Ian Edwards, president and CEO of SNC-Lavalin, has postponed his scheduled speech next Monday to the business community, to rephrase it in French.

“I want to take the time to better prepare my presentation and make sure it contains more French, the official language of Quebec, to better meet the expectations of all of our interlocutors,” he wrote in a letter published late Thursday afternoon. .

He said recent events surrounding the place of French in Canadian and Quebec business have prompted him to postpone his speech and “postpone my commitment for next year.”

“I fully understand the reality of Quebec and the importance of providing a respectful workplace for all to our employees, customers and partners,” the businessman added.

Mr. Edward has lived in Quebec since 2014. However, the results of his French lessons are mixed, he says.

Latravers-Dumont meeting with Emmanuel Latravers, Mario Dumont and Vincent Desroyault

“Recently, during our board meeting at the end of October, I had already made a commitment to make the necessary efforts to pursue language training to the best of my abilities,” the SNC President wrote. Lavalin in his letter.

“Beyond language, respect for cultural heritage and recognition of its importance remains a priority for all of us. In addition, rest assured that within the company, the Francophonie continues to work hard by ensuring the continuous improvement of our ways of doing things regarding the place and use of the French language.”