QUEBEC \u2014 In a surprise move, Premier Christine Fr\u00e9chette met one-on-one with the U.S. trade representative responsible for the revision of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) on Monday.<\/p>\n
Her meeting with Jamieson Greer, which lasted an hour, came as a last-minute addition to Fr\u00e9chette\u2019s agenda as she kicked off a trade mission in Washington.<\/p>\n
Fr\u00e9chette revealed in a social media posting that the meeting with the influential member of the Trump administration had taken place.<\/p>\n
It is unusual for a provincial leader to meet such a high-placed official.<\/p>\n
J\u2019ai rencontr\u00e9 ce matin le repr\u00e9sentant am\u00e9ricain au Commerce, Jamieson Greer, responsable de la r\u00e9vision de l\u2019ACEUM. \u2014 Christine Fr\u00e9chette (@CFrechette) April 27, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI underlined to Mr. Greer that the renewal of CUSMA could not happen to the detriment of our industries and the protection of French,\u201d Fr\u00e9chette said in her post.<\/p>\n \u201cI also reminded that Quebec is a key economic motor for many American states. Our integrated supply chains are essential to North American (economic) competition.\u201d<\/p>\n Fr\u00e9chette\u2019s entourage stressed to reporters that Fr\u00e9chette is not in Washington to handle trade negotiations, a role Quebec recognizes as a federal responsibility.<\/p>\n But Fr\u00e9chette used the meeting to make Quebec\u2019s case. Talks to renew CUSMA are set to kick off in July and have already sparked tensions between the U.S. and Canada.<\/p>\n \u201cBuilding an economic relationship based on unpredictability and uncertainty is impossible,\u201d Fr\u00e9chette said in her post. \u201cTo prosper, we need a beneficial accord and not tariffs. This is what Quebecers want.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is what our American partners want. This is what I want also. I thank you (Greer) for the frank and constructive exchanges. Quebec remains a reliable and unavoidable partner. We extend our hand to build a strong economy without ever giving in.\u201d<\/p>\n Fr\u00e9chette\u2019s rapid visit to Washington comes only 12 days after she was sworn in as premier. The last such visit by a Quebec premier dates back to February 2025.<\/p>\n Her first meeting Monday was with Canadian Ambassador Mark Wiseman.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it was important for me to come to the United States quickly,\u201d Fr\u00e9chette said, arriving at the embassy Monday morning. \u201cI am here to defend Quebec\u2019s interests here in Washington.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know we are an important strategic player in many industrial sectors. It\u2019s important to remind them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe know how important the United States is for Quebec, so it\u2019s important to come and meet them quickly on the eve of discussion to renew the accord.\u201d<\/p>\n Fr\u00e9chette\u2019s trip follows a series of early moves as premier, including a meeting Friday in Montreal with Quebec\u2019s economic players<\/a>.<\/p>\n Quebec\u2019s steel, aluminum and lumber industries have been hit hard by tariffs imposed on exports by the American administration.<\/p>\n The United States is Quebec\u2019s main trading partner. In 2024, three-quarters of Quebec\u2019s exports (73.5 per cent) were destined for the United States. The total value in 2022 was $92 billion.<\/p>\n But Quebec\u2019s aluminum and steel exports have been hit with 50-per-cent tariffs. Quebec lumber faces a 45-per-cent tariff when it goes across the border.<\/p>\n Washington has also been demanding concessions on the supply management system, which protects dairy farms<\/a> and jobs in Quebec.<\/p>\n
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Le Qu\u00e9bec souhaite un renouvellement de l\u2019accord afin d’assurer un cadre stable et pr\u00e9visible pour nos \u00e9changes \u00e9conomiques.
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J\u2019ai soulign\u00e9 \u00e0 M. Greer que le\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/9sFp8hdfzz<\/a><\/p>\n