The leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ), Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, is accusing Premier Christine Fréchette of failing to adequately defend Quebec’s interests in the trade negotiations between Canada and the United States. The day before, Fréchette explained that she had not received answers “to her questions” following a virtual meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his provincial counterparts. Fréchette noted that she needed more information before giving her opinion on the provisional agreement between Ottawa and Washington. St-Pierre Plamondon argued, during a press conference in Montreal, that this shows the premier was not active enough in the negotiations. At the same time, the PQ leader confirmed the candidacy of attorney Marie-Claude Sarrazin, the prosecutor for the Gallant Commission, which investigated setbacks in the SAAQclic project. St-Pierre Plamondon presented her candidacy as an asset for preventing future government projects from going off the rails. Sarrazin is set to face off against Finance Minister Eric Girard in the Groulx riding on Montreal’s North Shore. Sarrazin is entering politics at the same time as her business partner, attorney Nicolas Plourde, who is running for the Liberals in Anjou-Louis-Riel. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 20, 2026.
