At a recent event organized by the Conseil des relations internationales de Montréal, the Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie, Martine Biron, presented her vision of Québec’s international relations under the theme “Having ambition to promote Quebec on the international scene”. Its priorities are deployed under the axes of economic diplomacy, diplomacy of influence and identity diplomacy.
This return to the more assertive “ambition” of “bringing Quebec to the international scene” is a good omen. Already, at the Francophonie summit held in Djerba, Tunisia last November, the Minister relaunched the idea of a year (2023) devoted to Franco-Quebec relations under the theme of innovation — essentially economic — and the resumption of alternating visits by the French and Quebec Prime Ministers, interrupted since 2018. We must salute these initiatives and commitments.
Because, if Quebec must radiate throughout the world, it is not to be nostalgic to place the Franco-Quebec relationship in the forefront. This flagship of Quebec diplomacy can easily be governed according to the three axes favored by the minister. It can also serve as a bridge or springboard for partnerships that lead to other horizons. Finally, it is a truly bilateral relationship: some of Québec’s finest breakthroughs on the world stage have been made with the assistance of France and, in return, the latter can count on Québec to ensure the development of Frenchness.
This complicity between Quebec and France is most precious; today it must be revitalized.
Building on proven successes
Already, the Franco-Quebec framework agreement on the recognition of diplomas and the validation of studies of 1996 or the France-Quebec Agreement on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications of 2008 have consolidated the relationship between these two partners. The collaboration led to the adoption of the Convention on the Protection, and the promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions by UNESCO has become part of history.
It is high time that other gestures in the same direction occur, because over the years, the France-Quebec relationship has seemed to run out of steam. It must be given new vigor, well beyond questions of a strictly economic nature.
Although the Legault government imposed a major economic shift in Quebec’s international relations during its first mandate, Minister Biron’s affirmation of a more complete range of international actions suggests complementary commitments to the economy, even in vital and necessary support to it. The challenges of common interest are indeed numerous, and the ways of collaboration are dynamic and mutually fruitful, especially if they embrace modern issues.
Four contemporary challenges
Of course, collaboration between France and Quebec on the issue of the Francophonie and on the promotion of cultural diversity in the digital age must remain crucial. This is the case for artificial intelligence, a field in which Quebec has world-class expertise. However, developments in this area should not be based – for economic reasons – only on the logic induced by the language of Shakespeare.
The level of nuance that French allows can only contribute to an enrichment of the field. Here, France-Quebec cooperation could benefit from the establishment of joint research groups or the creation of a French-speaking world institute in artificial intelligence.
The protection of purchasing power and the fight against social inequalities are another sector where the actions of France and those of Quebec are based on common values. The necessary reflection around solutions to the global problems posed by a changing demography according to migration or the aging of populations would undoubtedly benefit from being nourished by Franco-Quebec expertise. Thus, France and Quebec could mobilize within UNESCO, particularly through the Institute of Statistics based in Montreal, to develop conclusive data to better perform this demanding analysis.
Climate change and biodiversity, the decarbonization of the economy and the energy transition challenge us. Quebec, along with California, is a leader in North America, but much remains to be done; in France, the Paris Agreement and the National Low-Carbon Strategy, first adopted in 2015 and revised in 2018-2019, maintain ambitious targets. A renewed France-Quebec relationship would allow both of them to benefit from more resources and, above all, to share their respective reading of their commitments, in order to facilitate compliance.
Finally, self-sufficiency and food security are areas where Quebec and France—agricultural territories of primary importance—can share their know-how, while orienting their priorities within the broader framework of the countries of La Francophonie. Many are still struggling to produce enough food to meet the needs of their population and ensure a solid trade base for certain specific products. Quebec and France could thus be the spearheads of a new operator under the International Organization of La Francophonie and dedicated to food and the reduction of famines.
Relations between France and Quebec had their golden age. In the light of the many sectors where a renewed and enriched sharing can be beneficial to both partners, we call for the manifestation of a firm political will which will encourage the emergence of exchanges geared towards the very wide diversity of new and redefined.