Defeated legislature member Pascal Paradis named Quebec’s chief negotiator
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $1.44 a week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $5.77 plus GST every four weeks. After 52 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
QUÉBEC – Former Parti Québécois legislature member Pascal Paradis has been named the province’s chief negotiator and diplomat.
Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says Paradis is the best person for the job because of his personal and professional background.
“With this appointment, we are choosing to rely on experience and competence to support our government in several crucial missions. I’m very proud to be able to welcome Pascal back to our team,” he said in a social media post.
The former executive director of Lawyers Without Borders Canada will be asked to meet with Indigenous nations and to represent the province during trade negotiations between Canada and the United States.
The 55-year-old lost the Quebec City riding of Jean-Talon to a Quebec Liberal candidate earlier this month in the Oct. 5 provincial election.
His defeat shocked the party, which will form a minority government without winning a single seat in the provincial capital.
St-Pierre Plamondon had already hinted that he was considering a new role for Paradis, who was a prominent voice for the party in the legislature.
“His mandate will include maintaining solid, lasting and trusting relationships with Indigenous nations,” a party spokesperson said.
“He will be called upon to maintain a constant dialogue and to act as one of the government’s main interlocutors, ensuring that communication channels remain open and productive.”
The PQ says Paradis will assist the province’s international relations minister and will also report directly to the premier.
He will also serve as the province’s chief negotiator during free-trade talks with the United States. While the province won’t be negotiating with the U.S. directly, “we want Quebec to be at the table,” the party said.
The outgoing Coalition Avenir Québec government had previously named Louise Blais to the negotiator’s role.
Paradis won the Jean-Talon riding in a 2023 byelection, and was the only PQ legislature member to represent the Quebec City region. He lost the riding to Liberal candidate Julie White, while the Conservative Party won the majority of the seats in the region.
A lawyer by training, Paradis spent more than 25 years working in international relations across the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
His work has included projects in the field of infrastructure, international transactions, trade and energy.
He also served as the executive director of Lawyers Without Borders Canada for 20 years, where he was credited with helping to implement dozens of projects.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.