Bloc Québécois leader advocates for ‘economic nationalism’ amid tariff tensions

Quebecers should not be wooed by the rise of Canadian nationalism and instead take “(their) own different interests in hand” to protect the province’s economy, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet told reporters Tuesday.

Blanchet took aim at politicians like Mark Carney who he said are leading Quebecers astray by encouraging them to line up behind the maple leaf. Instead, Blanchet says he himself aims to rally Quebecers by entering a potential federal election “wrapped in a blue flag.”

Blanchet said that nationalism is “the only thing that defines” Quebec and that the party will look to defend Quebecois jobs during the campaign for the next federal election, a job that cannot be entrusted to either to the Liberals or Conservatives.

“(It’s) a good and legitimate nationalism,” Blanchet said.

The leader’s comments came just as the party announced a new candidate — Emmanuel Lapierre — for the Laurier-Sainte-Marie federal riding in downtown Montreal.

Lapierre, a historian who specializes in the history of Quebec nationalism, was selected for the running in an effort to break the myths that Blanchet says gives “bad press” for what he called “economic nationalism.”

Lapierre’s nomination comes after a nationwide rise in Canadian nationalism in response to American tariffs, including a 13 per cent increase in Quebecers who consider themselves to be “proud” and “very proud” to be Canadian, according to an Angus Reid poll conducted in February. 

Laurier-Sainte-Marie has been held by federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault since 2015 – someone who Blanchet criticized after having opened the possibility in January of repealing the carbon tax. He said that the move by the Liberals was made simply to be more competitive to Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives. 

“Quebec is now the only Canadian territory (…) that has remained attached to the idea that carbon pollution must be subject to pricing,” Blanchet said.

Blanchet additionally took shots at federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly after she encouraged premiers to follow in the footsteps of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who on Monday announced his province was slapping a 25 per cent surcharge on all energy exports to the U.S. Ford on Tuesday said he would suspend the surcharge on exports of electricity to Michigan, New York and Minnesota.

The Bloc Québécois leader said Joly’s statement was a prime example of how Quebecers cannot place their faith in the Liberal party.

“I simply don’t believe in them,” Blanchet said. “For Quebec, exporting electricity — the signature economic model based on clean energy — is not something that can simply be sacrificed.”

The federal government is also encroaching on Quebec sovereignty, Blanchet added, in its decision to intervene in the Supreme Court appeal on Quebec’s secularism law – also known as Bill 21.

“Both Liberals and Conservatives intend to use Quebecers’ money to fight two laws – (both) adopted in Quebec’s National Assembly – in the Supreme Court of Canada against us,” he said.

Blanchet said these actions by the federal government, amid economic tensions, should represent a rallying call for Quebecers.

“How friendly will we always be with our English citizens, or newcomers in Quebec, or Canadian neighbours as a nation?” he said.