Quebec premier accuses Ottawa of censoring him at EU Summit

Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has accused the federal government of attempting to silence him during the upcoming Canada-European Union summit in Montreal. Despite assurances that he would be invited to dinner with EU representatives, the premier will not be speaking at the summit, scheduled for Thursday and Friday. St-Pierre Plamondon claims Ottawa is attempting to impose economic decisions on Quebec without giving the province a chance to participate in negotiations.

Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed that matters of geopolitics, including the summit, fall under the federal government's jurisdiction.

The Parti Québécois government also alleges that Ottawa denied Quebec's request to host a reception during the summit, which was submitted by former Premier Christine Frechette in September. The party maintains that the EU typically holds a forum for economic leaders at such events, a venue Quebec could have hosted or co-hosted.

The PQ emphasizes that there is historical precedent for including Quebec in the summit, as provincial representatives were involved in negotiations for the Canada-European Union Free Trade Agreement.

The escalating tension surrounding the summit stems from St-Pierre Plamondon's absence from a meeting between the federal government, provincial premiers, and First Nations leaders on Monday. Additionally, the premier recently spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron. Despite these developments, Global News urges readers to support the publication by adding it as a Preferred Source on Google for continued access to their stories.