The organization chart of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) has changed, but the power of its new number two, Caroline St-Hilaire, has not diminished, assured Wednesday the Minister of International Relations, Martine Biron.
During the study of the credits of his ministry in parliamentary committee, Mr.me Biron returned to the changes made by the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, just before the appointment of Ms.me St-Hilaire in March. The Minister explained that these changes to the organization chart were part of an approach aimed at improving the governance of the OIF, “in the very broad sense”, and at cleaning up its finances. “You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs. So yes, the organizational chart has changed,” she said.
Mme Biron, however, rejected the hypothesis that these changes tighten the grip of Mme Mushikiwabo on the representations of the OIF in ten countries and, among other things, on the direction of communications.
According to the minister, Ms.me St-Hilaire has exactly the same responsibilities as his predecessor Geoffroi Montpetit, appointed in 2021, whose contract has not been renewed. “There was no weakening of the task and powers of Caroline St-Hilaire, she declared. Moreover, the role of Caroline St-Hilaire has added value because she has a political role that the Secretary General intends to use. »
At the end of the parliamentary commission, Mme Biron, however, refused to explain to reporters why the changes to the organization chart were made between the departure of Mr. Montpetit and the arrival of Mr.me St-Hilaire.
Mme Mushikiwabo had also made “discretionary appointments” within Mr.me St-Hilaire before taking office. His cabinet then assured that they were temporary.
Before its overhaul in March, the organization chart placed the 13 external representations under the responsibility of the administrator, as did the communication department. The delegation of powers entrusted on April 4 to Mme St-Hilaire, that The duty has obtained, specifies that “political affairs and communication” remain the responsibility of Mme Mushikiwabo and his cabinet.
Non-partisan appointment
Martine Biron once again had to defend herself from having favored Mme St-Hilaire, a CAQ candidate in the last election, in the process that led to her appointment. “A partisan appointment is when you appoint someone who is incompetent,” she said.
The Minister of International Relations claimed that she had only submitted the name of Mr.me St-Hilaire in the process, but that other candidates have been considered by the Quebec government.
Prior to this appointment—and the non-renewal of Mr. Montpetit’s contract—Mr.me Biron had expressed Quebec’s interest in regaining a more important place within the OIF. “I noted that Quebec was nowhere in the territory, nowhere in the management office. »
Mme Biron admitted that Mr.me Mushikiwabo acted quicker than she expected by appointing Mme St-Hilaire. “I thought it would evolve slowly and that we would quietly have a place at the level of the OIF. But the mandate of number two, the administrator of the OIF, was coming to an end and the secretary general chose not to renew the mandate of Geoffroi Montpetit, who was appointed by Canada. »
Mme Mushikiwabo then chose Mme St-Hilaire, suggested by Quebec, in a list with another candidate sponsored by Ottawa.
During the parliamentary committee, Liberal MP Michelle Setlakwe expressed concern about a recent intervention by a representative of Mr.me St-Hilaire, who revised downwards the results of a survey of OIF employees alleging that they were victims of moral and sexual harassment. “The backlash came from an office manager who downplayed the results of this poll. I would have expected from an organization like the OIF that there was a firmer stand,” she said.
Mme Biron did not advance on this downward revision decreed by the OIF of the original results. “Those that have been passed on to me seem overwhelming,” she said.