“The idea is to have antennas, to foresee what’s coming down the pipe … and be able to intervene and lobby,” says Martine Biron, Quebec’s minister of international relations.
“We have deployed our network, solidified it,” Biron told reporters Wednesday as she arrived for question period. “We have added staff to our offices in Washington, which is the heart of the political action.
“The idea is to have antennas, to foresee what’s coming down the pipe, to be ready for any new regulations and legislation and be able to intervene and lobby. The idea is to be ready.”
Quebec has delegations working in eight U.S. cities: Washington, New York, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Houston. An office was opened this year in Miami, but has not been inaugurated yet. One in Seattle is in the works, officials confirmed.
The Quebec staff in Washington, the political nerve centre of the United States, was increased this year from three to seven people. Overall, Quebec has 96 workers deployed south of the border, which represents a 22 per cent increase from the past.
Their mission is what the government calls “economic and public diplomacy.” The operation has a budget of $23 million.
The Coalition Avenir Québec government also recently formed an ad-hoc crisis cell to prepare for the post-election period. The participants include members of the premier’s staff, Biron, Economy, Innovation and Energy Minister Christine Fréchette, and the minister of state for the economy, Christopher Skeete, who is responsible for international trade accords.
The interest in the issue starts at the top with Legault, who announced Tuesday he has plans to travel to Washington in early 2025 to ensure Quebec’s voice is heard by state governors, mayors and the presidents of companies Quebec does business with.
“It’s disturbing for the whole Canadian economy,” Legault told reporters, in reference to possible new protectionist policies that both the Republicans and Democrats are pitching.
“It’s fundamental for Canada, for Quebec,” he said. “It is the only country with which we have a trade surplus, so it could be very damaging for all the Canadian economy.”
“So, it’s scary for all the Canadian economy,” he said. “We have to explain to them the importance of relations between companies in Canada, Quebec and the United States.”
Legault said he is not taking sides in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.
“There’s a lot of protectionism from both candidates,” he said about Donald Trump for the Republicans and Kamala Harris for the Democrats. “I would not like the Americans to meddle in our elections, so I will not meddle in the American elections.”
Biron outlined some of what’s at stake when she met the media Wednesday. Roughly 70 per cent of Quebec’s exports go to the United States, she said.
While Quebec’s total international trade represents $250 billion a year, half of that trade is with the Americans.
“I’m not scared,” Biron said, but added: “Whether it’s the Democrats or Republicans, what we are seeing is a protectionist trend.”
Biron said other events are shifting the world’s geopolitics as well, including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Ironically, some of the turmoil creates openings for Quebec businesses.
“It’s changing the way we trade, and big companies are trying to diversify their supply chains as a result,” Biron said. “This represents opportunities for Quebec.”
Legault said he will be personally involved in the move to counter protectionism, with plans to engage the federal government, Ontario and other provinces.