Fréchette tempère Paris mission with no guaranteed deal — Tva Nouvelles
Christine Fréchette lowered expectations for her Paris mission on Sunday at Place du Québec, saying she cannot promise an announcement before the trip ends. Speaking to tva nouvelles, the Quebec premier said, « Je ne garantis pas d’annonce, mais je garantis qu’on va avancer. »
She added that she could not say whether the projects under discussion would wrap up in the next three days or later. The mission runs until May 20, and Fréchette is scheduled to meet Emmanuel Macron on Monday to discuss the defense bank headquarters issue.
Trade talks with France
Fréchette said Quebec does not want to set a short-term numerical target for trade with France. Instead, the Quebec government wants to raise commercial relations, exports and investments on both sides and work together. She said, « Je ne veux pas me fixer de cible chiffrée à courte échéance. On veut rehausser nos relations commerciales, rehausser nos exportations, rehausser nos investissements de part et d’autre et travailler ensemble. »
Quebec’s exports outside the United States rose by 10 % over the last few months, and Fréchette said France is part of that increase. Quebec exported 84,8 milliards $ in goods to the United States in 2025, compared with 2,2 milliards $ to France in 2025.
Defense bank headquarters
Defense is part of the mission because Fréchette said Quebec wants its share of contracts as Europe invests 800 milliards d’euros to rearm. She said, « Je pense que sur le secteur de la défense, on a vraiment des intérêts partagés parce qu’on est un acteur fiable, un acteur stable, qui a une expertise reconnue, et la France est à la recherche de ce type de relations. »
Fréchette also said Emmanuel Macron could be an actor of influence in the choice of the city that will host the headquarters of the defense bank. François Legault had previously said he wanted to double or even triple trade between Quebec and France, but Fréchette said she is not putting a short-term figure on the outcome of this trip.
Macron meeting on Monday
Fréchette’s Monday meeting with Macron is the main test for the trip’s practical value, with the defense bank headquarters discussion at the center of the talks. She made clear that the trip is about progress first, not a guaranteed announcement, after a few weeks earlier she traveled to Washington on her second trip abroad as premier.
What happens before May 20 will tell Quebec businesses whether the mission produces a visible step on trade, investment or defense, or simply leaves those files moving forward without a public deal.
