What to expect from Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette’s mission to France?

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette makes a funding at the Rosemont-Maisonneuve Hospital in Montreal on Thursday, April 23, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press)

Premier Christine Fréchette is making her second foreign mission to France.

What should we expect from this kind of trip?

According to Canada’s former ambassador to France, Stéphane Dion, she must be able to make concrete announcements that will benefit Quebec.

“So it’s important that she be well prepared, that there be good announcements. What we call in the jargon ‘deliverables’ on the economic front,” he explained in an interview with The Canadian Press.

The former federal minister points out that this type of trip always has a political aspect, “especially on the eve of an election.”

The next Quebec election will take place in October.

‘We’ve worked very hard’

After Washington, Fréchette will fly to Paris from May 16 to 20. Even though she has just been elected premier, Dion believes she may still be able to follow through on announcements prepared well before her arrival.

“All of this has been well-prepared in recent years, both by the Quebec delegation and the Canadian Embassy. We’ve significantly expanded opportunities to secure contracts and investments. We’ve worked very hard,” he said.

“She won’t be starting from scratch. All the efforts that have been underway for years and accelerated under Prime Minister Mark Carney, in my opinion, will allow the Prime Minister to demonstrate that our relationship with France is on the upswing,” added the former ambassador.

According to him, there is significant economic potential for Quebec that needs to be developed, especially in the defence sector. This is, in fact, one of the topics the premier intends to address during her trip.

With Europe planning to invest 800 billion euros to rearm, the government hopes that Quebec will come out on top and secure its share of defence contracts.

“It’s essential to have a good understanding with the French on this, because France is an arms exporter,” said Dion.

Market Diversification

Florian Mayneris, a professor at UQAM’s School of Management Sciences, points out that, although France is a “very important partner for Quebec,” we remain highly dependent on the United States economically.

In 2025, Quebec’s exports of goods to the United States reached $84.8 billion (69.8 per cent). Exports to France totalled $2.2 billion (1.8 per cent).

The premier’s mission to Paris comes just a few weeks after a trip to Washington, D.C., where she met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, an influential member of President Donald Trump’s cabinet.

It is worth noting that U.S. tariffs continue to hurt the Quebec and Canadian economies. In this context, the Quebec government aims to help businesses diversify their markets.

Mayneris points out that it is not necessarily easy for Quebec businesses that do business in the United States to pivot toward other markets, such as Europe.

“In a number of sectors, the adjustments required to reposition oneself in the European market are significant. There are still differences in consumer preferences. As a result, the design of certain products may need to be adjusted. Standards can also differ,” the professor explains in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Mayneris believes the aerospace sector holds promise.

“There is a cluster of companies we’re trying to boost here in Quebec. Aerospace is an important sector within the European Union, with Airbus, and particularly in France,” he says.

The professor emphasizes that the tourism sector must not be overlooked.

“Because of the French-speaking community, the French are a fairly natural target audience for tourism in Quebec.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 16, 2026.

What should we expect from this kind of trip?

According to Canada’s former ambassador to France, Stéphane Dion, she must be able to make concrete announcements that will benefit Quebec.

“So it’s important that she be well prepared, that there be good announcements. What we call in the jargon ‘deliverables’ on the economic front,” he explained in an interview with The Canadian Press.

The former federal minister points out that this type of trip always has a political aspect, “especially on the eve of an election.”

The next Quebec election will take place in October.

‘We’ve worked very hard’

After Washington, Fréchette will fly to Paris from May 16 to 20. Even though she has just been elected premier, Dion believes she may still be able to follow through on announcements prepared well before her arrival.

“All of this has been well-prepared in recent years, both by the Quebec delegation and the Canadian Embassy. We’ve significantly expanded opportunities to secure contracts and investments. We’ve worked very hard,” he said.

“She won’t be starting from scratch. All the efforts that have been underway for years and accelerated under Prime Minister Mark Carney, in my opinion, will allow the Prime Minister to demonstrate that our relationship with France is on the upswing,” added the former ambassador.

According to him, there is significant economic potential for Quebec that needs to be developed, especially in the defence sector. This is, in fact, one of the topics the premier intends to address during her trip.

With Europe planning to invest 800 billion euros to rearm, the government hopes that Quebec will come out on top and secure its share of defence contracts.

“It’s essential to have a good understanding with the French on this, because France is an arms exporter,” said Dion.

Market Diversification

Florian Mayneris, a professor at UQAM’s School of Management Sciences, points out that, although France is a “very important partner for Quebec,” we remain highly dependent on the United States economically.

In 2025, Quebec’s exports of goods to the United States reached $84.8 billion (69.8 per cent). Exports to France totalled $2.2 billion (1.8 per cent).

The premier’s mission to Paris comes just a few weeks after a trip to Washington, D.C., where she met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, an influential member of President Donald Trump’s cabinet.

It is worth noting that U.S. tariffs continue to hurt the Quebec and Canadian economies. In this context, the Quebec government aims to help businesses diversify their markets.

Mayneris points out that it is not necessarily easy for Quebec businesses that do business in the United States to pivot toward other markets, such as Europe.

“In a number of sectors, the adjustments required to reposition oneself in the European market are significant. There are still differences in consumer preferences. As a result, the design of certain products may need to be adjusted. Standards can also differ,” the professor explains in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Mayneris believes the aerospace sector holds promise.

“There is a cluster of companies we’re trying to boost here in Quebec. Aerospace is an important sector within the European Union, with Airbus, and particularly in France,” he says.

The professor emphasizes that the tourism sector must not be overlooked.

“Because of the French-speaking community, the French are a fairly natural target audience for tourism in Quebec.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 16, 2026.