JACQUES LAMARRE RESIGNS FROM THE ORDRE DES INGÉNIEURS DU QUEBEC: "I AM LEAVING WITH MY HEAD HELD HIGH"
"I am proud of my career and the role I played as an executive at SNC-Lavalin," said Mr. Lamarre. "But given the ongoing conflict with the Order and the way I have been treated, I have no choice but to resign."
Mr. Lamarre points out that when he left the company in early 2009, SNC-Lavalin was on an enviable financial footing and had world-class technical expertise. Among his achievements during his tenure were major international projects, the acquisition of CANDU nuclear technology, and assets that generated more than $6 billion in profits for the company.
A questionable complaint
Mr. Lamarre says he is particularly disappointed with the way the disciplinary investigation was conducted:
"The Syndic of the Order granted complete immunity to certain witnesses with conflicts of interest, while seeking to hold me responsible for actions for which those same witnesses were found guilty in other proceedings. "
He also denounced the fact that he was being prosecuted even though he no longer practices as an engineer and left SNC-Lavalin in 2009, more than 16 years ago. The harm suffered was exacerbated by the casual attitude of the Order's Syndic, who disclosed more than 150,000 pages of documents to him in a disorganized manner, without clear links to the charges. This constitutes a lack of procedural fairness, which compromised his ability to defend himself adequately.
However, the Disciplinary Council exonerated him of any involvement in the Kafhafi yacht case and the repair of the Jacques Cartier Bridge deck. "When I was informed by the Swiss authorities of the fraudulent actions of certain executives, I did not hesitate to cooperate fully and strongly denounce these actions."
A call to clean up the construction industry
Mr. Lamarre also recalls his refusal to allow the company to bid on contracts with the City of Laval, which had a poor reputation at the time, and his role in cleaning up the industry by contributing to the working group on union placement in construction, at the request of the Minister of Labor in 2010. "I have always defended engineering as a noble profession, based on rigor, competence, and integrity. It is with this conviction that I have served my profession."
A dignified departure
Despite the circumstances, Jacques Lamarre says he is leaving the Order with his head held high and a clear conscience, convinced that he has acted with integrity: "I am leaving without bitterness, but with clarity. My commitment to engineering remains intact."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Cision Canada
21 hours ago
- Cision Canada
JACQUES LAMARRE RESIGNS FROM THE ORDRE DES INGÉNIEURS DU QUEBEC: "I AM LEAVING WITH MY HEAD HELD HIGH"
MONTREAL, Aug. 13, 2025 /CNW/ - An engineer for nearly six decades, Jacques Lamarre, former President and CEO of SNC-Lavalin, announced today his resignation as a retired member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ). He is denouncing a decision by the Order's Disciplinary Council that he considers unfair and unreasonable, despite his acquittal on several charges, following a process he describes as deeply unfair. "I am proud of my career and the role I played as an executive at SNC-Lavalin," said Mr. Lamarre. "But given the ongoing conflict with the Order and the way I have been treated, I have no choice but to resign." Mr. Lamarre points out that when he left the company in early 2009, SNC-Lavalin was on an enviable financial footing and had world-class technical expertise. Among his achievements during his tenure were major international projects, the acquisition of CANDU nuclear technology, and assets that generated more than $6 billion in profits for the company. A questionable complaint Mr. Lamarre says he is particularly disappointed with the way the disciplinary investigation was conducted: "The Syndic of the Order granted complete immunity to certain witnesses with conflicts of interest, while seeking to hold me responsible for actions for which those same witnesses were found guilty in other proceedings. " He also denounced the fact that he was being prosecuted even though he no longer practices as an engineer and left SNC-Lavalin in 2009, more than 16 years ago. The harm suffered was exacerbated by the casual attitude of the Order's Syndic, who disclosed more than 150,000 pages of documents to him in a disorganized manner, without clear links to the charges. This constitutes a lack of procedural fairness, which compromised his ability to defend himself adequately. However, the Disciplinary Council exonerated him of any involvement in the Kafhafi yacht case and the repair of the Jacques Cartier Bridge deck. "When I was informed by the Swiss authorities of the fraudulent actions of certain executives, I did not hesitate to cooperate fully and strongly denounce these actions." A call to clean up the construction industry Mr. Lamarre also recalls his refusal to allow the company to bid on contracts with the City of Laval, which had a poor reputation at the time, and his role in cleaning up the industry by contributing to the working group on union placement in construction, at the request of the Minister of Labor in 2010. "I have always defended engineering as a noble profession, based on rigor, competence, and integrity. It is with this conviction that I have served my profession." A dignified departure Despite the circumstances, Jacques Lamarre says he is leaving the Order with his head held high and a clear conscience, convinced that he has acted with integrity: "I am leaving without bitterness, but with clarity. My commitment to engineering remains intact."

Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Globe and Mail
Quebec engineering body finds former SNC-Lavalin CEO guilty on multiple counts of misconduct
Former SNC-Lavalin Group chief executive Jacques Lamarre has been found guilty of seven of 14 allegations of misconduct made against him by Quebec's professional order for engineers. Last fall, the disciplinary council of L'Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec began several days of hearings to decide whether Mr. Lamarre infringed the organization's code of ethics and professional duties in the early 2000s when he was CEO of SNC-Lavalin, now known as AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. ATRL-T These hearings followed an investigation by the Ordre's Office of the Syndic, which then launched a formal complaint against the former engineering executive. AtkinsRéalis eyeing U.S. market for nuclear technology push The Syndic made 14 separate allegations against Mr. Lamarre as part of its disciplinary complaint, which are related to previous legal cases involving the company. The allegations link broadly to SNC-Lavalin's past business conduct as it sought contracts in Libya, as well as past political financing activities in Montreal. Among the findings of guilt, L'Ordre concluded that SNC-Lavalin under Mr. Lamarre's leadership directly or indirectly made payments amounting to about $2-million to the family of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, notably for expenses incurred by his son Saadi while he stayed in Canada. Mr. Lamarre was found not guilty on allegations that he sanctioned the purchase of a luxury yacht for Saadi. The former CEO last year denied the Syndic's allegations. Reached late Tuesday, he declined to comment on the final rulings. In early 2012, Swiss and Canadian police discovered questionable payments from SNC-Lavalin that ran through bank accounts in Switzerland and other countries. These payments were later found to be bribes to procure contracts for projects in Libya during Moammar Gadhafi's rule, as SNC-Lavalin sought a share of contracts offered by his government. In 2015, SNC-Lavalin and two affiliates were charged with fraud and violating Canada's Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act tied to its dealings in Libya. The company requested a settlement to the case, commonly known as a deferred prosecution agreement, but was denied. SNC-Lavalin solidified an agreement with prosecutors in 2019 for the company's construction division to plead guilty to a single charge of fraud while the corruption charge was dropped. The company agreed to pay a $280-million fine and received a three-year probation order. In 2016, the company acknowledged that it engaged in a scheme that involved SNC-Lavalin employees being encouraged to donate to federal political parties and then be reimbursed through fake personal-expense claims, bonuses or benefits. Canadian law states that businesses cannot make financial contributions to political parties irrespective of candidates. The company later entered into a compliance agreement with the Commissioner of Canada Elections. SNC-Lavalin also admitted that it used a similar strategy for donations to Quebec political parties. No penalties for Mr. Lamarre were announced by L'Ordre, though it said it will set a date for sanctions. He could be revoked of his status as a professional engineer, or face fines.


