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"THE HONOURABLE STÉPHANE DION STATES THAT MARKET GLOBALIZATION IS ANOTHER ARGUMENT
IN FAVOUR OF A UNITED CANADA"

 

SAINT-LAURENT, QUEBEC, Mars 30, 1999 – The Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, told the Saint-Laurent Chamber of Commerce today that the opening of markets and international agreements are arguments in favour of a united Canada. "The more important the opening of markets and international agreements are to our economy and our quality of life in general, the more crucial it is that we be able to count on a united Canada," he stated.

Minister Dion highlighted access to the U.S. market as one of the economic advantages of a united Canada. Reviewing different stages of Canada's trade history, he responded to Quebec’s Deputy Premier and Minister of State for the Economy and Finance, Mr. Bernard Landry, who maintains that the Canadian federation has hindered the natural north-south development of Quebec's economy.

"On the contrary, it is the Canadian federation that has enabled us to overcome U.S. protectionism without being absorbed by the United States and suffering the fate of Francophones in Maine or Louisiana," the Minister stated. In this context, Canadian unity is proving to be just as necessary now as it has been in the past, if not more so.

Mr. Dion noted that Canada is the United States' biggest trading partner, far ahead of Japan and almost as important as the whole of the European Union, with exports of goods and services totalling close to a billion dollars a day. Last year alone, the two countries traded C$564 billion in goods and services.

This reality allows Canada to exert a strong influence on our neighbour to the south and gives it substantial bargaining clout on the international scene, just one of the assets that a province separated from Canada would not enjoy. Highlighting the importance of Canada's diplomatic network, which helps to facilitate trade ties between the two countries and to make Canada's views known, Minister Dion noted that Canada's influence also extends to numerous international forums.

Mr. Dion also pointed out that a separated and weakened Quebec would not have any automatic guarantee of accession to the North American Free Trade Agreement, which would require a reopening of negotiations with the different signatory countries to the Agreement, a scenario which would not be in anyone's interest.

The Minister also mentioned the close economic ties between Quebec and the rest of Canada, noting that, "The flow of goods between provinces is 12 times greater than that between Canada and the U.S., once the factors of size and distance are taken into account, and the flow of services is 40 times greater." This strong integration of the Canadian economy is based on the institutions that Quebec shares with the rest of Canada and on our national solidarity. "And so while Canadian unity is necessary to expand our north-south trade, it is no less essential to our east-west trade," Minister Dion stated.

"The spokespersons of the independence movement have announced that they will spend this year renewing their thinking on the why and the how of Quebec’s secession from Canada. They have said that the challenges of globalization will be at the heart of their reflection. Well, we’re ready to debate that, just as I have done here today. In point of fact, globalization makes Canadian unity, Canadians’ sense of community, Canadian solidarity, more necessary than ever. Other Canadians need Quebecers, just as we Quebecers need them to take on these new challenges," Minister Dion concluded.

 

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For information:
André Lamarre
Press Secretary
Telephone : (613) 943-1838
 


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Last Modified: 1999-03-30  Important Notices