Mayor of small Quebec town in hot water following pro-Trump comments

The mayor of Louiseville, Que., is receiving backlash over his support for U.S. President Donald Trump.

On Sunday, Mayor Yvon Deshaies was quoted by the Nouvelliste, a Mauricie, Que., regional newspaper, saying that despite being "disappointed" about the impending 25 per cent tariffs, Trump "is still my man. I make no secret of it."

Deshaies, who made headlines in 2024 for encouraging the hunting of turkeys terrorizing his town of about 5,000, located 160 kilometres southwest of Quebec City, is now being called out.

"To support a person who's threatening, a person who looks down on us as Canadians… as a company, we can't support these comments," said André Giguère, president and general manager of Meubles Canadel, a family-owned furniture business based in Louiseville.

"It's not in our values, it's not in our DNA."

Giguère says Meubles Canadel is considering withdrawing a $150,000 contribution for the town's boulodrome project —  a centre used for the popular French sport, pétanque.

Giguère says his company is reconsidering a number of other investments and projects, in part due to this period of economic uncertainty.

"Is the boulodrome project … at the top of the list because of what [Deshaies] said? The answer is yes, but it will be analyzed," said Giguère.

"There are a lot of variables right now when it comes to economic uncertainty. The mayor's comments add to that."

Giguère says the company will let the mayor know when it's made a final decision on the project.

'It just went too far,' says man pulling $11K in donations

With customers in the U.S. and 600 employees in Louiseville, Jean Deveault, former vice-president of Canadel who is now retired, says the company "is the economic strength of the city."

"These people are nervous. It's already tough to be in business these days … and I think an official of a city saying 'that is my man,' even with the [impending] tariff, it's just too much," said Deveault.

He says he's personally withdrawing his donations to the city for this upcoming year — about $11,000 in total.

"It just went too far," said Deveault.

"You have to respect the people who are part of your community and we don't feel last Sunday that we're being respected by the mayor."

Deveault says he's "a man of principle" — choosing to sell his Florida home just days after Trump was elected.

"I cannot spend my retirement money in a country who is able to put this guy in [power] again," said Deveault. "For me, it's nonsense."

He says the Louiseville mayor needs to face consequences for the things he says publicly.

In an interview with Radio-Canada, Mayor Deshaies likened politics to a boxing match. 

"That's politics, you get in the ring and you have to be ready to take a hit," he said.

Deveault believes the mayor is a good fit for the Louiseville administration, but he says his public support of Trump was unnecessary. 

"He has the right to think this … but don't say it," he said.