Jean Charest on the Board of Canadian National | About $70,000 for two months of work

Despite his brief stint on the board of directors of the Canadian National Railway Company (CN), Jean Charest did not leave empty-handed: the former Quebec premier obtained approximately $70,000 for a little more than two months of work.

Moreover, in the wake of the language crisis that shook the railway established in Montreal last year, the latter decided to reveal the “linguistic skills” of its administrators. CN had been strongly criticized for the absence of Francophones in its management team – a situation that has been corrected.

“Our Board renewal work continued in 2022 with the appointment of Michel Letellier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Innergex, which took effect on 1^er October 2022”, writes the company, in its circular sent to shareholders for its annual meeting of April 25.

Mr. Charest joined the Montreal-based rail carrier’s board of directors on January 25, 2022. He resigned just over two months later, on January 1, 2022.^er April, to run for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada, where he had lost.

The former politician earned cash compensation of $21,410 and earned stock awards totaling $47,577 during his brief tenure. It is not specified whether Mr. Charest attended a meeting of the board of directors.

Mr. Letellier is still the only francophone among the 11 proposed CN directors. Two other directors, American Justin Howell and Albertan Susan Jones, are fluent in French, according to the document filed with regulatory authorities on Wednesday.

This means that they can discuss in the language of Molière, specifies the railroad. This brings to three the number of directors who speak French. CN’s President and CEO, Tracy Robinson, continues to learn the language.

The rail carrier is expected to welcome a new administrator: the former president and CEO of Enbridge Al Monaco. This one is English speaking.

In office since February 22, 2022, Mr.^me Robinson was entitled to a total compensation – which takes into account base salary, bonuses and other benefits – of 13.7 million last year. That factors in a base salary of about $980,000, a bonus of $2 million, and awards and stock options of $10 million. His predecessor, Jean-Jacques Ruest, who remained in office as an advisor until March 31, 2022, was entitled to a salary of $980,000.

CN and Air Canada – two companies subject to the Official Languages ​​Act – have just registered with the Office québécois de la langue française.