Hydro-Québec’s CEO should stop awarding L’effet A training contracts to her spouse John Gallagher’s company.
My colleagues Francis Halin, Marie Christine Trottier and Charles Mathieu reported yesterday that Hydro-Québec has acquired L’effet A contracts for $250,000 since appointing Ms. Brochu to head the company in April 2020.
Hydro-Québec may say that “Sophie Brochu did not intervene in any way to further Effect A, these decisions were never her responsibility,” smacks of an appearance of conflict of interest, no, no offense to Hydro’s bigwigs.
- Listen to Michel Girard’s business news daily at 7:35 a.m. live. at QUB radio :
In its defense, Hydro-Québec adds that the company has “registered participants in L’effet A since 2016, when Éric Martel was CEO.”
How does awarding 87 contracts to L’effet A during Mr Martel’s 5 year rule justify awarding 134 contracts under Ms Brochu who has been in office for 2 1/2 years?
The context is completely different. Éric Martel has no connection with L’Effect A du Spouse de Sophie Brochu. Which is obviously not the case with Hydro’s CEO.
BROCHURE, LEADING IN EFFECT A
To show you how far Hydro-Québec and its CEO have painted themselves into the corner, here is the connection between Ms. Brochu and L’effet A, reported on the state company’s page, under the “Governance” hat, where the members of the Board of Directors and Executive Board are introduced.
After developing Ms. Brochu’s detailed resume, Hydro-Québec takes the liberty of praising the connection between its CEO and her spouse’s company: an initiative aimed at promoting the presence of women at all levels of organizations. ”
No doubt about that claim that she’s “the leader of Impact A”: Hydro’s CEO even completed a “30-day masterclass with Sophie Brochu,” which has so far raised nearly $50,000 for her spouse’s company.
HYDRO ACQUIRES ITS “MASTER CLASS”
Also, my colleagues Halin, Trottier and Mathieu reported yesterday that Ms. Brochu herself “animated” training courses purchased from Hydro. Not less.
In fact, seven Hydro-Québec employees attended the 2021 “30-Day Masterclass with Sophie Brochu” offered by L’effet A for a total bill of $4,595.
Let’s agree that Hydro is going a little too far with L’effet A’s “30 Day Masterclass with Sophie Brochu”!
But… There’s nothing for Hydro. “The leadership of our organization and the code of ethics are solid, it is not true that we will deprive women of the relevant training for their professional development, whether that of L’effet A or others.”
THE VICE PRESIDENTS
The participants-managers who took part in the training “Défi 100 jours L’effet A” organized by Mrs. Brochu’s spouse’s company are from
of the various Vice Presidents and other administrative units of Hydro.
The cost per participant is usually $2250.
The departments most “attracted” to Effect A are: Information and Communication Technologies, Human Resources, Risk Management, Planning/Policies/Expertise, Communications/Government, and Indigenous Affairs.
As for the other Hydro-Québec administrative units, the participants came from the Corporate Affairs, Legal and Governance group, among others; by Hydro-Québec Distribution and Shared Services, Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie, Hydro-Québec Innovation Production, Hydro-Québec Production.
- Listen to Michel Girard’s business news daily at 7:35 a.m. live. at QUB radio :
CODE OF ETHICS
Pursuant to Article 5.4.2 “Conflict of Interest – Incompatible Interests” of the Hydro-Québec CODE OF ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL DEONTOLOGY for directors and officers, the director or officer must “avoid being in a situation in which he or any related person directly or could benefit indirectly from any situation or transaction in which the entity is a party.”
As the “leader of Effect A,” Sophie Brochu must demand that Hydro-Quebec stop buying training provided by her spouse’s company.
final point.