Stéphane Reynolds from Cain Lamarre, the man who boasted of being called the “toilet boss”, now boasts of becoming the “financing boss” of the newspaper La Tribune/Coops de l'information
"I had the bad reputation of being what was affectionately called a 'toilet boss'."
Stéphane Reynolds,
in 2008 for the UdeS Journal
On July 9th, 2026, La Tribune announced that lawyer Stéphane Reynolds of the law firm Cain Lamarre had become the chairman of the board of directors of the Fondation des Coops de l'information, of which La Tribune is a member, which raises money to pay their journalists to write articles and to cover other expenses of this network of provincial newspapers in Quebec (Canada).
The title of the article translates by : “Stéphane Reynolds : putting his expertise at the service of the community”.
Source : https://www.latribune.ca/actualites/actualites-locales/sherbrooke/2026/07/09/stephane-reynolds-mettre-son-expertise-au-service-de-la-collectivite-ESQ4O2TCXNFRZCFWMX26ED5YUU/
Regional journalism under financial dependency
A practising business lawyer heading a media funding organisation?
The primary mission of the press is to seek the truth and inform the public in a neutral and unbiased manner. But how can this be guaranteed when the person who controls the purse strings of journalists makes a living by defending private interests?
On July 14th, 2026, the deputy director of the LEAGUE OF ACADEMIC RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, the jurist Alexandra Captariu, emphasised, in a striking comment on the professional social network LinkedIn, that Stéphane Reynolds’ appointment at the head of the financing of La Tribune and other provincial newspapers under the Coop de l’information umbrella was, contrary to what Stéphane Reynolds claimed, a move driven by self-interest :
Post translated from French via LinkedIn’s translation service.
Louis Marquis - Chapter 1 : https://www.claudiu-popa.com/about-the-university-environment/appointment-louis-marquis-judge-superior-court-of-quebec
Louis Marquis - Chapter 2 : https://www.claudiu-popa.com/about-the-university-environment/on-the-appointment-of-louis-marquis-as-a-judge-to-the-superior-court-of-quebec-2
A transactional business model disguised as a community service
I fully agree with this observation. Knowing the mindset and modus operandi of several Cain Lamarre lawyers against whom I have argued in court more than once during my legal career as a lawyer, knowing Stéphane Reynolds and his business model - a model he barely conceals but that he does not completely hide in the interview he gave to the newspaper he finances (that is, soliciting clients and offering them the possibility, should the need arise, to leverage his media contacts to make them “look good” in the newspapers) - it seems clear to me that “his motivations” behind his “involvement” in the media are not related to putting himself “at the service of the community”, but rather to putting the media, where he is involved or where he has connections, at the service of his interests and the interests of his clients:
“Local media highlight the businesses, organisations, elected officials and citizens who shape our community” [and who are Stéphane Reynolds’ clients - he teaches us to read between the lines],
stated Stéphane Reynolds, lawyer and
lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Sherbrooke
In other words, shadowy interests, rebranded as "community involvement" and "service to the community".
Dusting off the old slogan of selfless philanthropy is no longer convincing. "The Godfather", too, was a generous philanthropist toward "his community".
I therefore strongly doubt Stéphane Reynolds' stated motivations regarding his "involvement" in the Quebec’s mainstream media, which is supposedly devoid of personal interest, concurrently with his need and that of his friends to keep the story about hiring practices at the University of Sherbrooke’s Faculty of Law out of the news (for more details on this subject, read here : https://www.claudiu-popa.com/about-the-university-environment).
Reynolds' colleague, Gina Doucet, essentially admitted that this business law firm's close ties with the media are a business strategy, and she even explained "how it works" : "If you need favorable media coverage (or if you need the media not to talk about you), come see us, we have contacts in the media and we can arrange that for you." To use her own words :
“Over the years, we have forged an impressive network of contacts we can tap into to serve our clientele. Our legal professionals cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with municipal, provincial and federal politicians and elected officials, lawyers from other national and international firms,
members of the media across Québec and around the world,
and leading economic stakeholders.”
“Used wisely, this web of contacts can be helpful in finding legal solutions. It also enhances efficiency and serves as a powerful economic lever for many of our clients.” “The network is further strengthened by the active role our lawyers play in the social and economic life of the communities where the firm has roots and continues to develop today.”
- Gina Doucet, Lawyer and Executive Director of Professional Practice, Cain Lamarre, 2023-2024 [13]
