The daughter of Jean Charest, a lobbyist for the pot

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Alexandra Dionne Charest, left on this photo taken in the month of January 2016, in the company of his illustrious parents, Michèle Dionne and the former prime minister of Quebec, Jean Charest.

Annabelle Blais

Thursday, 13 July, 2017 06:30

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Thursday, 13 July, 2017 06:30

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The daughter of former premier Jean Charest made the lobby with the government Couillard for a company that wants to sell cannabis and prevent a government corporation like the SAQ has a monopoly.

Alexandra Dionne Charest, who works as a consultant for the firm as a strategic advisor HATLEY, has recently added the company’s National Access Cannabis to its list of clients.

The company helps and advises those who wish to legally obtain medical cannabis from licensed producers.

Ms. Dionne Charest will make representations to the ministries of Justice, Health, public Safety and Finance, in connection with the future draft law to regulate cannabis in Quebec, says his mandate.

Proud of his father

The daughter of the ex-prime minister denies having an attentive ear on the part of the government because of his family ties.

“I am very proud of the political career of my father. That said, it does not define my career path, she insists. At HATLEY, I trace my own path and develop my curriculum. The only thing on which I intend to discharge my responsibilities in everyday life, it is the hard work. In my current role, I am called to speak to people of different colors and political perspectives. “

Against a monopoly

For his part, Jimmy Meliambro, regional director of the National Access Cannabis, states that the company wishes to sell, particularly in Québec, the medical cannabis directly to patients when this drug will be legalized in July 2018.

“There’s a lot of education and we don’t want there to be a monopoly controlled by the government, as with alcohol and the LCBO [the equivalent of the SAQ in Ontario] “, he adds.

The government has not yet decided on the distribution model, but has not ruled out a state monopoly. The minister Carlos Leitao has, however, closed the door to the sale of branches of the SAQ.

— With the collaboration of Marie-Christine Trottier