Madam Minister Martine Biron,
The next Francophone Games will take place in Kinshasa, bringing together nearly 40 nations from around the world to celebrate and preserve Francophone culture. You have decided to exclude from these festivities both the sports delegation and the artistic delegation of Quebec, citing security reasons and infrastructures deemed inappropriate. This open letter represents a cry from the heart imploring you to rectify your decision, which is not only devastating for the Quebec artists concerned, but also for our Francophone culture and the foundations of Quebec paradiplomacy.
The Quebec government is the only one to have made this decision. However, the problems related to the infrastructures concern exclusively those of sport, which explains the decision of Belgium, France, Switzerland, without forgetting Canada and New Brunswick, to honor their commitments by dispatching their artistic delegation respectively. Moreover, the security issues are neither new nor serious enough to prevent all other delegations from participating.
But above all, refusing to send the Quebec artistic delegation there represents a gesture that goes against diplomacy in itself, deplored by Kinshasa and by Quebec artists, who see their hopes dashed after several months of hard work, while their participation in the Games constitutes their salary. The Gérin-Lajoie doctrine is part of a logic of respect for Francophone culture, which is inextricable from respect for its artists. This heritage explains the relevance of Québec’s privileged seat within the International Organization of La Francophonie, which you must preserve.
In truth, your decision recalls your government’s withdrawal from hosting the Games in Sherbrooke; financial issues seem to be a tacit argument. However, culture, like the Francophonie, is an invaluable wealth and comes under the proven expertise of the artists making up the Quebec delegation. We regret that no substantial explanation has accompanied this demoralizing news for the artists who work to promote and protect our language, threatened, according to your government’s own admissions.
There is still time to change this decision. We are ready to promote our values within the French-speaking network, in particular respect for women and that of LGBTQ+ communities. The voice of Quebec artists is invaluable in an international context. We urge you to believe in the strength of culture, like all the nations participating in the Games.