OTTAWA – Quebec’s “prime diplomat” within the nation’s capital retired final week as a brand new prime minister was elected, a brand new delegation of Quebec Liberal MPs is about to reach on the town, and when the province needs to play a much bigger function in Canada-U.S. relations.
Whereas the Roxham Highway file on asylum seekers was making headlines and rumbling within the Home of Commons, Mario Lavoie was making an attempt to reassure Latin American ambassadors that Quebec was nonetheless welcoming to newcomers.
“They informed us ‘what you’re doing doesn’t make sense,’” Lavoie, who was then the pinnacle of the Quebec Authorities Workplace in Ottawa, mentioned in an interview with Nationwide Submit.
On the time, the Quebec authorities was asking the federal authorities to tighten the border and put an finish to the infamous migrant crossings between New York State and Quebec.
“So, you’re in a position to clarify why the federal government says that. But additionally, to say in the identical sentence that the federal government could be very beneficiant, that it’s the most beneficiant of governments in the direction of migrants, but it surely’s simply that the elastic is stretched,” he added.
Roxham Highway was closed for good in 2023, marking a serious victory for the Quebec authorities on the nationwide stage.
Lavoie introduced his retirement final week, however Canada-U.S. relations and the state of affairs with migrants could be on the coronary heart of relations between Quebec and Ottawa with Mark Carney taking workplace as prime minister.
With U.S. President Donald Trump’s govt actions, extra and
extra individuals are flocking to the northern border
.
“That is actually a difficulty for the connection between Quebec and Ottawa, and I might even say it’s a problem for all the federation,” mentioned Charles Breton, govt director of the Centre of Excellence on the Canadian Federation.
Ottawa and Quebec will attempt to strengthen their relations in the course of the Trump presidency, he mentioned. Nevertheless, immigration remains to be a contentious file.
“It’s the primary level of friction that ought to seem on the horizon as a result of, on financial points, on the connection with the USA, on tariffs, I believe everybody will work and row in the identical route,” Breton mentioned.
The Quebec Workplace performs a strategic function in representing the province’s pursuits within the capital. The envoy often meets with ambassadors, civil servants, elected officers, and senators, and performs a selected strategic function for the province within the federal legislative course of.
A lot in order that, since Lavoie got here to workplace in 2020, Alberta and Ontario have introduced they, too, would even be represented by a “diplomat” in Ottawa.
In Quebec Metropolis, Premier François Legault’s entourage believes the Quebec Workplace in Ottawa is “extra related than ever.”
“In a context the place federal choices have main repercussions for Quebec, and as a brand new Prime Minister takes workplace, it’s important that Quebec can depend on an energetic and direct presence with the federal authorities, in Ottawa,” Legault’s director of media relations Ewan Sauves informed Nationwide Submit in a written assertion.
The premier has not but chosen his level individual within the capital and a call will probably be made in the end, Sauves mentioned.
With a brand new prime minister, a delegation of 43 Liberal MPs and a brand new cupboard that will probably be sworn in subsequent week, a Speech from the Throne delivered by King Charles Could 27, new financial momentum throughout the federation and troublesome negotiations with the White Home to return, the province needs to be on the coronary heart of the motion.
“It’s a brand new authorities that has been elected,” mentioned Lavoie. “The prime minister will appoint the folks round him, there will probably be new ministers, new political connectés, new MPs, so it will be significant that the one who will characterize Quebec introduces himself after which reestablishes contacts.”
Since François Legault’s election as premier in 2018, relations have been strained, to say the least.
Nevertheless, every week after the election that gave Mark Carney a near-majority authorities, Legault demonstrated he could make associates simply.
“After I had about an hour dialogue with (Carney), we spoke in regards to the financial system and we talked about power… We’re actually having a standard imaginative and prescient in regards to the financial system,” Legault mentioned final week.
“I believe that the easiest way to thank Quebecers is to take motion in regards to the financial system, in regards to the immigration,” added Legault, who needs to see the 400,000 momentary immigrants managed by Ottawa decreased by 50 per cent.
Carney’s Quebec lieutenant Steven Guilbeault attended the assembly and, in a current interview with Nationwide Submit, shared that “it was a really nice assembly, considerably good-natured.”
“They realized that they know a few of the similar folks… I believe they found that they had a whole lot of frequent floor, in all probability greater than there was between Mr. Legault and (former) prime minister (Justin) Trudeau,” mentioned Guilbeault.
Breton mentioned will probably be necessary to seek out Lavoie’s alternative by September as a result of Quebec’s agenda, which incorporates immigration, a brand new provincial structure and the continued battle over the division of powers, might effectively create waves in Ottawa.
Nationwide Submit
atrepanier@postmedia.com
Carney’s Quebec honeymoon might flip right into a ‘hangover’ in a province with excessive expectations
Bloc Québécois chief says he will not ‘threaten to overthrow the federal government anytime quickly’
Get extra deep-dive Nationwide Submit political protection and evaluation in your inbox with the Political Hack e-newsletter, the place Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s actually happening behind the scenes on Parliament Hill each Wednesday and Friday, solely for subscribers. Enroll right here.
Our web site is the place for the newest breaking information, unique scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and join our politics e-newsletter, First Studying, right here.
