Friend the minister of the Environment: Alexandre Taillefer admits to being in a difficult position

Archival photograph of Stevens LeBlanc
The liberal Party has removed from its website a video in which Alexandre Taillefer supported Isabelle Melançon, the new minister of the Environment of Quebec.

Robert Plouffe

Tuesday, 17 October, 2017 22:14

UPDATE
Tuesday, 17 October 2017 22:17

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QUEBEC | businessman Alexandre Taillefer admits to be placed in a delicate situation following the appointment of his friend Isabelle Melançon, at the head of the ministry of the Environment.

The owner of the company Teo taxi, is in effect a lobbyist for several environmental projects that require government funding or legislative changes.

The discomfort is such that the liberal Party has removed from its web site this week, a video in which Mr. Taillefer supported openly Ms. Melançon.

It was possible to view the document, dated from October 2016 until Monday of this week, at a time when our Bureau of investigation has joined the phone Mr. Taillefer and the cabinet of Ms. Melançon for the question on the effect of this support.

No pass-right

In a telephone interview, Alexandre Taillefer is sure to be well aware of the appearance of privileged access.

“There is no question that there are privileges, both on the part of the minister that his government team. The government must be extremely careful when he made records with me, ” said Mr. Taillefer.

“I think that, on the contrary this is the kind of situation that will make that there will be a condom, two condoms, three condoms “, has imaged Taillefer, asked about the fact that its relationship with Ms. Melançon can open more easily the door to the cabinet of the ministry of sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight against climate change.

Grant applications

Alexandre Taillefer is duly registered in the registre québécois des lobbyists as the most senior officer of the company XPND Capital, which seeks to obtain from the government a grant of between 2.6 and $ 3 million for the purchase of 30 electric trucks for its project Teo Cargo.

“It is a very ambitious project of $ 40 million. We want to put in place a line of trucks 100 % electric between Montreal and Toronto. One truck that made the journey between the two metropolises emits 300 tons of greenhouse gas per year. There are 10,000 trucks per day that are Montreal-Toronto, ” says Mr. Taillefer, who would like to see its project is 50% funded from grant funds in Quebec and Ottawa.

The entrepreneur also requires lobbyist that Teo Taxi has access to a bonus grant to 100% electric vehicles from $ 8000 to $ 15,000 per car.

The head of cabinet of Ms. Melançon, Maxime Sauvageau, provides that the president of Teo Taxi will be treated on the same footing as all those who wish to benefit from the green fund.

“If Mr. Taillefer has projects, it will have to enroll in a programs standard that are in place. There will be no preferential treatment “, has he supported.