QUEBEC -- Quebec Premier Francois Legault and Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon believe the creation of an "Amazon Quebec" would better serve "nationalist" clients.
The two men raised the notion of creating a Quebec version of the online sales giant Wednesday morning, just hours ahead of a meeting with officials from Amazon Canada.
The idea was first floated in 2017 by Quebec entrepreneur Alexandre Taillefer, who would later serve as campaign director for former Quebec Liberal leader and premier Philippe Couillard.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Legault said the relative lack of Quebec-made products sold on Amazon is a significant concern for him. He wanted to be assured that Amazon would not just be selling American-made products to Quebecers.
Fitzgibbon went even further, saying the government would be open to investing in a Quebec version of Amazon, so long as it is sustainable. He said the goal of such a platform would be to help Quebec retailers, who he said are not very present on Amazon.
"We have products, and we have nationalist clients who want to buy Quebec (products), so maybe it's time to start looking more closely at such a structure," Fitzgibbon said.
Legault and Fitzgibbon's comments come less than two weeks after Amazon announced it would soon be opening its first warehouse in Quebec, which it says will create 300 jobs.
This Canadian Press report was first published Nov. 20, 2019.
