Quebec premier calls first meeting with Carney constructive, says U.S. outreach will continue
Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has described his first meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney as constructive, even as he said Quebec will keep its own outreach to the United States. The two men met for 45 minutes on Sunday in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the sidelines of the Sommet de la Francophonie, a summit of French-speaking countries and governments. The Globe and Mail reported the meeting.
The two leaders agreed to improve communication, both between their staffs and directly with each other. They also exchanged phone numbers.
On the United States, St-Pierre Plamondon said Quebec will continue its own diplomatic and trade outreach there. After the midterm elections, he sent letters to nearly 60 elected officials in the U.S.
Carney responded that Ottawa is in charge of trade talks. He said, "In a negotiation, it's always a good idea to have a single negotiator."
St-Pierre Plamondon also spoke about the Francophonie meetings. He said he was "treated and considered a head of state" there.
Quebec's premier heads the provincial government, and the province has its own role in some matters that touch on trade and international affairs. Those roles are a recurring point of debate between Quebec City and Ottawa. St-Pierre Plamondon's Parti Québécois has long supported Quebec independence, and he campaigned on a promise to hold a third referendum on sovereignty, meaning a vote on whether Quebec should become a separate country, as early as 2029.
