PQ and Bloc discuss strategy to improve U.S. relations

Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon answers questions from reporters as Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet looks on, following a meeting at the premier’s office in Quebec City on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet met Tuesday afternoon in Quebec City to discuss, among other things, a strategy to improve trade relations with the United States—an initiative that does not seem to please Mark Carney.

Following a meeting that lasted about an hour, the Quebec premier explained that one of the meeting’s goals was to “develop a joint strategy” to “gradually de-escalate tariffs” because the results of the U.S. midterm elections show that Americans “want to get rid of” tariffs.

To ease tensions and improve trade relations with the United States, the premier sent letters to about 60 newly elected state officials from states with which Quebec trades, as the Journal de Québec first reported Tuesday morning.

The initiative does not appear to have been well received by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who stated that “in a negotiation, it’s always a good idea to have a single negotiator.”

While visiting Montreal, the Canadian prime minister added that negotiations on trade relations with the United States are “within the federal government’s jurisdiction.”

But, according to St-Pierre Plamondon, “Mr. Carney would prefer that we not put on our skates and never step onto the ice because he wants the rink all to himself.”

The PQ premier argued that in Quebec, “we’ve always taken our place, and what I’m doing with these letters is what other governments have done.”

He added that this initiative was undertaken “in the interest of Quebecers.”

“Expect to see, over the coming months, a Quebec that takes its place in the world,” and “that’s why we’re coordinating” with the Bloc Québécois.

“It’s urgent, from an economic standpoint, to explore options to protect our businesses,” added St-Pierre Plamondon.

Immigration thresholds are too high, according to PSPP

The two premiers are set to meet for the first time at the Francophonie Summit in Cambodia in the coming days. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon had expressed his desire to meet with his counterpart in Quebec City before the summit in Phnom Penh. But it appears that Mark Carney’s schedule did not allow for such a meeting.

During this meeting in Asia, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon intends, in particular, to discuss two issues with Mark Carney: homelessness and immigration—topics on which there already appear to be disagreements, as evidenced by comments made Tuesday on social media by the new Minister of Immigration, Catherine Gentilcore.

“We have reviewed the immigration plan contained in the 2026 federal budget,” and “we must be honest with the public: this is the largest immigration intake in Canada’s history, by far.”

In addition to “the threshold of 370,000 temporary residents, 662,000 permanent residents will be added, including 200,000 through an expedited pathway and 82,000 remaining from last year,” wrote the minister, who described these new immigration thresholds as “unsustainable.”

“You want to help us with homelessness, and we’re ready to work with you. But at the same time, you want to impose quotas that exceed our capacity to build,” argued Premier St-Pierre Plamondon.

Setting immigration quotas that are too high will have negative repercussions on public services and access to housing, the Quebec premier warned.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 10, 2026.