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Quebec Premier Meets U.S. Trade Chief in Washington Ahead of USMCA Talks

Quebec seeks leverage before July trade talks under a tougher 'America First' U.S. stance.

Overview

  • Premier Christine Fréchette met U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on Monday during her first foreign trip since taking office.
  • She later said the conversation was cordial with no major breakthroughs, and her office did not release details of the meeting.
  • Earlier that day she held a roundtable with U.S. and cross‑border business groups, including the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association and General Motors, and she planned meetings with members of Congress.
  • Quebec exporters face heavier costs from U.S. tariffs imposed since March 2025, including 50 percent duties on aluminum and steel that raise prices and threaten factory shifts or job cuts.
  • The talks come as USMCA renegotiations start July 1 and as U.S. officials press for reciprocity, signal demands for Canadian concessions, and urge Canadian metals makers to expand production inside the United States for tariff relief.