After having clarified the day before his role in the process of selecting the next boss of Hydro-Québec, the Minister of Economy and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, admitted Thursday that he had not yet read the law framing in particular the choice of the head of the state-owned company.
Mr. Fitzgibbon thus justified why he had published a statement on social media on Wednesday to specify, among other things, that the government will choose a Quebecer to lead Hydro-Québec.
“I don’t know the Hydro-Quebec law,” he said in a press scrum before question period. The process is very, very rigorous. Hydro-Québec is in charge of working with external consultants. »
Mr. Fitzgibbon was unable to say what the Hydro-Quebec Act provides for in the CEO selection process.
“I don’t remember, I think…I haven’t read, I don’t know the law,” he said.
The Minister affirmed that his knowledge of the Hydro-Québec Act was based on what was reported to him.
“Governance is very clear,” he said. I spent 20 years of my life in governance. The board of directors of an entity must go through a process to find a candidate. After that, in the case of Hydro-Québec, the shareholder is the government, the government will decide. »
Mr Fitzgibbon said he would read the law, but he did not say whether he would before or after the selection process was completed.
“I will read it, but the law is very thick,” he said.
More details will follow.