(Laval) There is an opportunity to be seized with the arrival of Donald Trump at the White House, according to Yves-François Blanchet. The leader of the Bloc Québécois believes that the sooner negotiations between Canada and the United States begin, the better.
Posted at 12:58 p.m.
“We must define the economic relationship and the security relationship, both in terms of drug circulation and in terms of immigration at the borders, in a sustainable way and that can be an opportunity,” he declared on Wednesday. It can be an opportunity to create clarity, to create predictability. »
The Bloc leader was acclaimed by the deputies of his caucus gathered in Laval, where the party hopes to make gains during the next electoral campaign.
“The most important request that I am making is that the economic weight of Quebec be respected in any type of institution or forum that will be put in place for this negotiation,” he added.
He had told The Canadian Press the day before that the appointment of the former Prime Minister of Quebec, Jean Charest, to the advisory committee on Canadian-American relations created by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was insufficient.
PHOTO CHRISTINNE MUSCHI, THE CANADIAN PRESS
The Bloc Québécois caucus meets in Laval.
He also described as “far-fetched” the idea put forward by Mr. Trudeau and his provincial counterparts last week to cut exports of electricity, oil and natural gas to the United States. Only Alberta Premier Danielle Smith openly opposes it. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has so far avoided taking a position.
New US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian imports. He indicated during his inauguration day on Monday that they could be imposed from 1is FEBRUARY. This threat could lead to the hasty renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
-“Let’s hope that this is the last free trade negotiation where Canada will speak for Quebec,” said Mr. Blanchet, dreaming of sovereignty.
The Bloc Québécois has been in pre-election mode since Mr. Trudeau’s resignation on January 6. The three opposition parties have all publicly announced their intention to bring down the government as soon as the prorogation of Parliament ends on March 24. Elections could also be called beforehand by the next leader of the Liberal Party of Canada whose name will be known two weeks earlier.
The Liberals, whoever they choose as leader, have chosen to be the voice of Toronto’s banks.
Yves-François Blanchet
He also attacked the Conservatives who “have already chosen to be the voice of Western oil” and who “like the Liberals, finance the actions up to the Supreme Court against Quebec with the money of Quebecers “.
The Supreme Court will announce Thursday whether it will hear the challenge to the Law on State Secularism.
Mr. Blanchet thus maintained that his political party is the one that truly defends the interests of Quebec and that it will be the voice “of Quebec wood, of Quebec aluminum, of Quebec artificial intelligence, of Quebec minerals, of this which makes our economy what it is and that we remain a key player on the continent” during the next electoral campaign.
With The Canadian Press
