PQ says Quebec Tel Aviv office 'lacks openness'
![Tel Aviv Tel Aviv skyline in Israel. (Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert, The Associated Press)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/3/27/tel-aviv-1-6824298-1711551917974.jpg)
The Parti Québécois (PQ) is accusing CAQ International Relations Minister Martine Biron of lacking openness and transparency in the controversy surrounding the opening of a Quebec office in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The minister has always argued that the office, opened just before the conflict between Israel and Hamas, would serve as a gateway to the Middle East to do business with Turkey, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.
However, internal documents obtained by the PQ do not mention any regional strategy.
The Canadian Press was able to consult the document, which has been redacted in places.
The documents mention a number of reasons for having diplomatic representation in Israel but nothing about a regional strategy or the office's influence outside the borders of the Jewish state.
According to PQ MNA Pascal Paradis, anyone familiar with international relations knows very well that opening an office in Tel Aviv is not a good idea for fostering relations with countries in the Middle East.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 27, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6978861.1722008569!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
At least 4 buildings burned at Jasper Park Lodge, others damaged: Fairmont memo
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge said Thursday afternoon most of its structures are 'standing and intact,' including its iconic main lodge.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.
'He was just gone': Police ramp up search for vulnerable 3-year-old boy in Mississauga, Ont.
Police in Mississauga are conducting a full-scale search of the city’s biggest park for a non-verbal toddler who went missing Thursday evening. Sgt. Jennifer Trimble told reporters Friday morning that there has been no trace of three-year-old Zaid Abdullah since 6:20 p.m., when he was last seen with his parents in Erindale Park, near Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road.
Sask. appeal court says anti-trans group cannot join constitutional dispute over pronoun law
Saskatchewan’s Court of Appeal has denied a political group that opposes so-called “gender ideology” intervener status in a legal dispute over the province’s controversial pronoun law.
Justin Timberlake's attorney disputes he was intoxicated when arrested for DWI
A hearing in the case of Justin Timberlake being accused of driving while intoxicated was held Friday, where an attorney for the singer disputed his arrest in June.
Elon Musk's estranged daughter calls out his 'entirely fake' claims about her childhood
Vivian Jenna Wilson, Elon Musk's estranged daughter, publicly refuted several recent anti-trans statements her Tesla CEO and X owner father has made about her.
What we know about 'malicious' attack on French train network ahead of Olympics opening
French transport was thrust into chaos Friday just hours ahead of the Olympics 2024 opening ceremony after a series of co-ordinated 'malicious acts' upended high-speed train lines.Here's what happened and what we know so far.
Reported rate of child pornography increased 52% in 2023, total crime up 3%: Statistics Canada
Last year, reported child pornography cases increased by more than 50 per cent in Canada, in part due to more cases being sent to police by specialized internet child exploitation units, according to a Statistics Canada report.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.