“I think we’re in a better position to possibly find a solution because Americans have spoken, the situation has changed,” Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon told reporters.
He announced his government will launch a “diplomatic offensive” south of the border following the U.S. midterm elections, National Newswatch reported.
The premier made the announcement during a press conference in Montreal on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. “So what we’re going to do is prepare a diplomatic offensive of discussion with the Americans to see if there isn’t a solution,” he told reporters in Quebec City.
The trade war with Canada became a ballot box issue in close contests in Maine and Michigan, where Democrats defeated Republican rivals. Quebec is among the provinces most affected by U.S. tariffs targeting softwood lumber, aluminum and manufactured goods.
Premier Opens Discussion Channels Before Direct Talks
St-Pierre Plamondon said Quebec would not carry out trade negotiations directly with Americans—at least for now. “I think that before positioning ourselves on that, we’ll open up the channels of discussion,” he said.
St-Pierre Plamondon Demands Quebec City Meeting with Carney
The premier accepted an invitation to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney but insisted the meeting take place in Quebec City. “We’ll take the first date in Quebec,” he said. He noted he might speak with Carney at the upcoming Francophonie summit in Cambodia later this month.
The premier was asked about a meeting with Carney amid recent tension between the two leaders. He doubled down on Wednesday on insisting the meeting take place in Quebec City. Both Carney and St-Pierre Plamondon are attending the Francophonie summit.
The premier skipped the Canada-European Union Summit in Montreal last week after Ottawa refused to grant him official speaking rights.
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