France and Quebec

Link: http://www.consulfrance-quebec.org/

Since 1967, France has maintained “direct and privileged relations” with Quebec on the basis of historical, cultural, and economic connections.

Quebec has had a General Delegation based in Paris since 1961. The Consulate General of France in Quebec has a political and cooperation role similar to that of an embassy.

France-Quebec relations are institutionalized in the practice of alternating meetings between France’s and Quebec’s Prime Ministers, every two years.

France-Quebec relations are now multifaceted and involve all spheres of civil society.

2008 was extremely rich in bilateral relations, including France’s participation in the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Quebec City.

On October 17th, 2008, the President of the Republic and Quebec’s Prime Minister signed an arrangement regarding mutual recognition of professional qualifications.

This applies to regulated professions and aims to facilitate the exercise of these trades in the other party’s territory. This document provides for implementation in stages: negotiations between the relevant French and Quebec authorities for each profession to sign mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs), then changing legislative, regulatory, and administrative standards.

In two years, considerable progress has been made in the implementation of this unprecedented agreement.: more than 60 MRAs have been signed (architects, lawyers, engineers, doctors, butchers, masons, etc.), the most recent being on the occasion of Mrs. Gagnon-Tremblay’s visit to Paris in June 2011.

- Visits

To Quebec

President of the Republic (since 1980): 1987 (F. Mitterrand), 1999 (J. Chirac), October 2008 (N.Sarkozy).

Prime Minister (since 1980): 1982 (P. Mauroy), 1984 (L. Fabius), 1987 (J. Chirac), 1996 (A.Juppé),

1998 (L. Jospin), 2003 (JP. Raffarin), July and October 2008 (F. Fillon).

Foreign Affairs Minister and Secretary of State for Cooperation and the Francophonie (since 2005): March 2006 (P. Douste-Blazy), April and July 2008 (A. Joyandet), January 2010 (B.Kouchner), June 2010 (A. Joyandet).

Other Ministers and Secretaries of State: January 2010 (L.Wauquiez, Employment; E.Besson, Immigration), March 2010 (M. Hirsch, Youth), June 2010 (E.Besson, Immigration), October 2010 (A.-M. Idrac, Foreign Trade), February 2011 (G. Tron, Civil Service), March 2011 (L. Chatel, National Education).

To France

Prime Minister (since 1980): 1980, 1983, and 1985 (R. Lévesque), 1986, 1989, and 1991 (R.Bourassa), 1994 (D. Johnson), 1995 (J. Parizeau), 1997, 1999, and 2000 (L. Bouchard), 2001 (B.Landry), 2004, 2006, 2007, February and May 2008, February, July, and November 2009, June and November 2010 (J. Charest).

International Relations Minister (since 2005): February and December 2005, March and November 2006, October 2007 (M. Gagnon-Tremblay), April, June, and December 2009, January 2010 (P.Arcand), November 2010 and June 2011 (M. Gagnon-Tremblay).

Other Ministers: January 2010 (L.Lessard, Municipal Affairs), March 2010 (L. Beauchamp, Sustainable Development), November 2010 (S. Hamad, Transportation), February 2011 (L. Lessard, Municipal Affairs) June 2011 (C. St-Pierre, Culture and Communications, C. Gignac, Economic Development).

Updated on 15.07.11