QUEBEC CITY – When media mogul Pierre Karl Péladeau told Pauline Marois that he wanted to serve Quebec, the Premier didn’t hesitate: she handed him a job at Hydro-Quebec.
“Mr. Péladeau is a well know leader in business and I think he will have an important role to play,” said Marois.
Marois said he’s the only person who was considered for the job as Hydro-Quebec’s Chairman of the Board.
She noted that she expects Péladeau will make the company more efficient and that he’ll use the province’s energy surplus to eventually electrify public transit.
“I want Hydro-Quebec to continue to contribute to the economy of Quebec, to the economic development of Quebec, to the industrial policy of Quebec, and I think he’s the best person,” Marois added.
The appointment made waves at Quebec’s National Assembly.
Québec Solidaire MNAs saw a real problem with the outgoing head of Quebecor suddenly controlling one of Quebec’s largest public institutions.
“What is his competency, other than the fact that he’s the boss of a big media corporation that could render appropriate services in due time to the Marois government?” asked Amir Khadir.
Khadir added that in the last 16 years, Péladeau was responsible for 14 lock-outs at Quebecor. He said he expects there will be more feuding when Péladeau tries to overhaul Hydro-Quebec.
“We don’t want conflict there,” said Khadir. “We want somebody with vision, somebody with environmental and social concerns, somebody with a global vision for the development of energy for the future of Quebec.”
Péladeau’s nomination was compared to that of Parti Québécois pal, Jean-Yves Duthel. The former communications agent is being sent to Munich to drum up private investment for the province.
The leader of Coalition Avenir Quebec, François Legault, noted that while it’s clear Duthel is incompetent and his nomination was purely partisan, the same cannot be said about Péladeau.
“Mr. Duthel never worked in the past to try and get investment in Quebec, but Mr. Péladeau has managed large companies,” said Legault.
Péladeau will begin his new job on May 15, after he has officially stepped down as the Chief Executive Officer of Quebecor Inc.
He will continue to oversee media operations as chairman of Quebecor Media and the television broadcaster, TVA.
Péladeau said that he will work for Hydro-Quebec for free, relinquishing his $125,000 salary as Quebecor’s CEO.
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