The Minister of Economy and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, on Wednesday recognized the credibility of Michael Sabia, approached for an appointment as president and CEO of Hydro-Québec.
Mr. Fitzgibbon, however, refrained from confirming that Mr. Sabia will succeed Sophie Brochu at the head of the state-owned company.
“He is credible because of his background, he said before participating in a meeting of the CAQ caucus. But we won’t talk about that today. We will wait, there will be an appointment at the appropriate time. »
Prime Minister François Legault also remained stingy with comments when asked about a possible appointment of Mr. Sabia, who was president and CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) from 2009 to 2020.
Lack of audacity
“We should have an announcement to make next week for the presidency of Hydro-Québec,” he said before heading to the Blue Room for question period.
The Parti Québécois said that the appointment of Mr. Sabia would demonstrate the lack of audacity of the government in a context of energy transition.
“The Liberals liked him very much, the Caquistes like him just as much,” said MP Pascal Bérubé. Ontario’s Michael Sabia has a distinguished career in finance. »
Mr. Bérubé said that Mr. Legault and his minister Bernard Drainville had criticized the appointment of Mr. Sabia to the CDPQ when they were both in the PQ caucus.
“François Legault also, on several occasions, asked the Liberals: “why are you appointing this person who is anything but a nationalist?” So, more and more, those who think that the CAQ has replaced the Parti Québécois, no, the CAQ has replaced the Liberal Party,” said Mr. Bérubé.
In an open letter published in 2009 by The dutyMr. Drainville accused the Liberals of making a “historic error” in appointing Mr. Sabia to the CDPQ.
“By appointing a notorious federalist, an influential former member of the Privy Council of Canada and a former member of the Canadian Unity Council, Jean Charest is consolidating the influence of those who do not want a too strong Quebec,” he wrote. . Who want him small, docile, resigned to his provincialist condition. »
On Wednesday, Mr. Drainville swept past reporters after leaving the building where the Prime Minister’s offices are located. “He did a great job at the Caisse de depot,” he said of Mr. Sabia.
The Liberals have expressed concern about Mr. Sabia’s independence from the government’s ambitions for Hydro-Quebec, which have drawn objections from Mr.me Leaflet.
“I don’t want someone at the mercy of the economy minister,” MP Monsef Derraji said. It is very serious what is happening in terms of energy in Quebec. »
Mr. Sabia served as CN’s Chief Financial Officer when the railroad was privatized and later transformed into a public company. He began his career at the federal Department of Finance, then as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet at the Privy Council in Ottawa. In December 2020, Mr. Sabia was appointed Deputy Minister of Finance by the federal government. He previously led Bell Canada from 2002 to 2008.
More details will follow.