Quebec will closely monitor the potential impacts of Donald Trump’s new presidency on immigration and the economy, the premier said Wednesday.
François Legault was speaking about the results of Trump’s victory in the United States presidential elections in a political comeback that saw the defeat of Kamala Harris.
This will be Trump’s second non-consecutive term at the helm of the US leadership, and as a result, Legault says he will form a “working group” consisting of several ministers to defend Quebec’s interests.
“Americans voted yesterday and Mr. Trump won,” Legault said in the provincial legislature. “We have to respect this result.”
But Legault was quick to express his concerns about a Trump win, warning of the possibility of an influx of asylum seekers at the border and tougher tariffs on exports from Quebec.
When it comes to immigration, Legault says the province has “done its part” and simply cannot absorb more new arrivals. Trump promised to deport millions of illegal immigrants from the United States as one of his top priorities.
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“We should not see a huge influx of immigrants coming through the United States, because that could lead to an imbalance in the labor market,” he said. “Our reception and integration capacity is already overwhelmed.”
The Quebec premier is particularly concerned about more asylum seekers at land borders and airports. Legault says his government is looking to secure more of its land border with the United States if necessary.
“First, what I want to do is make sure that Mr. (Justin) Trudeau and the federal government take this seriously. “I want to follow up every week on how many immigrants we are receiving in Quebec,” Legault said.
Donald Trump waves as he walks with former First Lady Melania Trump at an Election Night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida.
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The comments come as Legault’s government has implemented stricter immigration policies in recent months. Last week, Quebec suspended two key programs that were pathways to citizenship, saying it wanted to “better regulate” new arrivals to the province.
Legault’s other main interest is economics. He pointed to the possibility of steeper tariffs under Trump on Quebec exports, especially when it comes to the aviation sector, wood products, aluminum and food products.
“Unfortunately, we must expect that there will be actions taken by Mr. Trump and his team that could be negative for the Canadian economy and the Quebec economy,” Legault said.
“I think we have to tell ourselves the truth. There are jobs at stake. So we’re going to have to be very strategic, especially in key sectors, where Quebec has a lot of exports to the United States.”
Legault’s comments come as other Canadian politicians, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, congratulated Trump in posts on X.
— With files from Gaby Rodriguez of Global and The Canadian Press
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