Carney arrives in Phnom Penh for Francophonie summit, set to meet Quebec Premier Plamondon

Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Sunday (November 15) for the two-day 20th Francophonie Summit. The most closely watched meeting of the trip is his first face-to-face talks with Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon since the Parti Québécois won the October 5 provincial election and formed a minority government.

About 30 minutes, covering homelessness, immigration and culture

According to The Canadian Press, the two leaders are scheduled to meet for about 30 minutes on Sunday, with homelessness, immigration and culture among the expected topics. Carney had said he wanted to meet Plamondon before the Francophonie summit; Plamondon insisted that any meeting on Canadian soil take place in Quebec City, which the Prime Minister's Office said it could not accommodate, so the two agreed to meet in Phnom Penh instead. The Canadian Press reported that a further meeting in Quebec City is expected before the end of 2026.

Quebec may vote differently from Canada

Plamondon said on Saturday that Quebec may vote differently from Canada in Monday's election for secretary-general of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). Quebec, Canada and New Brunswick each hold a vote; incumbent secretary-general Louise Mushikiwabo of Rwanda is seeking a third term against three challengers. Plamondon said Quebec is not bound by another government's vote, but did not say whom he will support. Quebec's international relations minister, Dieudonné Ella Oyono, said the Quebec delegation will not formally raise independence at the summit. The trip is Plamondon's first international outing as premier.

Second stop on Carney's four-summit trip

Carney travelled to Phnom Penh after wrapping up the ASEAN summit in Manila, where he announced the conclusion of free-trade negotiations with the Philippines and pledged up to C$560 million to the Brazilian-led Tropical Forests Forever Facility. After the Francophonie summit, his Asia trip continues to China.