The relationship between the U.S. and Canada is under a microscope. With that backdrop, the Quebec Delegate General in New York was in Plattsburgh on Friday to attend a Chamber of Commerce event and promote the economic and cultural ties that bind the cross-border region. His visit occurred just before the Trump Administration announced a pause until March on threatened 25 percent tariffs on goods from Canada.
Delegate General David Brulotte told WAMC North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley the current relationship between the province and New York state is fantastic.
It's a tremendous relationship. Obviously, we share a border so our communities are intertwined. Especially here in the North Country we share common values, may that be on fighting against climate change, electric mobility, the environment. So I think that we have a very strong ally here in New York. We have great relationship on the government level. So, yes, it's a very positive and good relationship.
With that in mind, we have the potential for international tariffs and what some people are worried may become a trade war. Canadian authorities have pledged basically a dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariff. With reliance on trade between Quebec and New York so strong, what are the implications for trade between Quebec and New York if these tariffs, both from Canada and New York, go into effect?
It's a great question. I think that's the question everybody is, you know, asking themselves. We're not sure how it's going to be applied, on which sectors, will it be a blanket tariff application, will it touch services? So, our main role, our main objective, our Premier's message is, let's make sure that those tariffs do not get put in place. And if they do that they're as short as possible, as mitigated as possible and as minimal as possible in terms of impact. I can only speak for the province of Quebec, but Canada said openly as well that there's a list of tariffs that could be imposed from Canada. And as our premier from Quebec mentioned on several occasions, nothing is off the table. But we'll make sure that we're ready to protect Quebec's economy, the citizens of Quebec. And lastly, to your point about New York, I think our relationship with the state is strong. Our companies, both south and north of the border, have vast vested interest across the frontier, across the border. So I think through our communities our companies, you know, we'll find ways to go through those eventual tariffs. But we've prepared well. We have open lines of communications. Our premier has met with President Trump. So we're making sure that our voices is being heard.
Besides tariffs there's some other, a couple of other questions that I want to catch you on. The state of Vermont, the University of Vermont, has signed an MOU with some of the technical companies in Quebec to create a semiconductor corridor for manufacturing and such. How great is the potential in that industry, especially since not just Vermont, but New York also has semiconductors. Vermont and New York have Global Foundries. What's the potential here?
I think it's tremendous. What we call the Albany Bromont corridor. Semiconductor corridors is indeed a, I think, a platform for growth that could be exponential, The Bromont region, just south of Montreal, it's a beautiful region, but it's also a key strategic region for semiconductors in Quebec. And most people would think, oh this is new, you know, sort of new tech, new industry, a new sector for the region, but it's actually been active for several years. IBM has been there for decades. Teledyne DALSA as well. And there's an institute there called C2MI that's been funded by the government of Quebec and Canada and different private partners to have white labs, researchers and research centers there. And there's this ecosystem that's been built around the industry over the course last probably decade and a half, but the companies have been there for much longer than this. Now, because of the new reality today, the industry is sort of in the limelight, and I think there's again great potential for Bromont and what's existing in New York and Vermont and, you know, other parts of the states to better collaborate together. And again, this is a very highly sensitive industry, highly relevant technical industry. And I think the more partnerships we can do together, the better. If we don't do this other countries and regions of the world will benefit, because we buy most of the semiconductors from them. So developing a home grown North American supply chain, I think, is key to both of our economies and both of our regions here in New York and Quebec.
Well, my understanding is Canada has a lot of the natural materials needed in the semiconductor industry. So, whether we have this MOU that was just signed or we have future agreements to enhance the semiconductor industry in this region, what sorts of things would be going back and forth. I can imagine research and the knowledge being exchanged. But what else?
What's interesting in this sector, and again I'm far from being an expert, you know, microprocessor and semiconductors, but the idea on top of what you mentioned, which is correct on research, exchange of expertise is also, well, can we have an industrial base between both province and states where we can grow manufacturing? I think that would be ideal scenario. At least on our side, this is where I think we want to push things forward. That includes, obviously, natural resources. Quebec has vast critical and strategic minerals that are used in semiconductors. And I think again, this is key to our strategic future for both the US and us in Quebec.
So obviously, semiconductors is an emerging technology, an emerging potential for cross border trade. What are some of the other really lucrative and perhaps emerging cross border opportunities that you see?
I think one that we've been working on for years, but will continue to grow exponentially, is mobility. E-mobility, railway obviously with Alstom. Both in Canada and the US our population is growing. Even with the federal changes and regulations on E-mobility I think the long run will probably show that, you know, we'll move towards more electric or natural, you know, renewable, rather resources based transportation. So I think there's great potential there. Coming back to the critical and the strategic minerals that we have in Quebec, most of what's needed in a battery component needs those minerals. And as a colleague of ours was saying, you still need a battery in any type of cars at this stage. So may they be hydrogen, electric based, or battery, fully battery, or even internal combustion engines. So again, I think the key message here is really to help build those strategic supply chains that are key to our industries. Natural resources will definitely be a part of this. I mentioned mobility. I think energy. We mentioned the Champlain Hudson Power Express grid that's being built between Quebec and New York. Semiconductors. All key future sectors, key sectors, in our common future. Another one that we touch upon across all sectors is AI. Montreal is a major hub in artificial intelligence. The way it will be applied is being heavily, deeply discussed in Montreal, the ethics of AI. We have the Montreal Institute of Learning Algorithms, led by one of the best researchers in the world, Yoshua Bengio. And again, I think we can play a role together with New York, with the US, making sure that we keep the lead in AI and we do this in the most ethical fashion possible.
Along with some of those other industries, it seemed like a few years ago the medical technology industry was gaining strength in the Montreal area. Is that still the case?
It is. It did fluctuate a little bit, around 2010 I want to say. Following COVID, we've seen this resurgence in Quebec and investment in life sciences and med tech in general, both on international investments to Quebec, but also on homegrown companies now wanting to export on the international scene. It's a very vital industry for, obviously, for Quebec and for North America, but also a very quickly growing industry.
With the tariffs on hold, Canadian provincial premiers will travel to Washington next Wednesday for meetings with the Trump Administration and Congress. The premiers will also attend the National Governors Association meeting beginning on February 20th.
