(New York) Martine Hébert, new general delegate of Quebec in New York, does not have it easy. It must increase Quebec’s exports at a time when the American neighbor swears by protectionism. Press wanted to know how she plans to go about it. The meeting was held at his Manhattan office in early December.
“The Premier of Quebec was very clear with the delegations abroad: we must increase exports, which amounts to supporting Quebec companies, particularly our players with high potential in strategic sectors for Quebec,” says the diplomat. right off the bat. When I talk about strategic sectors with regard to the United States, decarbonization is a priority. ”
According to her, Quebec is one step ahead of American society in the fields of renewable energies and transport electrification. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of it.
“We had a meeting with Louisville, Kentucky, in November,” she gives as an example. It was the delegation that created the event from A to Z. We gathered a bunch of Quebec companies in the sustainable transport sector. The mayor was there with me, we spoke to the people who obviously manage the vehicle fleets. It allowed companies to present their solutions and talk about Quebec achievements with other cities. ”
PHOTO ANDRÉ DUBUC, THE PRESS
Martine Hébert, Delegate General of Quebec in New York
But how will it succeed in increasing exports if Washington applies the Buy America plan everywhere? he was asked. Martine Hébert argues that companies are adjusting by opening assembly plants in the United States. The most recent example is that of Coteau-du-Lac tower lighting system manufacturer Technostrobe, which will open a factory in Albany, the capital of New York State.
“The Quebec delegation gave us valuable advice,” says Francis Lacombe, President of Technostrobe. Press joined him at the end of December. “She introduced us to the authorities of the State of New York, with whom we are still in contact with the aim of facilitating the integration of our company into the economic environment of Albany through access to job fairs and in terms of the visibility of our company. ”
But can we still talk about exports if the assembly is done in the United States? “The contract is not necessarily signed with the American factory, answers Mr.me Hébert. The contract can be concluded with the parent company. The fact remains that the profits will return to Quebec. Even when the assembly is done in the United States, research and development, engineering, artificial intelligence still remain in Quebec. And these are the paid jobs. ”
Economic diplomacy
To boost exports, the General Delegate relies on economic diplomacy and influence, which consists of meeting with private and public contractors upstream in the call for tenders process to publicize Quebec’s expertise.
We can easily get in touch with these actors. We are welcomed because we are not seen only as sellers of products, but as a diplomatic government body.
Martine Hébert, Delegate General of Quebec in New York
She names the contract for the purchase of a maximum of 600 buses by the Chicago urban transport company granted to Nova Bus as her best move since her arrival in Quebec diplomacy.
“We have to be careful, however, she emphasizes. We can’t say it’s thanks to us [que Nova Bus a obtenu le contrat], but we have been proactive. I had met, for example, the president of the CTA [Chicago Transit Authority]. I have met the people who manage the vehicle fleets. I had had many meetings with a lot of people at the CTA. Martine Hébert had been with the Chicago delegation since mid-2019 before her appointment in New York.
Since arriving at his office at 26e floor of Rockefeller Center, she has not been idle. “During my first 100 days, we had 150 high-level meetings of economic diplomacy and influence,” she enumerates. We made four trade missions, two ministerial missions, meetings with three important American cities as well as exchanges with the office of the mayor of New York, a call from the Prime Minister with Governor Hochul to discuss various files. I have done missions too. I went on a mission to Washington to meet several elected officials. I also went to Plattsburgh to meet with the North County Chamber of Commerce. I have had meetings with several members of departments in the State of New York. I met the CEO of NYSERDA [NY State Energy, Research and Development Authority]. ”
In mid-December, Mme Hébert flew to Virginia in order to promote Quebec’s expertise in artificial intelligence applied to logistics to the local port authority.
In the longer term, she has in her sights the Winter Universiade which will take place in January 2023 in Lake Placid. “This is a great opportunity for us to promote companies. We try to make our electric Quebec buses transport the athletes, ”she says.
When she is not busy meeting with decision-makers and elected officials, Mr.me Hébert talks to Quebec exporters to find out their priorities. At their request, a personalized support plan is established with the help of the delegation’s sales associates to guide them in the American market.
“Most of my time is spent on exporting, then on business development for our companies. This is the very essence of the economic turn that the delegations have taken. As delegates, we are much more involved in these economic issues and we have focused our actions on economic diplomacy, which serves to position Quebec expertise, to make it known, to talk about it, to spread the good news ”, she says.
Who is Martine Hébert?
An economist by training, Martine Hébert was appointed Québec Delegate General in New York on August 16. Previously, she served as Quebec delegate in Chicago as of June 2019. Before becoming a diplomat, Mr.me Hébert was Senior Vice-President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business for 10 years.