(Québec) Le gouvernement de François Legault a désigné, pour piloter le dossier du retour éventuel des Nordiques, l’un de ses plus influents ministres, qui a même eu des rencontres avec « différents investisseurs potentiels du club ».
Le premier ministre a répété vendredi qu’il s’était lui-même entretenu avec le commissaire de la LNH, Gary Bettman. Mais il a ajouté que son ministre des Finances, Eric Girard, pilotait le dossier.
« La personne au gouvernement qui est responsable du dossier, c’est Eric Girard, qui est ministre des Finances, mais aussi un gars de Québec qui est passionné des Nordiques », a dit François Legault, en marge de sa première rencontre avec le nouveau maire de Québec, Bruno Marchand.
Eric [Girard] had discussions with the various potential investors of the club. Eric plans to meet with Mr. Bettman in January. When I spoke to Mr. Bettman, he said he was open to meeting with us.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec
The Prime Minister did not specify who these “different investors” were. But some of his words could lead to believe that it is not about Pierre Karl Péladeau.
“There is an amphitheater. Currently, [pour] In this amphitheater, there is a sort of right of first refusal for Mr. Péladeau. We must see if Mr. Péladeau is still [prêt] to spend 700 million and more for a hockey team. Otherwise, we have to see how we manage it with the City of Quebec to have the amphitheater, ”he added.
The Prime Minister notes that broadcasting rights represent a “very important” aspect.
“RDS is with Bell and TVA Sports with Quebecor. This is all that the government and Eric Girard are trying to bring together to allow the people of Quebec and eastern Quebec to benefit from the return of the Nordics. ”
This exit by the Prime Minister was his second in two days on this file which many people believed to be stalled. Thursday, Mr. Legault had indicated on the sidelines of a press conference that his government was interested in the return of an NHL team to Quebec.
Serious approach or diversion?
Is the approach sincere or is it a “diversion” not to mention the third link, as the solidarity member for Taschereau believes?
“Without wanting to insult you, you’re not the first to try yourself… You aren’t the first politician to roughly try to change the subject when he smells of hot soup!” “Wrote Catherine Dorion on social networks.
The PQ member Véronique Hivon also suggested that it would be a diversion to “try to bury a troubling week at the coroner’s inquest on CHSLDs”.
One thing is certain, Eric Girard is no stranger to the world of hockey, a sport he played. When he was 8, he even briefly played alongside Patrick Roy at the Sainte-Foy Summer Hockey School.