Ottawa ignored Quebec’s demands by imposing “dollar-for-dollar” counter-tariffs on the United States, Parti Québécois (PQ) Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said Tuesday. “Quebec’s position was not heard,” he insisted during a press briefing in Quebec City devoted almost entirely to the trade war. According to him, the “dollar-for-dollar” counter-tariffs are a “disguised tax on Quebecers.” Quebec businesses will be affected and the cost of living will rise, he predicted. Quebec had called for targeted retaliatory measures, but Tuesday, St-Pierre Plamondon insisted that Premier Christine Fréchette “did not stand her ground.” He said he now fears an “inflationary” surge and a “severe recession.” A PQ government, he said, would have had a better “balance of power” with Ottawa. If it comes to power on Oct. 5, the PQ said it is promising to offer “one-time, targeted” aid programs to businesses in Quebec’s hardest-hit sectors. It also pledged to support businesses by allowing a tax exemption for revenue from new export markets. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 8, 2026.
