The CEOs of the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) and Investissement Québec (IQ) are the champions of restaurant meals, reveals a compilation carried out by The newspaper.
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Since January 2018, the CEO of the AMF has paid $11,720 for a hundred meals. During the same period, IQ big boss Guy LeBlanc and his predecessor, Pierre Gabriel Côté, spent $11,553 on about 90 restaurant appointments.
“Meetings at the office, we do them regularly, but there are occasions that lend themselves more to a meal at the restaurant”, explained Mr. Morisset yesterday during a telephone interview with The newspaper.
“As part of my duties, it is important that these links [avec des partenaires de l’AMF] can sometimes firm up and it can be in the context of a restaurant meal,” he added.
CEO since 2013, Morisset said he eats out with financial institution executives, industry lobbyists, government officials, counterparts from other states and AMF colleagues.
“A long time ago I took the position, with the endorsement of our board, that when I am approached for a meal in a restaurant […]well I’m the one picking up the bill,” he said.
To respect ethics
This way of doing things makes it possible to respect the rules of ethics of the government, which prohibit the acceptance of any gift, except modest, argued Louis Morisset, before adding that if it were only from him, he would go less often to the restaurant.
“If I weren’t approached by industry stakeholders and people who represent special interest groups, I wouldn’t go out for lunch as regularly,” he revealed.
The leader, however, assured that he did not accept all the invitations he received.
“Someone who has something interesting to tell me, I will accept, [mais] someone who wants to meet me to meet me, I don’t accept,” he claimed.
At IQ, we also argue that restaurant meals are essential.
“By virtue of his functions and the mission of Investissement Québec, our CEO meets clients and partners on a regular basis and it is appropriate that some of these meetings take place during business lunches”, declared a door- word of IQ, Gladys Caron.
Also at the SAQ
The 3e the most expensive government corporation or public body in this area is the SAQ. Its CEO, Catherine Dagenais, and her predecessor, Alain Brunet, have billed $10,267 for nearly 150 meals at the restaurant since January 2018. Mme Dagenais has been in office since June 2018.
“During his trips to our 410 branches, our CEO organizes work meetings with branch managers and employees,” said spokeswoman Geneviève Cormier.
Expenses at the restaurant of the big bosses since 2018
Financial Markets Authority: $11,720
Investment Quebec: $11,553
Quebec Liquor Corporation: $10,267
Deposit and investment fund: $7824
Hydro-Quebec: $5810
Loto-Quebec: $3171