(Quebec) Prime Minister François Legault “did not have a clear response” from Justin Trudeau on his request to table a “detailed plan to better secure the borders” in order to avoid 25% customs tariffs from the American president-designate Donald Trump on Canadian products.
Posted at 7:25 p.m.
This is what he said after a virtual meeting with Mr. Trudeau and the premiers of the provinces and territories on Wednesday evening.
“I clearly asked Mr. Trudeau to table a detailed plan to better secure the borders, to avoid Mr. Trump’s 25% tariff. I didn’t have a clear answer, but we hope. Because there was support from other prime ministers as well,” he said.
He suggested that Ottawa is questioning Mr. Trump’s criticism of the border. “I think this is not the time to play: is it true or not that our borders are not secure? I think it’s important that we table a plan,” he added.
On Tuesday, Mr. Legault affirmed that the fears expressed by Donald Trump on border control are “legitimate”.
“In recent years, there has been an increase in illegal immigrants crossing the border in the Canada direction. [vers les] United States then there is a problem, among other things, with the circulation of certain drugs,” he mentioned, among several issues on which Ottawa can act.
In the morning on Wednesday, Mr. Legault invited Mr. Trudeau not to “deny the problem”.
“We must reassure Mr. Trump, we must do more on the borders. Mr. Trudeau must not try to deny the problem,” he said.
He also asks the federal government that Quebec can have its own representative at the negotiating table with the American authorities.
With Fanny Lévesque, The Press
Canada
