Quebec still preparing for tariff threats after Trump inauguration, Legault says

Quebec farmers and business leaders remain cautious about potential U.S. tariffs under the new Trump administration.

Quebec Premier François Legault is not claiming victory just yet, even though the new Trump administration in the United States will clearly not be imposing tariffs on Canadian imports for now.

For several weeks now, U.S. President Donald Trump has been threatening to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on products imported from Canada. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump has decided instead to launch an investigation into alleged unfair trade practices by Canada, Mexico and China.

On Monday in Prévost, in the Laurentians, for a pre-sessional caucus of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), Legault said that Quebec was continuing to prepare for the possible imposition of tariffs.

He insisted that the government was not ruling out any possibility at this point. According to Legault, Quebec could lose up to 100,000 jobs in the face of such tariffs.

He mentioned the possibility of responding with import tariffs, but also export tariffs, particularly in the energy sector.

“The idea is to protect Quebecers ... so if there are American tariffs, we’ll be ready for retaliation that will still protect Quebecers,” he said.

Legault indicated that the government would be ready to come to the aid of businesses, despite the $11 billion hole in the Quebec budget.

“When businesses and citizens are hit, it’s the government’s role to help them … Will there be tariffs? Our first choice is that there won’t be any tariffs,” he said.

Legault made these comments at a press conference in Prévost, where he announced the construction of a new secondary school in the town.

The CAQ caucus meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday in Saint-Sauveur is also likely to be dominated by the arrival of the new president.

Legault has already announced that he plans to visit Washington twice between now and April.

In an open letter published in the American media outlet, The Hill, on Wednesday, the Quebec premier warned that Trump’s threat could backfire on the Americans.

Legault pointed out that Quebec exports aluminium and military aviation supplies to the United States — products that the country will not be able to produce itself in the short and medium term, he said.

So, with tariffs, the Americans will end up paying more for these products, according to Legault.

Later, while taking part in a meeting of the Council of the Federation, Legault sided with his counterparts, saying that cutting off energy to the United States in retaliation could not be ruled out.

Following the meeting, 12 provincial and territorial premiers issued a statement pledging to present a united front to their American counterparts.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith refused to sign the declaration. She explained on social media that she could not support the “Team Canada” approach if energy exports could be part of the federal government’s response.

On Monday, Legault made it known that he had intervened in favour of a compromise to include Alberta in the common front.

“If a province, like Alberta, made efforts that cost that province more than all the provinces, there should be compensation from the federal government,” he said.

“The idea is for Canada to win, but not necessarily for one province to pay more than another. So there has to be a degree of fairness,” he added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 20, 2025.