A former leader of the Bloc Québécois (BQ) and two senior executives with Desjardins Group have submitted their candidacy to become the new president of the Lévis, Que.-based financial co-operative. One of the three will replace Monique Leroux in April when she will step down after two terms as head of Desjardins.
Daniel Paillé, who led the BQ from 2011 to 2013 and who also served as a minister in the Parti Quebecois government of Jacques Parizeau in the 1990s, is the only external candidate for the position. Guy Cormier, senior vice president of the co-operative network and personal services at Desjardins, and Robert Ouellette, senior vice president of technology and shared services at Desjardins, are the two internal candidates.
Desjardins chooses its leader by means of an electoral college that votes by secret ballot as opposed to an election by a board of directors. The nomination period, which ran from Jan. 25 to Feb. 1, is now closed.
During the election period, which runs from today to March 18, the three candidates will meet privately with members of the electoral college to present their visions for leading Desjardins.
On Sat. March 19, the electoral college, whose 256 delegates are drawn from regional councils in Quebec and Ontario and the Group Caisse Council, will meet in camera to select the next president of Desjardins.
The new president will take office on April 9 at the conclusion of Desjardins’ annual general meeting.
Desjardins is by far the largest financial co-operative in Canada and the fifth largest in the world, with assets of $251 billion.