Quebec’s premier met on Monday in Washington D.C. with Jamieson Greer, the highest commerce negotiator for President Donald Trump, because the U.S. turns into extra aggressive in its calls for towards Canada forward of negotiations on the continental free-trade deal.
Greer, a former U.S. air pressure lawyer who was chief of employees to Trump’s first-term commerce consultant, Robert Lighthizer, has promised to pursue the president’s hardline commerce insurance policies.
Premier Christine Fréchette’s workplace didn’t launch particulars of her assembly with Greer, however the premier advised Radio-Canada their discussions had been cordial however didn’t result in any main breakthroughs.
Fréchette travelled to Washington for her first official international journey since she was sworn in as premier earlier this month. She held a roundtable dialogue Monday morning with representatives of enterprise associations together with the Nationwide Lumber and Constructing Materials Sellers Affiliation and Basic Motors. And he or she was additionally scheduled to fulfill with congressional representatives.
The US is Quebec’s principal buying and selling associate, however since March 2025 U.S. tariffs have hit a number of of the province’s industrial sectors onerous. Quebec’s aluminum and metal have been slapped with 50 per cent tariffs.
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Her assembly with Greer comes forward of negotiations between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico on the continental free-trade pact, scheduled to start July 1. And it comes because the U.S. is attempting to coax Canada’s aluminum and metal sectors to broaden within the U.S. to be able to get pleasure from tariff aid, in keeping with an April 23 federal register discover by the U.S. Division of Commerce.
As properly, a information report stated the Individuals are demanding concessions from Canada as a precondition for beginning negotiations on the Canada-United States-Mexico Settlement on commerce, higher often known as CUSMA.
At a congressional committee listening to final week, Greer stated it was an issue that Canada was trying to diversify its buying and selling companions, notably with Europe.
“They’re doubling down on globalization after we’re attempting to right for the issues of globalization. So, these are two fashions that don’t match collectively very properly,” he stated.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed April 27, 2026.
— With recordsdata from The Related Press
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