Governor Peter Shumlin reached out Wednesday to the newly elected premier of Quebec to congratulate her and to pledge to work together in the future. Shumlin says the new premier was familiar with the work that Vermont has been doing, and with the trade relationship between Quebec and Vermont.
Shumlin says he reached Premier-elect Pauline Marois by telephone.
"We’re going to have a meeting soon to talk about our common interests," Shumlin said. "Quebec is our biggest trading partner. She and the province are very important to Vermont in terms of job growth. And we’re going to work together with them to continue that strong relationship."
Shumlin reached Marois from Charlotte, North Carolina, where he is attending the Democratic National Convention.
Shumlin says the new premier was familiar with the work that Vermont has been doing, and with the trade relationship between Quebec and Vermont.
"And she said emphatically to me, ‘Governor, I first of all am very excited about what you are fighting for in Vermont. And I’m very excited about working together with you to continue the strong and vital relationship that’s so important to both of us.’ So, I’m looking forward to working with her. She’s going to be a great premier and I’m going to help her in every way that I can," Shumlin said.
Marois of the Parti Quebecois will be the first woman to head Quebec’s provincial government.
She was elected, in part, on a promise to seek an independent Quebec. But her party failed to reach an outright majority in the National Assembly and may not be able to move quickly on some of its initiatives.