The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) bought $135,000 in training from an organization co-founded by its current boss, Isabelle Hudon, has learned The newspaper.
• Also read – A spoiled boss: BDC pays $11,150 for a round trip to London
Co-founded by Isabelle Hudon in 2015, L’effet A is owned by Médias O’Dandy, whose controlling shareholder is John Gallagher, the spouse of Hydro-Québec CEO Sophie Brochu.
Effect A sells training aimed at helping women break the glass ceiling.
However, since her arrival at the helm of the BDC, Isabelle Hudon continues to participate in L’effet A and the BDC, which she directs, grants her contracts.
“As of August 2021, 39 women have been selected to participate in the program, which costs approximately $135,000,” confirms BDC spokesman Shawn Salewski.
Treaties before Hudon
In the paper, he points out that the BDC bought a total of more than $470,000 for training at L’effet A, a good chunk of it before Isabelle Hudon’s arrival.
“The current and former presidents were neither involved in the choice of the program nor in the selection of the participants,” it says.
“Isabelle Hudon’s role at L’effet A is to volunteer with our other leaders to participate in workshops where she shares her professional experiences and business advice with the female participants. “, explains Isabelle Marquis, Managing Director and Partner of L’effet A.
Last October, Le Journal revealed that Hydro-Québec CEO Sophie Brochu’s training in L’effet A had brought nearly $50,000 to her spouse John Gallagher’s company.
A compilation by the Journal also showed that Hydro had paid his company $250,000 in contracts.
Hydro-Québec then changed the rules for awarding contracts.
Isabelle Hudon declined the journal’s interview request.
– With the collaboration of Marie Christine Trottier
Do you have any information about this story that you would like to share with us?
Do you have a scoop that might be of interest to our readers?