Members of the Quebec-based organizations of the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CDCE) met with Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator with the United States, Janice Charette, in Montreal on July 9, 2026. This meeting took place amid uncertainty surrounding the upcoming review of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), as culture continues to be identified as a point of concern by the U.S. administration. In addition, the Canadian government recently requested changes to a decision by the CRTC requiring foreign platforms to contribute to the funding of Canadian content, raising significant concerns within the cultural sector. In this context, the CDCE welcomes the opportunity to engage in a meaningful discussion with Janice Charette, which took place in a transparent and constructive manner. The Coalition also welcomes the commitment made to maintain this channel of communication throughout the review process.

Members of the Coalition were able to reaffirm the importance of the cultural exemption, particularly with regard to legislation adopted in recent years in the broadcasting sector to support dynamic cultural ecosystems and preserve Canada’s cultural sovereignty. They also emphasized the importance of maintaining Canada’s ability to adopt the policies of its choice regarding the development and deployment of generative artificial intelligence. Finally, Coalition members highlighted that an exception introduced in 2012 to the Copyright Act concerning “fair dealing for educational purposes,” which has been criticized by Canada’s cultural sector, is also identified as a trade irritant by the United States.

“In Quebec, culture and the French language are deeply interconnected. Preserving our ability to adopt cultural policies that recognize our specific realities and respond to our needs is not a barrier to trade — it is simply about protecting our capacity to tell our stories and build our social fabric,” said Hélène Messier, CDCE Co-Chair, Francophone Market, and President and CEO of the Quebec Media Production Association (AQPM).

“Canada was the first country to ratify the 2005 UNESCO Convention and is internationally recognized as a leader in cultural sovereignty. Supporting and promoting a wide diversity of cultural expressions across the country is at the heart of Canada’s fundamental values, and this is not negotiable,” stated Marie-Julie Desrochers, Executive Director of the CDCE.

The meeting was attended by several government representatives, including Francis Bilodeau and Joëlle Montminy, respectively Deputy Minister and Senior Assistant Deputy Minister at Canadian Heritage, as well as representatives from Global Affairs Canada and the Office of the Chief Trade Negotiator. Representatives from Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette’s office, as well as from the office of the Minister of Culture and Communications, Mathieu Lacombe, were also present.

The CDCE’s Quebec CUSMA Committee is composed of:

• Hélène Messier, Co-Chair of the CDCE for the Francophone market ; President and CEO, Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM)
• Christian Laforce, Secretary of the CDCE; Executive Director, Copibec
• Alexandre Curzi, Director, Union des artistes (UDA)
• Laurent Dubois, Executive Director, Société des auteur.e.trice.s de radio, télévision et cinéma (SARTEC)
• Karine Vachon, Executive Director, Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL)
• Jeanne Dompierre, Executive Director, Xn Québec
• Jérôme Payette, Vice-Chair of the CDCE; Executive Director, Association des professionnels de l’édition musicale (APEM) – absent from this meeting
• Ève Paré, Executive Director, Association québécoise de l’industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la vidéo (ADISQ) – absent from this meeting