Premier Christine Fréchette says she needs more information before taking a position on the agreement Canada is negotiating with the United States, which aims to prevent the imposition of new 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian products.
She made these remarks Wednesday evening following a virtual meeting with her provincial counterparts, during which Prime Minister Mark Carney presented details of an agreement reportedly nearing finalization.
The premier remained vague about what was discussed during the meeting. She simply repeated to reporters that she remained “neutral” regarding this provisional agreement, since she does not yet have access to the “full picture.”
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“I haven’t received answers to my questions,” she said, thereby reiterating the “red lines” that Ottawa will not cross. These include supply management as well as the protection of Quebec culture and the French language.
“Will the information [Mr. Carney] gives me tomorrow—or perhaps the day after tomorrow—reassure me? That remains to be seen,” the premier added.
During the meeting, Carney reportedly asked the provinces to put American alcohol back on their shelves, according to the premiers of Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan. But Fréchette refused to make that commitment until she had a better understanding of the terms of the agreement.
“It is Quebec—and Quebec alone—that decides these matters. Once I have more information, I’ll be able to make a decision. For now, I don’t have enough information,” she said.
Negotiations are continuing, Fréchette assured. “There are things that can change,” she said, adding that “things are moving forward.”
“We’re already in a better position than we were a few days ago,” she emphasized.
A press release from the Prime Minister’s Office states that Carney “emphasized the importance of a strong Team Canada approach” during his meeting with the regional chairs.
“He reiterated that the government’s goal is to secure the best possible deal for Canadians—one that provides Canadian businesses with the best possible access to the U.S. market,” the press release states.
Earlier on Wednesday, the premier had outlined her expectations regarding the negotiations with the United States.
“We expect a reduction in the tariffs that are already in place. We absolutely want to avoid the imposition of new tariffs, and we also want a revision of the agreement that governs all of our trade with the United States,” said Fréchette.
“It’s concerning what’s at risk, what’s on the line, because it could lead to very significant economic changes,” she argued.
Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard assured that assistance programs for businesses were ready if needed.
“We are always ready to help our businesses. We wouldn’t be doing our job, we wouldn’t be fulfilling our responsibilities, if we weren’t prepared to help in the event of difficult scenarios,” he stated.
The Minister of International Relations, Christopher Skeete, for his part, struck a cautious tone.
“There are proposals that are put on the table at any moment and taken off at any moment, so we don’t know where the federal government will ultimately end up,” he said.
On Tuesday evening, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Canada would be postponed for three days.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump referred to the Keystone XL pipeline while discussing a potential agreement between the United States and Canada.
The White House’s official proclamation regarding the suspension of tariffs states that “Canada has committed” to eliminating “discriminatory measures” that, according to the United States, did not apply to other countries.
Among the “discriminatory measures” listed in the proclamation are provincial bans on the sale of U.S. alcoholic beverages. The document also cites the retaliatory quota imposed by Canada on duty-free imports of U.S. vehicles and the supply management system in the dairy sector.
On social media platform X on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that the two countries were moving toward an agreement.
In Washington, the Canadian minister responsible for trade with the United States, Dominic LeBlanc, stated that the “supply management system remains fully intact.”
Today, I met virtually with Canada’s premiers to discuss the ongoing trade negotiations with the United States. Canada’s government is focused on securing the best deal for Canadian workers and businesses. More here: https://t.co/v1XzGVwbRO
Liberal Leader Charles Milliard said he was “very pleased” with LeBlanc’s remarks. “This is a very important point, one that should transcend all political parties in Quebec. I think this is good news,” he said during a press conference in Montreal.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
