March 20 - Québec, Quebec
Check Against Delivery
Hello everyone, and a big thank you to Mr. Labeaume and his team for this invitation.
As Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie, I am very pleased to note all of the initiatives here in the city of Québec for showcasing the French language and culture.
I find the new “Québec, l’accent d’Amérique” brand and the agreement between the City of Québec and the Centre de la Francophonie des Amériques particularly eloquent.
It is vital that we protect French in America.
Our prime minister, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, has often reiterated this:
The French language and culture have been part of Canada’s DNA since Samuel de Champlain founded our first national capital, Québec, in 1608.
They were just a handful of valiant pioneers when they braved that first North American winter.
Today, over 10 million Canadian Francophones have taken their place in the sun. Thanks to the international Francophonie, they can express their pride and hope the world over.
No prime minister has been as committed to La Francophonie as Prime Minister Harper.
His efforts include having the ministerial meeting of La Francophonie held in the city of Québec in 2008 to highlight the importance of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec, the cradle of La Francophonie in America.
The past year has been particularly noteworthy for Canada within La Francophonie, particularly following the historic Dakar Summit in Senegal.
It was at the Dakar Summit that fellow Canadian Michaëlle Jean became the first woman to be named Secretary General of La Francophonie. It was also where Canada exercised its leadership with regard to the health of mothers, newborns and children, the fight against Ebola, and sustainable economic development.
In addition, the members of La Francophonie agreed on an economic strategy for La Francophonie.
This economic strategy is a priority for our government, as it represents significant opportunities for growth and solidarity for all Francophone people.
We must take advantage of the opportunities presented by La Francophonie to engage in economic development in Quebec and the rest of Canada.
Our actions will include helping emerging economies to develop and trade with other nations so as to facilitate investment and reduce poverty in these economies.
I would also like to take a moment to commend the alliance between the city of Québec and the Centre de la Francophonie. This is a creative initiative; one that I am certain will yield results.
We also believe that it is important to support our entrepreneurs, particularly our youth, in their efforts to access those emerging markets and create jobs here in Quebec, in the rest of Canada and elsewhere in La Francophonie.
Francophones have helped make Canada one of the most admired countries in the world. In the current context in which we are strengthening our economic relations within La Francophonie, Canada’s Francophone community is also an asset to the prosperity of our country and that of the entire Francophonie.
On this March 20th, let us proudly celebrate La Francophonie and its promising future, both in Canada and beyond our borders.
Thank you.
