Trump Tariffs Quiet Separatist Sentiment in Quebec
The threat of US President Donald Trump's tariffs has had a significant impact on Quebec's economy, leading to a loss of appetite for separation from Canada. According to Reuters, when Trump levied 50% tariffs on Canadian steel in June last year, a steel factory in Quebec lost about a third of its orders for bolts and fasteners within a week.
The factory owner, The Heico Companies, froze hiring, closed a plant in the region, and laid off several dozen people. Operations director David Jeannotte said that as long as Trump is in office, there's no need to discuss separation.
This sentiment is shared by others in the region, who believe that staying within Canada is the best way to preserve Quebec's unique French culture. The separatist Parti Quebecois currently holds a slim lead in provincial election polls, but analysts say that a vote for the party would be more about disappointment with the ruling party than an endorsement of independence.
Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has vowed not to hold another independence referendum while Trump is president, citing falling support for separation. In fact, polls show that support for independence in Quebec is at its lowest level in decades, at around 30%.