Quebec Ministry of International Relations accused of credit card mismanagement by PLQ

The Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron, answers questions at a press conference in Quebec City on February 10, 2025. (Karoline Boucher/The Canadian Press) (Karoline Boucher/The Canadian Press)

The Quebec Ministry of International Relations is mismanaging the credit cards of its employees working in the United States, according to the official opposition.

Employees in the Boston, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles offices incurred nearly $11,000 in interest charges on their credit cards. In Chicago alone, interest charges last year totalled $6,602.

“Quebecers shouldn’t have to pay these charges,” said Liberal MNA André Albert Morin during Wednesday’s review of the ministry’s budget appropriations in the National Assembly.

“You’re right, Mr. MNA for Acadia. Public funds are important, and we have a responsibility to ensure that they are well spent,” replied the Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron.

She then revealed, much to Morin’s surprise, that it had been “difficult” to recover a credit card from a former employee of the Chicago office. She did not provide any further details.

Her office had not yet replied to The Canadian Press by Wednesday afternoon.

However, the minister promised parliamentarians that this situation would “never happen again.” “There are mechanisms in place following this specific case,” she said.

She said that she had issued “very specific” directives relating to credit cards at the annual meeting of heads of post, held last October in Quebec City.

“Each of the heads of post ... in each of Quebec’s 34 offices abroad ... was informed that these mechanisms had to be put in place and that this situation must not recur,” Biron said.

The former journalist added that she wanted her network to be “transparent.” “But we still have 34 offices across the country and there is management to be done,” she acknowledged.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 7, 2025.