Less than 1% of Quebec’s international trade is with kingdom

Even before Saudi Arabia decided to freeze new trade deals with Canada, trade with the ultraconservative kingdom accounted for a tiny fraction of Quebec’s imports and exports.

Exports from Quebec to Saudi Arabia accounted for just over 0.16 per cent of the $85 billion-worth of merchandise Quebec exported worldwide during the 12-month period that ended on June 30, 2018, according to data from Statistics Canada.

While imports from Saudi Arabia during that period were $60 million higher than exports, worth just over $200 million, that accounted for less than a quarter of one per cent of the $80.9 billion worth of merchandise imported to Quebec from around the world during the period.

The freeze on new trade deals, announced on Sunday, also sees the absolute monarchy recall its ambassador to Canada and expel Canada’s ambassador. It came, apparently, in response to a tweet from Global Affairs Canada expressing concern over the arrests of civil society and women’s rights activists in the kingdom.

Among those arrested, and named in the tweet, was Samar Badawi. She is the sister of imprisoned blogger Raif Badawi. In May, Badawi, whose wife and three children live in Quebec, was named an honorary citizen of Montreal.

“The whole situation with Mr. Badawi, many times my colleague, Christine St-Pierre, has mentioned the importance for us to find a solution,” said Quebec Economy Minister Dominique Anglade on Monday.

“In terms of trade, we’re always open to trade, but we need to be trading with partners that want to trade with us in a way that’s meaningful to us.”

Quebec’s imports from Saudi Arabia accounted for less than six per cent of Canada’s imports from the kingdom during the year that ended on June 30. Exports from Quebec accounted for eight per cent of Canada’s exports to Saudi Arabia.