(Montreal) “I think we have an opportunity to seize to redefine our relations with the international community, between the cities and the provincial government, with the federal government because in the end, what we want is for our cities shine, may Quebec shine. »
It is in these words that the Mayor of Gatineau, France Bélisle, summarized the reasons why cities must invest in international activity, during a conference on Wednesday, in front of some 400 guests gathered at the invitation of the Council on International Relations of Montreal (CORIM).
Mme Bélisle participated in a round table on the subject of municipal diplomacy with his counterparts from Montreal, Valérie Plante, from Quebec, Bruno Marchand, and from Sherbrooke, Évelyne Beaudin. It was also striking to note that three of the four leaders of these large Quebec cities were women, a sign of an important change of guard in the municipal world of Quebec.
Montreal, international city
Admittedly, the international activity of these four cities varies greatly, Montreal for example being in a rather special situation, being home to 70 international organizations and six headquarters of United Nations agencies. Nevertheless, M.me Plante explained that even for the metropolis, the international business has completely transformed since the days of the twin cities.
“We have gone from more symbolic relations to something much more tactical now. We enter into networks. We are less in the bilateral, more in the multilateral”, she argued, taking as an example the creation of C40, which brings together the mayors and mayors of 94 large cities from 49 countries who have given themselves their own objectives of fight against climate change.
“It’s a way for big cities around the world to be able to say to other levels of government: if we are able to do it at the city level, what are we waiting for to shake up the things, go faster, at the state level? »
Limited power against “your banker”
Bruno Marchand, first magistrate of Quebec, however warned that if cities can very well use the international to put pressure on governments, they have no interest in positioning themselves as a counter-power.
“Faced with the current government, we do not want to play the game of counter-power. That does not mean that we are always in agreement, but this question of counter-powers is very uncomfortable for cities because 70, 75, 80% of what comes from cities excluding taxes comes from the government of Quebec for a road, for a park, for adaptation to climate change, for the economy. So playing counterbalance with your banker is not super fun,” he pointed out.
Mr. Marchand, recently returned from a trip to Scandinavia which he had to defend against some criticism, argued that it is necessary to get out, to look elsewhere to learn best practices to avoid stagnation. “We love so much to be unique, we love so much to be extraordinary, we love so much to be good, grandiose, grandiloquent, to say that we don’t need to learn from others and finally, this false virtue that we grant ourselves makes so that we slow down. Because finding yourself extraordinary, not comparing yourself, you necessarily don’t see the opportunities to learn. »
Cities, not all created equal
The mayoress of Sherbrooke, Évelyne Beaudin, however, brought all these beautiful people back “on the ground of the cows”, according to her expression. The cities do not all have the same means, she argued, stressing that monitoring in international matters was solely the responsibility of elected officials, in her case. “If the government financed us, subsidized the salaries of employees who would be dedicated to international relations, I think that they themselves would benefit from the fact that we have permanent expertise and we would benefit from it because not everything would be to be rebuilt at each election. »
Also, she recalled, Quebec has 1,100 municipalities, some of which are so small that the international is the least of their concerns. To illustrate her point, she recounted a recent visit to the village of Saint-Denis-De La Bouteillerie, in Kamouraska. “When you have one and a half employees in your municipality, because you have 515 people, when your biggest issue is a sewage odor problem in your village centre, international relations is really, really far. How do you want to face the challenges of 21e century when you live on the hooks of the State for the least dollar? »
Never mind, Bruno Marchand believes that it is up to the big cities to assume their responsibilities and to bring with them representatives of smaller municipalities. Because the opportunities are there, he insists. “When we were in Finland, the entrepreneurs told us: now is the time more than ever to do business with us because we are no longer doing business with Russia and we will no longer be doing business development. in China. Finland is turning to new markets. »
When the international is in your court
France Bélisle, for her part, amused the audience by explaining why she had still not traveled. “Not yet, I’m trying to secure my votes on the city council before moving internationally! “, she launched. Mme Bélisle, elected as an independent, must indeed face elected officials, some of whom are grouped in a well-organized opposition. On the other hand, she points out that she meets on a continuous basis with several ambassadors based in the neighboring federal capital. “It sounds banal, but it helps establish lasting foundations that are not just public relations, but become human relations that allow economic development, cultural development. »