First Phosphate Corp. announced Wednesday that former journalist and Canadian Member of Parliament Peter Kent has been appointed to lead the company as president. Kent first joined the board as a director at its annual meeting in August.
Kent brings more than four decades of experience as an international broadcast journalist, reporter, and producer at CTV, CBC, NBC, Monitor, and Global. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Thornhill, Ontario in the 2008 federal election, a position he held until he chose to leave public office in 2021.
During his time in Parliament, Kent served as Minister of State for the Americas (2008-2011), and as Minister of the Environment (2011-2013). As Environment Minister, he was committed to responsible resource development and oversaw improvements to the environmental assessment process for Canadian mining projects.
“Peter’s decades of experience and unique blend of knowledge, insight, and dedication will be integral to the Company as we continue our growth trajectory to become a leading phosphate producer with a high-purity, ESG-compliant resource,” said CEO John Passalacqua in a statement.”
“Canada has an opportunity to be a global leader in the sustainable automotive ecosystem through a consistent and secure battery grade phosphate supply source right here in Quebec,” said Kent. “I am excited to take on this new challenge and work with John and the rest of the experienced First Phosphate team to develop our Quebec deposits and advance Canada’s climate change goals, while supporting long-term growth in the Saguenay region.”
First Phosphate holds over 1,500 sq. km of total land claims in the Saguenay Region of Quebec, Canada that it is actively developing to produce battery grade phosphate.