Canada News.Net
2 days ago
- Canada News.Net
U.S. stocks move higher Wednesday as inflation fears fade
NEW YORK, New York - U.S, stocks closed sharply higher Tuesday after the release of the latest CPI reading which shows inflation coming under control. The tame figure for July gave invetsors and traders the confidence they need to expect a Fed rate cut in September. "The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis in July, after rising 0.3 percent in June," the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. "Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.7 percent before seasonal adjustment." U.S. Markets Surge Ahead The S&P 500 (^GSPC) jumped 72.31 points, or 1.13 percent, to close Tuesday at 6,445.76, marking its strongest session in weeks. Trading volume reached 2.834 billion shares as buyers piled into large-cap stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) also posted strong gains, climbing 483.52 points, or 1.10 percent, to settle at 44,458.61, with 436.933 million shares traded. The blue-chip index was lifted by strong performances in financial and industrial sectors. Tech stocks led the charge, with the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) surging 296.50 points, or 1.39 percent, to 21,681.90, its highest close ever. Trading activity was robust at 6.78 billion shares as megacap tech names powered the index higher. Market Drivers Analysts attributed Tuesday's bullish momentum to: "Investors are clearly betting that the soft landing scenario remains intact," sMark Richardson, chief strategist at Wellington Capital. said Tuesday "The breadth of today's rally suggests confidence is returning to multiple sectors, not just tech." Global Forex Markets Show Mixed Movements in Tuesday's Trading Session The foreign exchange market saw a split performance on Tuesday, with the U.S. dollar weakening against most currencies on the back of the tame CPI report. Key Currency Pairs in Focus The Euro (EUR/USD) strengthened against the U.S. dollar, rising 0.50 percent to 1.1673, as investors weighed expectations of European Central Bank policy moves. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar (USD/JPY) dipped slightly against the Japanese yen, falling 0.27 percent to 147.73, as traders assessed potential Bank of Japan intervention risks. In North America, the Canadian dollar (USD/CAD) held steady, with the pair inching down just 0.01 percent to 1.3776, reflecting muted reaction to oil price fluctuations. The British pound (GBP/USD) extended its gains, climbing 0.47 percent to 1.3494, supported by stronger-than-expected UK economic data. Swiss Franc and Commodity Currencies Move Higher The U.S. dollar (USD/CHF) faced notable pressure against the Swiss franc, sliding 0.72 percent to 0.8064, as demand for the safe-haven currency picked up. Commodity-linked currencies also advanced, with the Australian dollar (AUD/USD) rising 0.26 percent to 0.6529 and the New Zealand dollar (NZD/USD) gaining 0.29 percent to 0.5953, supported by improved risk appetite in Asian trading, and despite a 25 basis points reduction in official interest rates by the Reserve Bank of Australia.. Global Markets End Mixed Tuesday | Japan's Nikkei 225 surges again, gaines 898 points Global stock indices delivered a mixed performance on Tuesday, with some markets posting gains while others retreated amid fluctuating investor sentiment. In Canada, the S&P/TSX Composite (^GSPTSE) advanced 146.03 points, or 0.53 percent, to finish at 27,921.26, supported by gains in energy and materials stocks. Volume reached 203.659 million shares. In London the FTSE 100 (^FTSE) edged higher, closing at 9,147.81, up 18.10 points, or 0.20 percent. Meanwhile, Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) dipped 56.56 points, or 0.23 percent, to settle at 24,024.78. In France the CAC 40 (^FCHI) outperformed, rising 54.90 points, or 0.71 percent, to 7,753.42. The broader EURO STOXX 50 (^STOXX50E) inched up 4.12 points, or 0.08 percent, to 5,335.97. The Euronext 100 (^N100) climbed 8.87 points, or 0.56 percent, to 1,587.17, while Belgium's BEL 20 (^BFX) slipped slightly, losing 2.12 points, or 0.04 percent, to close at 4,724.63. Asia and Pacific Markets Show Divergence In Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (^HSI) gained 62.87 points, or 0.25 percent, finishing at 24,969.68. However, Singapore's STI Index (^STI) fell 12.06 points, or 0.28 percent, to 4,220.72. In China, the Shanghai Composite ( climbed 18.37 points, or 0.50 percent, to 3,665.92, with a turnover of 2.123 billion. Japan's Nikkei 225 (^N225) was the standout performer, soaring 897.69 points, or 2.15 percent, to 42,718.17. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 (^AXJO) advanced 36.00 points, or 0.41 percent, to 8,880.80, while the All Ordinaries (^AORD) rose 32.70 points, or 0.36 percent, to 9,150.30. India's S&P BSE SENSEX (^BSESN) dropped 368.48 points, or 0.46 percent, to 80,235.59, while Indonesia's IDX Composite (^JKSE) surged 185.77 points, or 2.44 percent, to 7,791.70. Malaysia's KLSE (^KLSE) added 4.66 points, or 0.30 percent, closing at 1,567.90. New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 (^NZ50) was among the day's biggest decliners, shedding 152.18 points, or 1.18 percent, to 12,759.68. South Korea's KOSPI (^KS11) also retreated, losing 16.86 points, or 0.53 percent, to 3,189.91. Taiwan's TWSE (^TWII) rose 22.86 points, or 0.09 percent, to 24,158.36, while Israel's TA-125 (^ tumbled 52.65 points, or 1.76 percent, to 2,941.06. Other Key Markets