Letter From L. Richard Kohler, Chief of Protocol, Government of Canada to Michel Gagné, Chief of Protocol, Department of International Relations, Government of Quebec

March 6, 2001
Ottawa, Ontario

Attached is the text of a letter from L. Richard Kohler, Chief of Protocol, Government of Canada, to Michel Gagné, Chief of Protocol
Department of International Relations, Government of Quebec, concerning the role of the Government of Quebec during the upcoming Summit of the Americas.
The letter was hand-delivered today by the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Jean Pelletier to Quebec Minister of International Relations Madame Louise Beaudoin.

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PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555

Mr. Michel Gagné
Chief of Protocol
Ministère des Relations internationales
Government of Quebec
Édifice Hector-Fabre
525, boulevard René-Lévesque Est
Quebec City, Québec
G1R 5R9

Dear Mr. Gagné,

Further to the working meeting today attended by your Minister of International Relations and the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister of Canada, I wish to confirm the position of the Government of Canada concerning the presence of the Premier of Quebec at the Summit of the Americas to be held in Quebec City on April 20-22, 2001:

• Presence of the Premier of Quebec or other representative of the Government of Quebec at the Jean Lesage International Airport for the official welcome of Heads of State and Government;

• Presence of the Premier of Quebec at the Summit opening session at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 20;

• Presence of the Premier of Quebec at the private reception given by the Prime Minister of Canada for Heads of State and Government following the Summit opening session on Friday, April 20;

• Presence of the Premier of Quebec at the Prime Minister of Canada's official dinner at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 21;

• Presence of the Premier of Quebec at the cultural evening to follow the dinner on Saturday, April 2l;

All these events will be covered by the media to a greater or lesser degree.

The possibility of the Premier of Quebec meeting some Heads of State and Government during their visit to Canada was also raised. Once we have received your requests, the Government of Canada will forward them to the foreign authorities involved in order to coordinate the details.

I would like to point out, however, that it will be necessary for these meetings to take place during the day of Friday, April 20, since the Heads of State and Government will spend Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday together on a very tight schedule of activities. Last, in accordance with well-established practice between our two governments, if there is a one-to-one meeting between a Head of State or Government and the Premier of Quebec, these two persons will be alone. As soon as they are joined by others, a representative of the Government of Canada will also be present.

As regards your express request that the Premier of Quebec address the opening session, I wish to inform you that this space is reserved to the Heads of State and Government of the Summit, and in particular to the members of the troïka, i.e. the countries that led the process to develop the Summit Declaration and Plan of Action. In this case, the Troika consists of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, host of the third Summit of the Americas, President Ricardo Lagos of Chile, the host country for the second Summit, and President George Bush of the United States, the host country for the first Summit.

Yours sincerely,

(Original Signed by L. Richard Kohler)
Chief of Protocol
Government of Canada

cc : Ms. Martine Tremblay
      Deputy Minister
      Ministère des Relations internationales du Québec

      Mr. Marc Lortie
      Personal Representative of the Prime Minister
      for the Summit of the Americas