Immigration, economy top Quebec premier's federal election wish list

Annabelle Olivier · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 27, 2025 5:56 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

Quebec Premier François Legault held a quality league Thursday outlining his government's priorities for the national election.

Unsurprisingly, protecting Quebec's nationalist individuality and economical prosperity topped the list. 

"On identity, my top concern, and I've often said it, is immigration," Legault said.

He specified, however, that immigrants arsenic specified aren't the occupation but alternatively their sheer number. 

Legault said the detonation of immigrants successful caller years has outstripped the province's quality to invited them and is putting expanding unit connected societal services and schools. 

The precocious fig of immigrants is besides seen arsenic a large obstacle successful reversing what Legault says is the diminution of the French connection successful Quebec. 

Quebec is calling connected the national parties to perpetrate to reducing the fig of impermanent immigrants successful the state and wants power to prime and acceptable thresholds for impermanent workers who are portion of the international mobility program. 

The apical priority, Legault said, is for Ottawa to trim the fig of impermanent immigrants from 400,000 to 200,000 implicit the adjacent 3 years.  

On Wednesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said during a run halt successful La Belle Province that he was committed to moving collaboratively with the state to halve the fig of impermanent workers and asylum seekers successful Quebec. 

That scored him immoderate points with Legault, but dissimilar erstwhile years, Quebec's premier was tightlipped astir who he'd similar to spot successful powerfulness successful Ottawa.

"What I hope, really, is that each the leaders judge our demands," helium said, adding the aboriginal person would besides request to be a bully negotiator. "But don't inquire maine who's best," helium joked. 

Being a bully negotiator will so beryllium captious for the incoming person arsenic tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump proceed to loom.

Trump tariffs go predetermination issue 

Before outlining his ain demands connected Thursday, Legault reacted to quality of Trump's announcement of a 25 per cent tariff connected the car assemblage acceptable for April 2. 

He said that portion the measurement would mostly impact automakers successful Ontario, it would person a trickle-down effect successful Quebec wherever galore subcontractors and suppliers are located. 

When asked to specify, Legault said thousands of jobs could beryllium astatine hazard successful the sector, but added Quebec would assistance its businesses.

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Earlier this week, Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard tabled a $165-billion fund with $12.3 cardinal implicit the adjacent 5 years aimed at  "stimulating wealthiness instauration and supporting Quebecers."

Much of that wealth volition assistance businesses accommodate to tariffs, put successful caller projects and diversify their markets distant from the U.S.

On Thursday, Legault reiterated that the tariff warfare unleashed by Trump is creating uncertainty and said it is becoming urgent for the national authorities to instrumentality beardown action. 

In a bid to support Quebec's ain commercialized interests, and to support cardinal sectors of its economy, Legault said he wants the state to be able to name a representative to any Canadian delegation progressive in future negotiations. 

For his part, Legault said he's focused connected expanding commercialized wrong Canada and breaking down provincial commercialized barriers.  

"The champion mode to reply is to diversify and find caller allies," helium said successful French.

He's besides turning his attraction toward European markets wherever helium sees an opening for expansion.

He said statements from the American president person near Canada and Europe wondering if they tin number on the U.S. to assistance successful the eventuality of immoderate aboriginal attacks.

Legault said that means Canada and Europe volition apt person to drastically summation their defence spending, and helium said  Quebec is good poised to instrumentality vantage of immoderate aboriginal investments. 

He pointed to companies similar Bombardier successful the aeronautics manufacture and Davie Shipyard successful Lévis, Que., which could physique icebreakers captious for arctic defence. He besides said the province's proviso of captious minerals are sought aft for defence purposes.

Legault finished by saying that it was critical to look for caller markets, but reiterated the value of supporting Quebec businesses and buying local. 

"You can't spell wrong," helium said.