Quebec Premier François Legault met U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Paris on Saturday amid Trump’s looming tariff threat to Canada.
The two leaders crossed paths during the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, nearly five years after its devastating fire.
The high-profile event drew dignitaries, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the Prince of Wales. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau skipped the event to attend a vigil in Montreal marking the anniversary of the 1989 Polytechnique massacre.
Legault shared his encounter with the president-elect in a brief post on X.
“With U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to discuss Canadian border controls and tariffs on Canadian products,” he wrote.
He also shared a picture of himself with Elon Musk, who had accompanied Trump in Paris, in a separate X post. Legault said the two discussed trade and electric vehicles.
Trump and Musk, as of Saturday evening, had not publicly commented on the meeting.
Trump threatened last month to impose a 25-per-cent tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports, calling on the two countries to reduce the flow of migrants and fentanyl across the U.S. border.
Legault warned the tariffs could severely effect Quebec’s economy. The province relies heavily on exports to the U.S., which totalled nearly $90 billion in 2023, with key products including aluminium, aircraft and energy.
Amid the threat, Legault has previously said he believes Trump’s fears about a rise in migration at the U.S.’s northern and southern borders are “legitimate.”
Last week, Trudeau visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort to discuss Trump’s concerns and threat.
Trump reportedly joked about making Canada the “51st state.”
While Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc dismissed the remark as a joke, Trump later posted a picture featuring a Canadian flag with the caption “Oh Canada.”
Both Legault’s and Trump’s teams have been contacted for further comment.