Michel R. Rhéaume, President of RHEM Technologies Inc., is a physicist who specializes in radiation safety and nuclear safety. During his 32-year career at Hydro-Québec, he held many positions that led to his appointment at the Production Division, where he oversaw environmental and regulatory activities for the nuclear and thermal generating stations.

For over 25 years, he was involved in communications by serving as the company's spokesperson for all matters related to nuclear energy.

As the executive in charge of regulatory affairs, he served as panel chair for many projects subject to public hearings in Quebec (BAPE) and at the federal level for license renewals before the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).

He also represented Hydro-Québec in front of the BAPE commission on water management in Quebec. In this matter, he was responsible for all public consultations regarding the refurbishment of the nuclear generating station and the management of spent fuel. Again, he had to execute the public consultation program for these projects with different stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations and the general public.

He also represented Canada on a number of occasions as a delegate member and/or head delegate before the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

As a consultant representing RHEM Technologies Inc., and as Director of the Nuclear Engineering Division of Genivar (now the WSP Group), he spearheaded many nuclear projects and served as an expert in radiation safety and regulatory affairs for uranium mine exploration projects. In this role, he developed a strategic public information program for the Conférence régionale des élus de la Baie James (CRÉBJ), which he implemented in collaboration with Dr. Michel Plante, a physician who specializes in environmental health. As experts, they worked with the mayors of Chibougamau and Chapais during the consultation processes of Quebec's Provincial Review Panel (COMEX) and the Federal Review Panel (COFEX).

Well known in the world of communications, Claude Bédard has been lending his skills to companies and organizations with specific communications needs, particularly in the areas of crisis management, media training and communications consulting. He is seconded by a team whose members are highly qualified in one of Exelmans Productions’ specific areas of expertise.

Before founding Exelmans in 1998, Claude Bédard was the General Manager of Communications for Radio-Canada. During his 11 years with this public broadcaster, he oversaw advertising, public relations and strategic planning and served as the general manager of programming and broadcasting.

His duties required him to travel to different audiovisual markets in the world. For example, he helped create the committee of programming directors of the Communauté des télévisions francophones (CTF) and led workshops for the International Public Television Screening Conference (INPUT) in Italy and France.

He also served as Director of Communications at Télé-Québec and for the Quebec government's ministries of cultural affairs and education. As a professional consultant, he helped develop the US market for TV5, created the first programming schedule for the cultural channel ARTV, and chaired the Télé-Québec Review Working Group in 2005. In 2002-2003, he was responsible for all major government advertising campaigns for the Conseil exécutif du Québec.

With a degree in journalism and information studies from Université Laval, he started his career in journalism and also taught for a number of years at the University of Dakar in Senegal. His international career then continued in Paris, where he worked as a communications advisor for the Délégation générale du Québec.

Another key position that he held in communications and marketing was as Vice-President of Marketing and Communications for the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

Marc Sévigny has a 25-year career in communications and public relations. He gained the majority of his experience with the firm NATIONAL Public Relations, where he was a consultant, strategist, partner and team lead.

A specialist in corporate communications, he has developed solid experience over the years in issues and crisis management for such clients as Walmart, National Bank, VIA Rail, Enbridge, Aéroports de Montréal, the Autorité des marchés financiers and many more.

He has also worked on major public issues at the federal level on competition in telecommunications and at the provincial level on amendments to the hours of admission to commercial establishments. More recently, he has been involved with legislation and regulations in the mining sector. He has advised pulp and paper companies as well as mining companies such as ArcelorMittal, Xstrata and BHP Billiton and Minalliance, the Quebec mining industry's promotional arm.

In the area of sustainable development and social responsibility, he helped create the first social and environmental reports of Avenor, QIT Fer et Titane, Loto-Québec and Standard Life. With the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, of which he was a member for five years, he chaired the sustainable development committee whose dozen corporate members included Hydro-Québec, Alcoa and RONA.

With Exelmans Productions, he recently acted as a strategic consultant for the Université du Québec, the École nationale d'administration publique, the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, and La Maison Jean Lapointe.

As a manager, he has led teams of professionals in various communications disciplines, particularly as Managing Partner of NATIONAL's Montréal office and as General Manager of Communications at Radio-Canada from 1999 to 2002.

He has a degree in journalism and information studies from Université Laval and in French literature from Université de Montréal, where he is also a part-time lecturer in the Faculty of Continuing Education. He has been an accredited public relations professional (APR) with the Canadian Public Relations Society since 1996.

Michel Plante is a physician who graduated from Université de Montréal and who has extensive experience in the management and evaluation of health risks for major industrial projects. As a medical advisor with Hydro-Québec for over 30 years, he is responsible for protecting public health.

He has been involved in many hearings with the Bureau d’audience publique sur l’environnement (BAPE), Quebec's Provincial Review Panel (COMEX) and the Federal Review Panel (COFEX) as an expert in the health risks of various industrial activities and projects. Some of these projects included the refurbishment of the Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station, a number of power line projects, several large-scale hydro-electric development projects, a gas turbine plant, and a program for the aerial application of herbicides. His expertise was also required for a uranium mine project and a project to expand a technical landfill site.

He is the medical expert for Hydro-Québec's research program on the health effects of electric and magnetic fields. He was responsible for planning many epidemiological studies and experimental toxicology studies.

He has also worked with many organizations such as Bell, TELUS, Videotron and Rogers (cellular telephony); Alcan (magnetic fields and radiofrequencies); Genivar (technical landfill site and uranium mine); the Conférence régionale des élus de la Baie James and Strateco (uranium mine); and the Ville de Sherbrooke (smart meters).

He was the manager for the health program at the Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station and a medical advisor for the Atomic Energy Control Board (now the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission).

He has been called to testify as an expert witness in front of various administrative tribunals and in front of the Régie de l’énergie du Québec.


He has been teaching about the health effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation at the Université de Montréal for over 15 years.