Ottawa, Ontario
3 November 2014
Mr. President, we are already nearing the end of your stay in our capital, following the first leg of your visit yesterday in my home province of Alberta.
I must say that it is truly the first pan-Canadian French presidential visit, which reflects the reality of our modern relationship and we appreciate that.
During our meeting in Banff, we were able to tour the garden of Canada-France relations.
It is a large garden, of which the French planted over 400 years ago is still growing.
And I am sure that the garden will continue to grow even more quickly, now that the negotiations on the Agreement between Canada and the European Union have concluded.
So I am very pleased with the discussions we held together.
But I also see, in the quality and diversity of the delegation you have led here, another reason for confidence and hope.
It has always been desirable for heads of state and government to work together.
The richness of Canada-France relations is ample evidence of that.
New global economic realities now make those relations indispensable.
But our respective cultural, academic and scientific communities also need to strengthen their dialogue.
Our future successes hinge even more on the collaboration of our business communities.
That is why I am delighted with the initiative that brings us together here this afternoon.
As political leaders, we must show the way, especially in troubled economic waters.
But you business leaders are the real engines of economic growth over time.
You're the creators of economic security for people and of prosperity for countries.
You open the markets and you create the jobs and you are the ones who must ultimately breathe life into the Canada-Europe Trade Agreement.
So before we raise our glasses to the future of Canada-France relations, I would like to give special thanks today to the Economic Club of Canada, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, and the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters, for helping to organize this splendid event.
Give them all a hand.
And so in conclusion, Mr. President, allow me to raise my glass to our friendship, to the friendship between our two countries, but also to collaboration between our business communities.
Long live France.
Long live Canada.
