Quebec leaders call for cultural funding and insurance reform amid trade tensions

Economic and cultural concerns are rising in Quebec amid trade tensions between Canada and the United States. The Front commun pour les arts, representing 35 national and regional organizations, has unveiled four strategic priorities to protect Quebec's culture during upcoming elections. The group is calling for a structural repositioning of cultural spending, aiming to increase the budget for arts and culture from its current 1.28% of state expenditures to 3%. Their priorities include updating cultural policies, ensuring youth access to the arts, and securing funding for the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ).

In the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, local leaders are expressing concern that current government measures to mitigate the effects of the Canada-US trade war are insufficient. Michel Dubé of Action populaire Rimouski-Neigette has called for a reform of the federal employment insurance system. He argues that the current requirements for seasonal workers in the region are inequitable, noting that workers in Bas-Saint-Laurent must accumulate more hours to qualify for benefits than those in major cities like Montreal or Toronto due to lower local unemployment rates.