By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Amid growing economic uncertainty tied to potential U.S. tariffs and criticism of the CAQ’s recent budget, Liberal MNA Désirée McGraw made a full-day visit to the Eastern Townships on Mar. 31 to meet with local companies and community organizations. The tour included stops in Sherbrooke, Bromont, and Granby and focused on the economic challenges facing the region—especially its close ties to American markets.
“We’re seeing serious implications for companies whose markets are primarily in the U.S.,” McGraw told The Record in a phone interview during her tour. “Even before April 2, businesses have had to make tough decisions to reassure American clients they’ll absorb the cost of the 25 per cent tariffs.”
McGraw, the MNA for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and the official opposition’s spokesperson for the Estrie region and social economy, said she tries to visit the Townships once a month. Last week she attended a sugar shack event in Magog; this time, her mission was firmly economic.
Her day began in Sherbrooke with a visit to Groupe Probex, a social enterprise that provides employment opportunities to adults with intellectual disabilities and those no longer supported by the public education or health care systems. McGraw praised the organization’s model of citizen engagement and social inclusion, calling it “a concept that should be exported to other regions, especially at a time when the labour shortage is critical.”
However, she also noted a troubling vulnerability. “Some of the companies Probex partners with are directly impacted by the American tariffs. And what we’re hearing is that when budgets are tight, programs with a social mission like this are the first to be cut,” she said. “That’s where you see not just economic fallout, but a social one too.”
From there, McGraw headed to Sherbrooke’s industrial park to visit Motrec International, a manufacturer of electric industrial vehicles. The company exports approximately 70 per cent of its products to the U.S., making it especially vulnerable to changes in trade policy under the current American administration.
“They have clients like FedEx, Air Canada, Tesla, Via Rail—the list goes on,” said McGraw. “But when most of your market is south of the border, a tariff like this is a direct hit. These are successful companies, but you can’t shift your client base overnight.”
Despite these challenges, McGraw said the businesses she met showed resilience and foresight. Motrec CEO Blair McIntosh, she noted, has implemented a strategy to weather the uncertainty. “He’s doing an outstanding job, really taking the company to the next level,” she said.
The day continued in Bromont, where McGraw met with representatives from Technum Québec, an international-calibre innovation zone made up of high-tech companies. She used the visit to learn more about the region’s technology ecosystem and congratulated Manon Duclos on her recent appointment as president and CEO of the organization.
She wrapped up her tour at the Chamber of Commerce in Granby, where discussions revolved around the specific challenges and needs of local businesses. “There’s a lot of energy and determination here,” she said. “But also a recognition that things are going to get tougher before they get better.”
McGraw also used the tour to hear local feedback on the CAQ government’s recently tabled budget. “We’re looking at another historic deficit of $13 billion,” she said. “The CAQ came into power with a $7 billion surplus. That’s $20 billion squandered.”
She accused the Legault government of using public money for populist measures instead of improving services. “We’re seeing cuts, not improvements, in our health and education systems,” McGraw said. “There’s growing frustration that Quebecers are heavily taxed but not getting the services they deserve.”
In addition to her economic mission, McGraw weighed in on the Quebec Liberal Party’s ongoing leadership race. She confirmed her support for Pablo Rodriguez, describing him as the only candidate with both legislative and ministerial experience. “We need someone who can hit the ground running, who can rebuild the party, win elections, and stand up to the economic and political threats we’re facing—especially from a possible Trump administration,” she said.
Turning to Bill 94, recently tabled in response to a controversial situation at Bedford school in Montreal, McGraw said the Liberal caucus is still reviewing the legislation but expressed “serious concerns” over its pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause and its extension of provisions similar to Bill 21 and Bill 96.
Bill 94 was tabled in response to allegations that Bedford public school was using its curriculum to proselytize students and promote gender inequality. The proposed legislation aims to strengthen oversight of educational institutions by pre-emptively invoking the notwithstanding clause to limit religious expression in schools, a move that has drawn criticism for potentially overreaching constitutional protections. While there is broad consensus that public funds should not support proselytism or discrimination, critics—including McGraw—are questioning whether Bill 94 effectively addresses the problem without infringing on basic rights.
“There’s consensus across all parties that religion has no place in public schools and that proselytizing children is unacceptable,” she said. “But we have to ask whether Bill 94 actually addresses the problem it’s supposed to fix, or if it goes too far and infringes on basic rights.”
She pointed to her party’s recent report on private religious education, which concluded that government-subsidized private schools must fully adhere to the Quebec curriculum. “There should be zero tolerance for anything that undermines the equality of men and women,” she said. “If religious instruction goes beyond the standard curriculum, it must be privately funded.”
Despite the heavy themes of the day—trade tensions, economic hardship, budgetary fallout, and education policy—McGraw said the meetings had been productive and energizing. “People are paying attention. They’re engaged. And they’re standing strong.” She plans to return to the Townships soon to meet with stakeholders in the tourism, culture, and community sectors.