At a time when the opposition parties in Quebec are calling for a parliamentary commission to hear the president and CEO of Hydro-Quebec, Sophie Brochu, on the reasons for her departure, the main person concerned assures that her decision does not is not motivated by a disagreement with the Legault government.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not in conflict with anyone,” Ms.me Brochu at a press conference on Wednesday as part of the publication of the results of the state-owned company. I am not in conflict with the government.”
Mme Brochu announced at the beginning of January that she was leaving her post on April 11, before the end of her mandate. Prior to this announcement, rumors swirled that Mme Brochu is said to have strained relations with the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, which he denied.
After the announcement of Ms. Brochu’s departure, the main opposition parties felt that there was “eel under the rock” and wanted to hear the leader about the reasons which motivated her departure and about possible dissensions with the government.
“That’s not it, assures Ms. Brochu. It’s a personal movement, it’s an organizational movement. For the rest of things, it is healthy that there is someone who is more appropriate than me to manage the rest of what is to be built.
She feels that Hydro-Québec needs someone with a different profile for the next step.
To illustrate her point, she compared Hydro-Québec’s strategic plan to building a house. Like an architect, she believes that her strength is to draw the outlines of the strategic plan in collaboration with civil society actors. The next step would require someone whose strength would be operational execution, she said.
“Don’t get me wrong, building the house is harder than drawing it.”
The outgoing president is pleased to have started a conversation on the energy future of Quebec in a context where the energy transition will require finding new sources of electricity supply. “I leave serene and happy with the public conversation that is currently taking place on energy.”
Mme Brochu also mentioned that at 60, she wanted to do something else.
“At 60, I don’t want to stop working, I’m going to keep working, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m going to do something else, but it’s time for me to think about the rest of my own life.”