OTTAWA — Well, that didn’t take long.
asserted
that → take → ?
Days before a high-profile Canada-European Union summit, Quebec’s new Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon fired a broadside at Prime Minister Mark Carney over what he cast as a condescending denial of his right to represent Quebec’s interests at the Montreal talks.
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he → fire → talks
Carney told reporters he did not bar the Quebec premier from the summit: “He was invited to dinner.
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He → tell → dinner
He refused.”
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He → refuse → ?
St-Pierre Plamondon portrayed that invitation as an insulting exclusion from a negotiating table where, according to EU officials, Canada and the EU are discussing possible associate EU membership for Canada.
uncertain
Canada → portray → Canada
Canadian officials prefer the term a new “alliance for the future.”
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officials → prefer → future
European officials briefing reporters Tuesday said to expect agreements on digital trade, critical minerals investment, energy development and antitrust measures, along with new efforts to tackle foreign misinformation and to share Europe’s supercomputing resources, as well as pledges to expand labour and student mobility, research co-operation and more.
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officials → brief → mobility
The Quebec premier said Carney’s denial of an opportunity for him to address the two-day summit, on Quebec soil, is a direct challenge to Quebec sovereignty.
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him → say → sovereignty
It was more than half a century ago, but there are many modern echoes in the twists and turns of this earlier attempt at securing our economy.
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It → be → economy
It was more than half a century ago, but there are many modern echoes in the twists and turns of this earlier attempt at securing our economy.
asserted
It → be → economy
Hearkening back to Quebec’s historic demand to be “masters in our own house” in a lengthy grievance posted on X, the premier decried Canada-EU negotiations that directly affect the province “without consulting Quebec or allowing it a seat at the negotiating table.”
asserted
that → hearken → table
As the political hostilities erupted Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump delightedly hailed the separatists’ three-week-old election victory, congratulating the premier on his “WIN” in a post on Truth Social that reposted an article headlining it as a “blow to Mark Carney.”
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that → erupt → Carney
Carney, however, made clear he was unimpressed with St-Pierre Plamondon’s decision, for the second time this week, to not attend a table the prime minister convenes.
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minister → make → table
Carney said federal officials consulted three times with Quebec’s delegation about the agreement under discussion with the EU, saying it was the premier’s choice to absent himself.
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it → say → himself
“He was invited,” said Carney after a cabinet meeting before signing a series of trade agreements with the UAE.
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Carney → invite → UAE
“It was his decision to leave his chair empty again.”
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It → leave → chair
The Quebec premier also did not attend Carney’s first ministers’ meeting Monday, where the PM and premiers discussed the major projects agenda with Indigenous leaders.
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PM → attend → leaders
Elected just three weeks ago, St-Pierre Plamondon took offence at Carney’s offer to attend the Thursday night dinner along with other premiers, comparing it to calling him a waiter, telling him that “obtaining permission to serve shrimp cocktails at a reception constitutes an acceptable and sufficient form of influence in representing Quebec’s interests.”
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obtaining → elect → interests
“This is not only a grave lack of respect, but above all a major setback for Quebec’s ability to act autonomously and defend its own interests,” wrote the Quebec premier.
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premier → act → interests
Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound, Carney’s Quebec lieutenant, said the Quebec premier was missing out on an opportunity to welcome European dignitaries and join them at the dinner table.
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premier → say → table
Industry Minister Melanie Joly downplayed the drama, saying Plamondon was invited like others, but it is an important “federal meeting,” within the federal government’s jurisdictional responsibilities.
But the Parti Québécois leader, who won a minority government with 28 per cent of the popular vote after a campaign that deferred another separation referendum until Trump is out of office, was on a roll.
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Trump → downplay → roll
“The vision of Canada championed by Mark Carney is that of a centralizing, if not unitary, federal state that imposes on the provinces, plain and simple, a role as mere observers in discussions that nonetheless affect their fundamental interests and areas of jurisdiction,” he wrote.
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he → champion → jurisdiction
After the 1995 vote, I realized that I would never be seen as a real Quebecer, although I had
The PQ leader quickly found a parliamentary ally in Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, who accused Carney of trying to “muzzle” Quebec’s duly elected leader, and demanded an apology.
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who → realize → apology
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, in the Commons, charged that Carney’s talks with the EU risk ceding Canada’s ability to make its own decisions, and are insulting to premiers like St-Pierre Plamondon.
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talks → charge → Plamondon
“We already have a free-trade agreement with Europe, and a military alliance with NATO with 30 European countries,” said Poilievre.
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Poilievre → have → countries
“But the prime minister is risking ceding our sovereignty to European policies which are costly when it comes to taxes, immigration and regulations.
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it → risk → taxes
That’s not going to lower the cost of living and it’s going to infringe on provincial jurisdiction without their consent,” said Poilievre.
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Poilievre → go → consent
“He’s not letting the premiers speak including the premier of Quebec on his own territory.
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premiers → let → territory
The Aporia
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