Quebec braces for President Donald Trump

The Quebec government is readying itself for a shift in relations with its partners south of the border, withDonaldTrump only hours away frombeing sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.

The changes could come sooner rather than later.

Trump, a strident critic of free trade, campaigned on a promiseto renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

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His choice for secretary of commerce made it clear this week that doing so will be a priority.

"t is logically the first thing for us to deal with," said Wilbur Ross, a billionaire businessman whogained prominence forcreatingfour companies through mergers and acquisitions that focused on steel, textiles, autos and coal.

"We ought to solidify relationships in the best way wecan in our own territory before we go off to other jurisdictions."

U.S. accounts for 70% of exports

Quebec's economy, in particular manufacturing,is heavily dependent on access to the U.S. market.

According to a recentDesjardinsGroup economic study, roughly 70 per cent of the province's exports are destined for the U.S. market.

With Trump in office, Quebec International Relations Minister Christine St-Pierre said she expects the province's economic relationship with the U.S. to change.

"Life is no longer as it was before," St-Pierre, who is planning to attend the inauguration, told The Canadian Press in an interview last week.

"We're seeing things on the horizon, things that are disquieting."

Chief among them is the issue of the province's lumber industry, which is hoping for a new deal on softwood lumber.

Roughly 90 per cent of Quebec's lumber exports head to the U.S.

The forestry sector accounts for 60,000 jobs in Quebec.

Show some muscle,Lise says

Parti Qubcois Leader Jean-FranoisLisehas argued theprovince should adopt a more nationalist economic stance to prepare itself for the changes to come.

"We have to show some muscle, defend our jobs, our market sharein the years ahead," he said in a speech last Sunday.

Lisehas asked the party's finance critic, Nicolas Marceau, to draw up proposals for buy-local legislation.

As examples, they pointed to various Buy American provisions passed by the U.S. Congress, which require public funds be spent within the country.

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