Two months after leaving politics, former Minister of the Economy Pierre Fitzgibbon joins a law firm that lobbied the government for General Motors, which received $152 million from the Quebec state for its factory in Bécancour.
• Also read: Fresh start: Fitzgibbon joins corporate law firm
The law firm Osler, Haskin & Harcourt announced Tuesday that it had recruited Mr. Fitzgibbon, in a press release touting “the depth of experience [de l’ex-ministre] within the government.
If we rely on two notices on Carrefour Lobby Quebec, Osler registered as a lobbyist in March 2022 to make representations to the Quebec government on the subject of “financing [subventions, prêts ou autres] to support the construction of a new cathode active materials facility in Bécancour.
A little over a year later, François Legault and Pierre Fitzgibbon were in Bécancour to announce $152 million in financing to General Motors and POSCO, through Investissement Québec.
In May 2023, Prime Minister François Legault announced a $152 million loan to GM and Posco for the construction of a factory in Bécancour.
Screenshot TVA News
Remember that this financing is a loan of which a portion of $134 million is forgivable if the jobs created are maintained for 10 years. In other words, GM and POSCO will not have to repay nearly 90% of Quebec’s financing provided they respect this requirement.
During his mandate, which ended in December 2023, Osler lobbied with the Ministry of the Economy, Innovation and Energy, the Ministry of the Environment, Investissement Québec and the Town of Bécancour.
The President Emeritus of Osler on the Board of Investissement Québec
What’s more, Osler’s president emeritus, Shahir Guindi, was appointed to the board of directors of Investissement Québec in February 2024, several months before the resignation of Pierre Fitzgibbon.
In a message published on the social network LinkedIn on Tuesday, Mr. Guindi said he was “delighted” with the hiring of the former minister within the law firm.
Photo taken from the Investissement Québec website
“Having such an experienced individual serving our clients and firm members is a true win and provides invaluable added value,” he wrote.
In the press release announcing his new responsibilities, Mr. Fitzgibbon expressed that joining Osler “gives him an exceptional platform to continue to advance our economy by supporting the entrepreneurs and businesses that shape the future of Quebec and Canada “.
Rules to respect
After his resignation last September, Pierre Fitzgibbon had a meeting with Ethics Commissioner Ariane Mignolet, at the end of which he assured that he “intends to respect the rules”.
These rules provide, among other things, that a former minister “must behave in such a way as not to derive undue advantage” from his or her previous functions.
More specifically, a former minister cannot, for two years following his departure, intervene on behalf of others or lobby any state entity with which he had “official, direct and significant dealings” nor act as consultant lobbyist for clients with any parliamentary, governmental or municipal institution.
Osler and Fitzgibbon say they are ‘fully aware’
The Osler firm declined our interview request, but still insisted that the organization and Mr. Fitzgibbon are “fully aware of all applicable rules.”
“We are committed to rigorous compliance,” said Director of Customer and Business Development Cindy Dormoy in a written statement to the Journal.
“Like other business leaders and former politicians who have joined law firms, we always act with the highest expectations of compliance with the laws and best practices, particularly in relation to the management of corporate disputes. interests,” she added.
– With the collaboration of Philippe Langlois, Sylvain Larocque and Francis Halin
