It was gratifying to hear the new Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie, Martine Biron, announce the resumption of alternating visits by the French and Quebec Prime Ministers after a four-year hiatus.
During the last quarter of a century, the predecessors of Mme Biron repeated one after the other to what extent the privileged relationship with France was of “paramount importance” for Quebec.
On the economic level, it remains so, without a doubt. In 2021, Quebec accounted for 47% of trade between Canada and France. The latter is still the second largest foreign investor in Quebec. Politically, however, “non-interference, non-indifference” gave way a long time ago to a “normalization” of relations within the Paris-Quebec-Ottawa triangle.
This withdrawal into the economic sector is not only confirmed in relations with France. It is Quebec’s international policy as a whole that has been provincialized over the years.
The title of the document published by the Legault government in 2019 was eloquent: Quebec. Proud and in business all over the world! It essentially talked about investment, exports, innovation, manpower, and so on. So-called “influence” diplomacy appeared there almost as a footnote.
The day after the Liberal victory in 2015, Justin Trudeau declared urbi et orbi that Canada was back. Seven years later, we are still waiting for it. A swallow does not make spring, but to hear the words of Mr.me Biron, we begin to hope that Quebec will end up remembering the concert of nations.
Admittedly, the time is no longer for the “big game” that Jacques Parizeau intended to play with France to obtain international recognition for an independent Quebec following the 1995 referendum.
Nothing can erase the family ties between French people and Quebecers and the affection they create. But from the moment when the latter reaffirmed twice in 15 years their desire to remain within Canada, we cannot blame France for losing interest in the political future of Quebec and for being reconciled with Ottawa, even if Nicolas Sarkozy has gone too far in defending Canadian unity, to the point of associating the sovereignty movement with sectarianism.
A federalist as unconditional as Jean Charest nevertheless deemed it essential for Quebec to continue asserting its personality on the international scene, whether in France or elsewhere. At the time, Jean-François Lisée had even awarded him his prize “for the parliamentarian who has most distinguished himself outside Quebec”.
It is true that Mr. Charest had developed a personal interest in international relations and that he had an ease that is not given to everyone. Even if Prime Minister Legault is less focused on the matter, it is surprising that the head of a government that presents itself as “autonomist” does not seek to further exploit the possibilities offered by the doctrine developed in 1965 by Paul Gérin-Lajoie , which affirmed “the international extension of Quebec’s internal jurisdictions”. It looked like caquisme before its time.
La Francophonie has seen better days, to say the least, and on the 18e summit, which opened in Djerba, does not arouse great enthusiasm. Not only has the Tunisian President, Kaïs Saïed, arrogated full powers to himself, but this “tower of Babel” that constitutes the Francophonie, according to the very words of its secretary general, is clearly seeking its way.
Equal to himself, Mr. Legault presented himself there saying he was open to “all kinds of partnerships” and began his stay in Tunisia with a meeting with the leaders of a company specializing in the manufacture of cables for cars. electrical.
Although the Sommet de la Francophonie has lost much of its luster, it is nevertheless the international forum most closely linked to the identity of Québec and the one where it enjoys the highest status. From the start, Robert Bourassa took the opportunity to test his room for maneuver by behaving practically like a head of state, under the annoyed eye of Brian Mulroney.
The heart of the Francophonie is now located in Africa, precisely where Quebec took its first steps on the international scene in the 1960s. Canada’s lack of interest in French-speaking Africa, which borders on disdain, creates a void whose Quebec could benefit to increase its influence.
This obviously does not exclude doing business, but it is not necessary to confine oneself to the role of traveling salesman.