A Boisbriand company that has received public money announced on Monday the appointment of former prime minister Philippe Couillard to its board – in English only.
“Vision Marine Technologies Appoints Quebec’s 31st Premier, Dr. Philippe Couillard, to the board,” says the press release from the developer of electric powertrains for boats.
“This appointment not only opens a new chapter for our company; This is a pivotal moment that underlines our commitment to excellence, innovation and social responsibility,” said Alexandre Mongeon, CEO of Vision Marine.
Alex Mongeon LinkedIn
Mr Couillard was contacted by Le Journal and was not particularly surprised by the monolingual nature of the announcement of his appointment.
“I think it’s something [la présence du français] that they know [les dirigeants de Vision Marine] that they need to improve. I don’t know the details,” he said.
“Electrification of transport is important for the energy transition, particularly in the boating sector,” he continued. There are a lot of opportunities right now and it’s fun to see a Quebec company operating in this sector.”
Used to English
Since listing on the American Nasdaq stock exchange at the end of 2020, Vision Marine has published almost all press releases and financial documents in English.
“Mr. Couillard’s announcement was made only in English via the press, as the English language is a requirement and the only language of communication for Nasdaq-listed companies,” the company clarified in an email to the newspaper.
English also stood out in June 2021 when Vision Marine announced it had received a $1.7 million grant from the Department of Economic Affairs.
In 2021, Vision Marine announced, only in English, that it had received a $1.7 million grant from Quebec. Screenshot of Vision Marine Technologies website
Until recently, Vision Marine’s website was almost entirely in English. The company recently added content in French after publishing a Journal article on the topic last month.
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