Lobbyists hydrogen: the government Couillard denies having been influenced

Photo Simon Clark
The government Couillard denies having been influenced by lobbyists close of his political circle when he provided financial assistance for the establishment of a hydrogen fuelling station in Quebec city.

QMI agency

Wednesday, 14 February 2018 11:52

UPDATE
Wednesday, 14 February 2018 16:29

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The government Couillard denies having been influenced by lobbyists close of his political circle when he was awarded financial assistance for the establishment of a hydrogen fuelling station in Quebec city.

• READ ALSO: Seven friends of the LPQ and LPC lobbyists for the auto to hydrogen

Our Bureau of investigation revealed on Wednesday that seven relatives of the liberal Party of Canada and liberal Party of Quebec have become lobbyists, who are promoting the automobile to hydrogen, so that this sector has received a financial support from the governments Couillard and Trudeau.

On the contrary, the minister of Energy, Pierre Moreau, was almost pleased that the Law on the transparency and ethics of lobbying could offer him the opportunity to explain.

“It is an indication that the lobbying act is working. The purpose of the act is to make transparent those who deal with the State,” he said Wednesday in a media scrum.

“The government may not deny a technology that is a carrier because of the choice made by this company as to its lobbyists”, he added.

Less GHG

The minister has indicated that the hydrogen also offers the possibility to reduce the carbon footprint related to transport.

“If we produce hydrogen using hydroelectricity, is a clean and renewable energy, it will produce hydrogen is totally clean. The combustion of hydrogen produces only water,” said Mr. Moreau.

“We do not deprive certainly not Quebecers with the opportunity to diversify the revenues of Hydro-Québec if it had to be harnessed in the production of hydrogen”, he added.

A car to hydrogen is charging more quickly than an electric car and its range is generally larger, has also specified the minister.

Concerns

The Parti québécois said he is “very concerned by the close links” between the industry of hydrogen and the governments of Québec and Canada.

“What is disturbing, is to see this closeness between liberals, well-known, and the rapidity with which the hydrogen has been supported, substantially, by the provincial and federal governments,” explained Mr. Gaudreault.

“It takes gas to make hydrogen. And this gas comes from where? This is the question that we must ask. Is it comes to shale gas?”, asked Mr. Gaudreault, who fears to see of hydrocarbons rather than water be used to produce the hydrogen.

The Coalition avenir Québec has also made known its concern in the face of a liberal Party of Quebec, which is “everywhere and which has the long arm”.

“When people close to power, the decision-making process, find themselves in an environment in which there is currently a lot of approaches, visions of the future, I’m worried about,” said mp François Paradis, during a media scrum.