Quebec premier open to allowing U.S. wines on store shelves, with conditions

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette says she’s open to allowing U.S. wines to return to liquor store shelves, but not at any price.

Fréchette says that the province first wants to see gains on the trade front.

As an example, the premier says she’d like to see reductions in tariff barriers for key sectors such as forestry, aluminum, and manufacturing.

The Quebec government directed its liquor board to stop selling U.S. products last year in retaliation for earlier rounds of tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump’s government.

Fréchette notes that she is not willing to accept any proposals to weaken the supply management system in the province or any changes that would affect Quebec culture and language in the ongoing trade negotiations.

A new round of 50 per cent American tariffs on a range of Canadian goods is set to take effect on Aug. 19.

Unlike most of Trump’s other tariffs, these would have no exemptions for goods that comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement on trade.

Candidates for Mauricie region

Fréchette visited the Mauricie region on Monday morning to introduce candidates in the area.

Simon Allaire, the member for Maskinongé, had initially decided not to run for re-election. He ultimately changed his mind very recently. The reason for this reversal: a 45-minute phone call with the premier.

Marie-Ève Myrand, former executive director of the Quebec microbrewery association, will run in Champlain, while former journalist Guy Veillette will be the candidate in Laviolette–Saint-Maurice.

Fréchette announced last month that she herself will run in this region, in the Trois-Rivières riding.

Allaire was first elected under the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) banner in Maskinongé in October 2018. He was re-elected by a comfortable margin in 2022.

Myrand served as head of the Quebec Microbrewery Association for ten years and announced her resignation in July. She also led the Fédération des coopératives de développement régional du Québec.

Veillette, for his part, worked as a journalist for the daily newspaper “Le Nouvelliste” for 30 years. Since 2020, he has served as a political aide and office manager for Marie-Louise Tardif, the Member of the National Assembly for Laviolette–Saint-Maurice.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews