Key facts
- Quebec's separatist government accused Ottawa of barring the province from the EU-Canada summit.
- Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon was denied a request to address the summit.
- Quebec warned it would have the final say on agreements impacting its jurisdiction.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney stated St-Pierre Plamondon declined an invitation to the summit dinner.
- Early summit drafts include digital trade and critical minerals financing deals.
Quebec's new separatist government accused Ottawa of barring the province from an upcoming EU-Canada summit in Montreal, escalating a dispute over provincial jurisdiction. Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said the federal government's refusal to let him address the summit showed a "serious lack of respect."
Prime Minister Mark Carney countered that St-Pierre Plamondon had declined an invitation to the summit dinner, calling it his "decision to leave an empty chair again." The summit, which opens Thursday, is intended to strengthen EU-Canada ties amid U.S. tariffs and a shifting global consensus.
Quebec Justice Minister Marie-Claude Sarrazin warned that "Quebec is sovereign in its fields of jurisdiction internationally, so it will have the last word" on any agreements made, evoking the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine. Early drafts of a joint declaration include digital trade and critical minerals financing, areas falling under provincial jurisdiction.