Mark Carney and Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon held their first formal meeting on Sunday in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, marking a thaw in the frosty relations between Ottawa and Quebec City.
The pair met on the sidelines of the Sommet de la Francophonie for a 45-minute discussion that extended 15 minutes beyond its scheduled duration.
The encounter, reported by La Presse, served as a diplomatic reset after weeks of public friction between the two administrations. While the political climate in Canada is sensitive, both leaders emerged from the session describing the exchange as "sympathique"—a characteristically understated way of saying the initial barrier of hostility had been breached.
Despite the tension that has defined their early mandates, the two leaders identified common ground on several policy fronts. According to Le Devoir, Prime Minister Carney and Premier St-Pierre Plamondon agreed on the necessity of addressing the national homelessness crisis and the ongoing struggle with housing affordability. They also discussed the urgency of strengthening the Canadian economy as a whole.
St-Pierre Plamondon expressed his gratitude to Carney for federal support regarding Quebec’s initiative to host the Francophonie’s ministers of economy in 2027.
Prior to the meeting, Charles Milliard, leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, had publicly urged St-Pierre Plamondon to prioritize “concrete projects of collaboration,” specifically regarding trade negotiations with the United States, which Noovo Info described as a “hot potato” for both governments.
While deep-seated disagreements remain—including on the complex issue of immigration, which was deemed too expansive to address in a brief 45-minute window—the decision to exchange personal phone numbers indicates a new, direct line of communication intended to bypass the public squabbling that has characterized the last 40 days.
The meeting took place in a room adorned with both Canadian and Quebec flags, a symbolic gesture of the dual representation present at the Francophonie summit. Radio-Canada said that the conversation even veered into lighter territory, touching on hockey—a ritualistic necessity for any high-level Canadian political meeting. However, the substance remained focused on the future.
“C’était sympathique, il y a des discussions à poursuivre, mais c’était positif, car on repart avec des résultats immédiats,” said Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, following the meeting. When asked by reporters if he regretted the confrontational tone he had adopted toward Ottawa earlier in his mandate, the Premier maintained his stance: “Je ne regretterai jamais de défendre les intérêts du Québec.”
“Il y aura plusieurs occasions de travailler ensemble,” St-Pierre Plamondon affirmed, setting the stage for future negotiations.
