Michel Clair, Groupe Santé Sedna, and Claude Castonguay, CIRANO
Monday October 21, 2013 - Montreal Roundtable Event - Is Quebec’s White Paper the Answer?
Michel Clair became President of Sedna Health Group Inc. in October 2001. Owned by French investors, Sedna specializes in the provision of healthcare services through its subsidiaries, mainly in partnership with the Quebec healthcare system. Mr. Clair also chairs the Boards of Directors of the company’s subsidiaries: Groupe Champlain Inc., Villa Medica Inc. and Accès Services Santé GSS Inc., as well as the Groupe Santé Valeo Inc. for intermediate resources. He is also sits on the Board of Directors of Xplornet Communications Inc. and TechnoParc de Montréal.
Mr. Clair is involved in his community on many different levels. He is Chairman of the Board for the Association des ressources intermédiaires d’hébergement du Québec, administrator of the INNOVAge project, a regular collaborator to the Collège des administrateurs de société, a leader in administrator training programs, a scout ambassador, and a valuable member of various advisory committees.
In 2000 and 2001, Mr. Clair chaired the Commission d’étude sur les services de santé et les services sociaux. The recommendations made by this commission of study in health and social services in Quebec are still to this day a source of reference for several public and private decision-makers and experts. Additionally, Mr. Clair regularly takes part in think-tanks concerning the improvement of the Quebec healthcare system.
Prior to working at Sedna, Mr. Clair was Vice-President at Hydro-Québec. There, he was able to breathe new life into this James Bay energy company where he chaired the Board for seven years. He oversaw the development of an international portfolio for energy in Latin America and Asia. He also reviewed the work methodologies of the Senior Management team of Hydro-Québec Equipment.
Over the years, Mr. Clair has worked in various public administration sectors. As Deputy Minister, he managed Quebec’s ministry of natural resources for three years, between 1994 and 1997, and managed the development of several policies and agreements in the fields of forestry, energy, mining and land management.
For seven years, from 1987 to 1994, he was the General Manager for the Association des centres d’accueil du Québec, a major business association devoted to health and social services, and has taken part in several committees specialized in this field.
From 1976 to 1985, Mr. Clair was a member of the National Assembly of Quebec. He held various ministerial duties in such portfolios as Revenue, Transportation, Treasury and Energy and Natural Resources.
Michel Clair is a lawyer and member of the Quebec Bar and is a certified business administrator by the Administrateur de sociétés certifié (ASC). At the start of his career, he practiced law in Drummondville from 1973 to 1976 where he managed the local legal aid office.
Mr. Clair is a native of St-Germain de Grantham, near Drummondville, and is a father of two children, Marie-Michèle and François.
Claude Castonguay
Born in Quebec, May 8, 1929, son of Emile Castonguay, director, and Jeanne Gauvin.
Fit his studies at the academy of Quebec (1944-1948), at the Faculty of Sciences at Laval University (1948-1950) and at the Faculty of Actuarial Science at the University of Manitoba (1950-1951).
Lecturer (1951-54) and associate professor (1954-1957) in the Department of Actuarial Science at the Faculty of Science at the University of Laval. Actuary associated with the Industrial Insurance Company on life during the same years.
Actuary with insurance companies from 1951 to 1962, co-founder and partner of Castonguay, Lemay & Associates inc. (Sobeco today) from 1962 to 1970 and from 1973 to 1977. Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the Society of Actuaries in 1958. Chairman of the Royal Commission on Health and Welfare from 1966 to 1970. President of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries in 1978. Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
Elected member of the Liberal Party in the riding of Louis-Hébert in 1970. Minister for Health and Minister for Family and Welfare in the cabinet Bourassa of 12 May 1970 to 22 December 1970. Minister of Social Affairs in the same cabinet on December 22, 1970 to Nov. 13, 1973. Did not represented in 1973. Senator in the division of Stadacona of September 23, 1990 to December 9, 1992, the date of his resignation. Supports the Progressive Conservative Party.
Member of the board for the joint review of the social security system at the Ministry of Health and Welfare from 1973 to 1975; Chairman of the Working Group on the urbanization of the Quebec government from 1974 to 1976; Member the Commission's anti-inflation in Quebec and Ottawa in 1975 and 1976; board member of the Canadian industry for a renewal from 1981 to 1986; member of comité-aviseur on privatization with the government of Quebec 1986; chairman of the Committee of Experts on pharmacare in 1995-1996. Since May 24, 2007, he presided over the establishment of a working group on the financing of the health system in Quebec.
Member of board of directors of the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (1973-1978); Chairman of the Imperial Life Assurance Company (1977-1982); A member of the Trilateral Commission (1978-1984 ) Vice Chairman and Chairman of Crédit Foncier (1979-1986); chairman of the board of the Hospital de l'Université Laval (1979-1981); board member of the Institute for Policy Research public (1980-1985); Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation the Laurentian Group (1981-1990); chairman of Laurentian Capital Corporation (1985-1995) and chairman of the Laurentian Bank of Canada (1987-1994).
President of the Foundation Wilbrod-Bhérer CHUL (1979-1986); Member (1984-1989) and Chairman (1989-1990) of the board of the Conference Board of Canada. A member of several boards of directors: the Canadian Association for Mental Health, the Canadian Institute of Child Health, the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, the Office franco for Youth, the Canadian Association for the Club Rome and the Canadian Institute of International Affairs.
Chancellor of the University of Montreal 1986 to 1990. Received a doctorate in civil law honoris causa to Bishop University in 1972 and a Doctor of Laws honoris causa McGill (1974), Toronto (1975) Manitoba (1980), Laurentian (1987), Concordia (1989) Western Ontario (1990) and York (2000). He also received an honorary doctorate in science administration from Laval University in 1988 and the Military College of St. John in 1990.
Companion of the Order of Canada in 1974 and an Officer of the National Order of Quebec in 1991. "Glory of Escholle" of the Alumni Association of Laval University (1983). Receives George-Findley price of the Hospital Association of Canada (1984), the price of Merit of B'Nai Brith Canada (1988), Albert Medal of the Faculty of Law, University of Sherbrooke (2003). Is also a member of the Academy of Great Montrealers since 1990 and the Academy of Great Quebecois since 2000.
Consultant in the field of health services and professional affairs. Board member of the Raoul - Dandurand in Strategic and Diplomatic Studies since 1997, board member of ISACSOFT Inc.. Since 1998, and chairman of the board Andromed Inc.. Since 2002.
Books, inter alia, the future of self-occupation (1976) and Memoirs of a quiet revolution (2005).
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