Dinner hosted by the Prime Minister of the French Republic

First of all, I would like to express my own gratitude and that of my wife and the members of my delegation for your generous and warm hospitality. I am sure that I am speaking also for the Canadian business people who have come to Paris for this occasion.

Today, on the completion of our work, we agreed on a Partnership Declaration. This is an ambitious program of work that should provide a direction for the actions of both our governments as the 21st century approaches. We have set objectives for ourselves that are not only ambitious but realistic, in light of the experience and the spirit of cooperation between our two countries.

We are ready to meet this challenge, because we are not afraid of challenges. Canadians are in the process of meeting a substantial one. Since it was elected in 1993, my government has implemented a rigorous policy of strict budgets and fiscal recovery, coupled with major initiatives associated with a redefinition of the government's role. This was not always easy and demanded sacrifices on the part of all Canadians, but I must acknowledge that they always supported us.

Now at last, we are about to reap the rewards. Our self-confidence and optimism have returned. Our economic growth could be better than 3 to 4% this year, and our 19971998 deficit will be less than 2% of GDP. The vitality of external trade is still the driving force of our economy. We are currently seeing a healthy recovery in domestic demand. Canada is now attracting praise from the international financial press but all this has not been painless. I want to pay tribute to my fellow Canadians, who have shown a lot of understanding and discipline during this difficult period.

We are here today to strengthen and renew the relations between our two countries. We are agreed that we must concentrate our energies on the future and rely on the spirit of trust between private-sector and public-sector partners. Mr. Prime Minister, the dynamism with which you and other government members inspired the cause of renewal of our relations, during your too brief visit to Canada last summer, remains a source of inspiration to do more and do it better.

This new dynamism can be seen in the private sector. The delegation of Canadian business people here for this visit includes at least twenty heads of large, medium-sized and small companies active in information technologies, aeronautics, tourism and finance. Tomorrow, at least six of them will sign business agreements and contracts, or will announce an acquisition or a new partnership.

This is one of the most dynamic types of cooperation, and it is the kind of formula we must count on for the future. I was also struck by the fact that at least 700 Canadian business people travelled to Paris in October for the Salon sur l'alimentation. And they were there not only to buy your fine products, but to sell ours to you.

As a result of the completely new cooperation framework just announced in the joint Canada-European Union Action Plan, a dialogue will be launched between business people on both sides of the Atlantic.

We will ask them to pinpoint the avenues of cooperation that should be opened up further, and also the tariff and non-tariff barriers that are still hampering their cooperation efforts.

During a previous visit to Paris in December 1994, I said that I would like to see faster liberalization of trade between the European Union and NAFTA. This idea has gained ground, and I still believe it is a winning formula, since it is designed to bring us closer and to develop a model for cooperation that will inspire other regions of the globe.

In discussing the European Union, we cannot avoid mentioning blocs and trade groups. We are both members of extremely dynamic entities the European Union and NAFTA that are absorbing an increasing share of our trade.

Globally, these entities exert a genuinely beneficial influence, to the extent that they do not hamper the international trade liberalization being pursued by the World Trade Organization.

Trade liberalization had a good year in 1996. We had the successful WTO Ministerial Meeting in Singapore. Canada signed free trade agreements with Israel and Chile. As regards Chile, since we did not want to be taken hostage by the American electoral calendar, we worked very hard and achieved final success.

I would now like to say a few words about our Pacific neighbours and to mention Team Canada. I have just visited Korea, the Philippines and Thailand with my colleagues the provincial Premiers, and more than 450 company heads. Team Canada allowed us to demonstrate, in a striking way, our interest in that fast-expanding region. The synergy created by a delegation of that size enabled the business people to forge closer links among themselves and, of course, with their Asian partners. Through these business connections, people will become better acquainted, and this in turn will help to gain acceptance for the fundamental values associated with respect for human rights.

By associating Asia with trade liberalization, we are contributing to transparent globalization of the market rules.

This region is so important for us that we have decided to make 1997 Canada's Year of Asia Pacific.

Given the way our respective areas of expertise complement each other, I believe we could work together there.

Canadian business has also greatly increased its investment in France.

Investment has become the main driving force of international trade. Increasingly, trade follows investment. Since our goal is to double our bilateral trade, we must identify initiatives to stimulate investment.

France is one of our priority markets in which we will concentrate our initiatives in the areas of trade promotion, technology exchanges and investment. We are developing a strategic plan to promote our trade with France, which will find its natural place among the initiatives flowing from our Partnership Declaration.

Today's inauguration of the new Canadian Cultural Centre, with its New Media Centre, leads me to emphasize the role of cultural exchanges and increasingly of our cultural industries in our relations.

I also wish to thank you personally, Mr. Prime Minister, for all the efforts you have made to facilitate the re-opening of the Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris. Canada and France are wise enough to share the profound conviction that governments have a part to play in protecting and promoting culture and cultural industries. In this way, we can play a far from unimportant part in international trade in cultural products.

We are involved in coproduction and cooperation, but here too we can and must do more. I am looking to our New Media Centre to open up new avenues and create new partnerships.

I will conclude by saying that for me, and for all Canadians, the accelerated rapprochement between Canada and France we have seen for some years now is very stimulating. Canada, in all its diversity, is a country deeply attached to its European identity. And though we are drawing closer to Asia and the Pacific, we do not want to distance ourselves from you, and we believe you are of the same mind.

Trade globalization and the communications explosion have brought profound changes to our lives. I believe that these major developments, and the new challenges they represent, will continue to bring us closer, because together we must demonstrate creativity and a sense of community.