Canada/ Quebec – Conversation between Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne and the minister of international relations and Francophonie of Quebec (16 November 2020)
Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of State for Tourism, French Nationals Abroad and Francophonie, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, spoke with Nadine Girault, Minister of International Relations and Francophone of Quebec, yesterday. This conversation falls within the framework of the regular discussions between French and Quebecois government officials, driven by the roadmaps adopted in 2018 during the most recent “alternating meeting between prime ministers.” Nadine Girault spoke with Jean-Yves Le Drian in November 2018 and then with Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne on June 25, 2020. The next alternating meeting is due to take place in Quebec in 2021.
Preparations for the Francophonie Ministerial Conference, which will be held virtually on November 24 and 25, were central to this conversation. The minister of state reaffirmed our priorities with respect to expanding awareness of la Francophonie; the role of the French language and the promotion of multilingualism in international organizations and the EU; the development of la Francophone in digital spaces.
The minister of state and the minister discussed the various reforms relating to la Francophonie and in particular the updating of the economic strategy for la Francophonie, to which France and Quebec contribute. Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne expressed the hope that the latter would swiftly result in concrete actions, notably with the creation of a francophone network of employers’ federations, and the organization of francophone trade missions and commended the work of TV5MONDEplus, a free international French-speaking video-on-demand platform. The conversation also focused on preparations for the Francophonie Summit in Djerba, scheduled to take place in November 2021, and on the events that will take place before, in particular the “États généraux du livre en langue française,” co-financed and co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of International Relations and Francophonie of Quebec.