hall, where she was summoned by the Commission on Finance and Administration.
Mme Beaulieu claims to have put in place numerous measures to put an end to questionable practices that took place under the reign of his predecessor, Dominique Ollivier, who chaired the OCPM from 2014 to 2021.
But she also admitted to excessive spending. “I made mistakes, I admit that. I take responsibility for them,” she said.
She says she notably reduced the number of trips when she took office, in addition to better controlling employees’ working hours to improve productivity. Since the controversy that shook the organization, there are no more trips or meals in restaurants for the leaders, she assured.
Due to complaints about the work climate, in January the president commissioned an independent firm to investigate. She says she was confronted with hostile employees, sympathizers of Projet Montréal (the party of Mayor Valérie Plante) and having close ties with Dominique Ollivier.
“This external investigation report confirms the management shortcomings that I observed, my desire for change and productivity, as well as a political context where certain employees wanted to harm me,” she underlines. “All the recommendations of the investigation report have been followed. Two human resources specialists accompanied management. A code of ethics for staff members has been created, human resources policies have been clarified and the work continues. »
Isabelle Beaulieu explains that she asked the staff, upon her arrival, if there were any written rules or policies regarding the management of the Office, but that she got nothing. But this week, we found in the archives, she said, “a note dating from 2017 in which the auditor general asked the OCPM to modify its practices for travel and restaurants”. Management at the time rejected the Auditor General’s suggestions.
Questioned by the commissioners, who are elected officials in power and in opposition, about the usefulness of the leaders’ numerous trips, Ms.me Beaulieu said they allowed the office to establish contacts with public consultation specialists from around the world to improve its practices.
Dominique Ollivier left the organization to enter municipal politics with Mayor Plante’s team, and became president of the executive committee following her election. She resigned from this position on Monday, following revelations about her expenses as president of the OCPM by the Quebecor media two weeks ago.
From midday, Mme Ollivier will in turn appear before the commission.
Mayor Plante, who first reiterated her support for Ms.me Ollivier at the start of the controversy, before accepting his resignation, repeated on several occasions that Mme Beaulieu as well as Guy Grenier, secretary general of the OCPM, no longer had the confidence of his administration and should resign.
Dominique Ollivier and Isabelle Beaulieu, who were friends and former business partners, billed and approved tens of thousands of dollars in meal and travel expenses for several years, expenses that were difficult to justify, which shocked the population. and the elected officials.
Mme Ollivier notably spent nearly $18,000 at restaurants in four years, including a $347 oyster meal in Paris with a collaborator and ex-business partner. A mission to Africa cost taxpayers $23,000. And Mme Beaulieu bought $900 headphones with public funds.
More details to come.