Notes for an Address to an Official Dinner hosted by Mr. Lionel Jospin, Prime Minister of the French Republic

June 22, 2000
Paris, France

Mr. Prime Minister, I am very pleased to be here, and wish to thank you most sincerely for your invitation. I have very fond memories of your official visit to Canada in December 1998. It afforded us an opportunity to further enrich the long history of friendship between our two countries.

And we continue to build on that progress. The talks held earlier today will broaden the cooperation between our two nations. Cooperation that is focused on enhancing the well-being of our people and building a better world.

Mr. Prime Minister, the building we are in this evening, a building dedicated to French diplomacy, is a particularly fitting place to reaffirm our shared beliefs.

As you so aptly pointed out during your visit in 1998, Canada and France share "the same view of the unstable world which surrounds us."

At the time, a financial crisis was sweeping through Russia and Southeast Asia. A crisis that had serious consequences for people throughout the world. One year later, the difficult WTO ministerial meeting in Seattle reminded all of us how absolutely essential it is to engage all sectors of society in a dialogue on the globalization of trade. We must also continue our efforts to promote a greater understanding of the benefits to be gained from the international institutions that we have created. Not only that, but we must redouble our efforts to make these institutions more effective through enhanced efficiency and transparency.

Mr. Prime Minister, globalization presents us with searching challenges. But it will be profitable only if all the countries of the world, including the least developed, can share in the benefits. In fact, we had a chance to explore this theme together a few hours ago as part of our discussions on key international issues.

Canada fully appreciates the need for broader international dialogue if we are to tackle the challenges of globalization and broaden its benefits. It was in that spirit that we proposed the creation of the G20, whose second meeting is scheduled for October in Montreal. We plan to take advantage of our presidency of this group to promote greater economic cooperation. Cooperation backed up by more coherent and concerted intervention by our international institutions in developing countries.

Mr. Prime Minister, I am pleased that France is also keen on playing a leadership role in these international discussions. In July, you will assume the presidency of the European Union for a six-month term. This will be a very important period for Europe. The countries of the EU are giving much thought to the type of political structure that would best suit the continent. This could give rise to debates on relations among the governments of member countries and among the various levels of government. These discussions will not be easy, to be sure. But rest assured that you will have the full support of your friends in Canada.

France's presidency will also be the perfect opportunity to enhance our cooperation. One area we will be looking, among others, is putting in place a specific Canada/EU consultation mechanism on security and defence.

These avenues would add to our already dynamic cooperation in the areas of peace and security as well as support for democracy the world over. We have worked together in the campaign against antipersonnel mines. And we have campaigned side-by-side for observance of internationally-recognized norms for the protection of human rights. This speaks eloquently to our shared conviction that prosperous, peace-loving societies must respect the principles of rule of law and good governance.

Mr. Prime Minister, you stated in Ottawa that "culture is always a meeting ground and, as such, a building block of democracy." Canad shares this belief. It is essential that we continue to work together to promote cultural diversity and multilingualism. In such fora as UNESCO, La Francophonie and the International Network on Cultural Policy, our countries speak as one.

Our governments work together in a number of sectors. It is only natural, therefore, that the ties which unite transcend nation-to-nation links, to encompass business and people to people contacts.

I am especially gratified that trade between our two countries reached a record level in 1999, and that investment continues to grow. In fact, France is already the fourth largest source of investment in Canada. And these economic ties are bound to strengthen as our people grow closer.

That is why we are committed to expanding the exchanges between our countries' young people, students, educators, researchers and artists. With this goal in mind, a new Working Holidays program has been developed. And we are looking at signing a protocol amending the cooperation agreement of 1956. In addition, a new France-Canada Research Fund will benefit scientific and technical relations.

Our objective is clear: to expand the dialogue between our two nations to include all spheres of activity–not just political and economic, but cultural and intellectual as well. That is why the establishment of a Canadian Studies Chair at l'Université de Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle is so important, as is the creation of similar Chairs in many French universities. To my mind, these programs bespeak a bright future in France-Canada relations.