Quebec pension fund may protest CN’s lack of French-speaking board members

Quebec pension fund may protest CN’s lack of French-speaking board members

By Trains Staff | May 16, 2022

| Last updated on March 1, 2024


News report says Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec could withhold votes at May 20 board meeting

Canadian National logoMONTREAL — Quebec’s pension fund may withhold support from some members of Canadian National’s board of directors to protest the lack of French-speaking board members, Reuters reports.

Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec — CN’s 10th-largest shareholder — is considering the move, a source told the news service, after previously criticizing a move that would have left the railroad without a native French speaker. The board said in April it would appoint a francophone, Quebec-based board member to replace the departing Jean Charest, a bilingual former provincial premier.

Caisse de depot — the entity which driving construction of Montreal’s REM light rail project — and CN declined comment.

The lack of a francophone board member was called “unacceptable” last week by Canada’s Transport Minister, Omar Alghabra [see “CN criticized …,” Trains News Wire, May 11, 2022].

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