Board of Directors | CN finally finds its French-speaking candidate

About five months after being plunged into a lively controversy for having closed the doors of its board of directors to Francophones, the Canadian National (CN) is finally correcting the situation. His team will welcome Michel Letellier, President and CEO of Quebec renewable energy producer Innergex.

Julien Arsenault
The Press

The Canadian National Railway Company, established in Montreal and subject to the Official Languages ​​Act, confirmed the appointment, Thursday, in the early evening. The largest rail carrier in the country justified the addition of Mr. Letellier by praising his skills in “sustainable development”.

He will join the company’s 11 current directors on 1^er october.

“I doubt that the meetings will be held in French, but at least he will be the representative of the language, underlines the director general of the Institute for the governance of private and public organizations (IGOPP), François Dauphin. At least CN keeps its word. »

If CN’s board grows, the situation may be temporary, the carrier suggested.

“The appointment allows for a planned transition in anticipation of retirements,” the company said in an emailed statement.

well alone

Mr. Letellier will be the only member of the board of directors of the railroad to master the language of Molière. CN President and CEO Tracy Robinson is still learning the language. His predecessor, Jean-Jacques Ruest, was perfectly bilingual.

Recruited last January, former Quebec Premier Jean Charest quickly resigned about two months later to run for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. CN had not seen fit to replace him with a French-speaking administrator.

When The Press exposed the situation last April, the rail carrier had been strongly criticized. The Caisse de depot et placement du Québec – one of CN’s major shareholders – had departed from its usual reserve to describe the situation as “unacceptable”.

Mr. Dauphin considers that the length of the process to recruit Mr. Letellier is reasonable. However, the expert adds a caveat.

“They should have been looking for a French-speaking person when Jean Charest left,” he points out. Under the circumstances, this is acceptable. There is still someone ready to sit. »

In a statement, CN Board Chair Shauneen Bruder called Mr. Letellier an “exceptional addition” to the team of directors.

“His extensive business and strategy experience, sustainability leadership and entrepreneurial track record, combined with his financial acumen and business accomplishments, make him an outstanding addition to the board,” said she indicated.

The general manager of IGOPP agrees on this point. At a time when ESG (environment, social and governance) criteria are taking more and more place in the management of companies, the CN recruit brings “complementary skills”, says Mr. Dauphin.

Of the current team of directors, only three members have ESG expertise, according to CN’s most recent proxy statement.