The mayor of Montreal, Valérie and St. Catharines, Ontario, Mayor Mat Siscoe, were excluded from an annual meeting with officials from the White House, which are planned on Friday in the course of the ongoing trade war between the USA and Canada.
The meeting, which was organized by the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities initiative, a bilateral coalition of over 244 municipal and regional mayors, is planned as planned at the annual event Day Great Lakes Day in Washington, DC, but exclusively with American mayors.
Christine Maydossian, a spokesman for the coalition, told CBC News that the White House was aware of the meeting last month, but on Wednesday it says that Canadian mayor would not be welcome.
CBC News turned to the White House on Thursday, but has not received an answer.
“The urban initiative was informed on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, for the first time and just 48 hours before the planned meeting that due to the diplomatic protocol was not enough time to work on the inquiries from the Canadian mayor,” said Maydossian.
As a result, Planted and Siscoe were replaced by US mayor at the session by US mayor.
Laval, Que., Mayor Stéphane Boyer, said he was not surprised in view of the current political context of the White House.
“They say that for security reasons they had no time to review people’s identity,” he told Radio-Canada. “I think it’s a political step to reject representatives of Canada.”
Nevertheless, Boyer believes that the decision probably has no major influence.
“I believe that the first people who can put pressure on the Americans are American companies, American citizens, American chosen civil servants, and we have the opportunity to meet some of them to try to make them wearing our message.”
Despite the Jabs of US President Donald Trump in Canada in Canada, the mayor of Montreal says that it is important that Canada does not turn his back on his neighbor and “wins” Trump by implied that the friendship between the people of the two countries has never been solid.
“Above all, I think that the Trump-Folde and the President Trump want to send messages to make it clear that things between Canada and the United States will not be the same,” said Planted in an interview with Radio Canada on Thursday.
But when she went through the streets of Washington, she said she noticed another reality.
“When we talk to people as soon as they realize that we have been Canadians since I arrived, there were two or three people who said:” Oh, we are sorry what happens, we love you Canadians, “she said.
The mayors of Montreal, Laval and Quebec City, Mayor Bruno Marchand, traveled to the US capital this week. You will continue to meet other American chosen officials – both Democrats and Republicans.
In the past, Plane said that the mayors took the opportunity to answer their case against Trump’s 25 percent tariffs and to raise awareness of the consequences of this controversial step.
Quebec introduces new rules for municipal contracts
The lack of Canadian representation in the White House, when the Minister for Local Affairs from Quebec, Andrée Laforest, announced a new regulation on Thursday morning, which enables cities to collect up to 25 percent for US companies that offer on community contracts.
“For us, it is part of the war efforts that want to make cities in the current context,” said Plante about the news.
Your Laval counter also welcomed the regulation.
“In the past, the law did not allow us to treat a supplier differently than another, so it was simply the lowest bidder who won the offer,” said Boyer.
He pointed out that the municipalities of Quebec, although they were mainly and buy services from local companies, come from the USA, such as special water treatment equipment, fire engines and police equipment – including firearms.
He warned of Quebec to punish himself because certain products or services have no local alternatives.
“But I see this as an opportunity to see how we can support local companies in developing these products because all Canadian cities will need them,” said Boyer.
