Dinner in honour of the Prime Minister of the French Republic

Mr. Prime Minister, Mrs. Juppé
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you and your delegation to the National Gallery of Canada.

This gallery will soon be privileged to exhibit the prestigious retrospective of one of France's most influential 19th century painters, Jean-Baptiste Corot; the very same exhibit was recently held at the Grand-Palais in Paris.

You represent a nation that is dear to us and with which we possess special links. Canadians are aware of the contribution France has made to culture, industry and technology, and know that your country was the cradle of human rights.

France left roots in American soil, roots that have grown into something strong and solid. They have extended into all regions of Canada, as evidenced by those who share the French language from Vancouver to St. John's, as well as by English-speakers who have visited your country, are interested in your culture or, like thousands upon thousands of young Canadians, are learning French in immersion classes.

The relationship between our two countries involves not just the heart, but the mind as well. Canada and France share a common vision and values. We are pleased to see, for example, that Canadian literature is being exceptionally well received in France, as witnessed by the tribute paid recently to a group of our English-speaking authors as part of the "Belles étrangères" event.

When describing the ties that unite us, people quite naturally evoke our historical and cultural links. But it is not enough to simply talk about them; we must use them to develop our relationship even further.

The delegation accompanying you is a perfect illustration of this. Its members cover a wide range of mutual interests, be they the Francophonie, our economic and political relations or our exchanges in the area of youth and sports.

The economic dimension of our relationship has undergone a remarkable progression. Our economic ties have matured considerably, as evidenced by a marked increase in strategic partnerships and investments.

Your visit to Canada will help strengthen our relations.

I know you to be a decisive person, a man of action. Your personal history bears witness to this. Tomorrow the University of Ottawa will bestow on you an honorary degree in recognition of the contribution you made as Minister of Foreign Affairs to the achievement of peace in the former Yugoslavia. While the honour is a personal one, it also recognizes the contribution made by French diplomacy as a whole.

You have recently initiated major social and economic reforms that will help France maintain its position as an important trading and industrial nation.

The third millennium approaches. Canada and France are preparing for it.

In fact, we are well-prepared. We belong to the largest economic groups in the world today: NAFTA and APEC for Canada, and the European Union for France.

During a recent visit to Canada, your minister responsible for foreign trade, Yves Galland, said he wanted to see France become one of Canada's leading European trade partners.

Our trade and investments are focusing increasingly on high-tech industries, including communications, information technology, avionics and transport equipment. This confluence of technology and science is reaping rewards every day.

On the international scene, our political partnerships are multiplying as well.

The list of achievements made possible by our international alliances is indeed long. I have already mentioned your accomplishments in the former Yugoslavia.

Canada and France, together with their other allies, have worked tirelessly to bring an end to this cruel and bloody conflict, one that has seen too many of our soldiers die.

We still need to build peace, however. Our two countries and their allies are active on this front, working to rebuild Bosnia both physically and morally. This is no easy task. The same is true of our democratic future.

Canada and France also played an important role in returning President Aristide to power in PortauPrince. Our joint efforts at the United Nations helped achieve this objective.

The recent election of Mr. Préval illustrates the vitality of this democracy. The presence side by side of Canadian troops and French police officers is a guarantee of stability.

President Chirac recently announced the end of French nuclear testing as well as an impressive series of disarmament measures. This is an important initiative, one for which I congratulate you.

Canada is a world-leader in the area of both nuclear and conventional disarmament, including the issue of anti-personnel mines.

It is in these and other areas that we will be putting our expertise to work in order to help make the world a safer place in which to live.

Mr. Prime Minister, in two weeks your country will host the G-7 Summit in Lyon. Building on the accomplishments of the Halifax Summit, this gathering will present the leaders of the major industrialized countries and Russia with a unique opportunity to join forces to find solutions to the major political and economic problems of the day.

I know that one of the subjects close to the heart of President Chirac and of French government officials is that of development assistance. The relationship between the world's rich and less well-off countries is an issue of concern to Canadians as well.

Indeed, we take advantage of our membership in major world organizations and conferences to promote North-South dialogue.

In that regard, the Francophonie is a powerful instrument in which France and Canada, as the leading and second-leading funders, invest a great deal of energy. We made the Francophonie even more effective last December in Cotonou. The political component which we strengthened should enable us to make this forum a place where our countries can find common ground, where joint action will create a true spirit of solidarity on which the international community can come to rely.

Concerns have been expressed in certain quarters as to the future of French cultural heritage in Canada and other parts of the world.

Unfortunately, you will not have time during your stay to visit various regions of Canada which feature vibrant French-language communities, including those located in Acadia, Manitoba and Ontario.

I want you to know, however, that their dynamic existence is an important part of our national vitality.

And it is because they are so dynamic that we can welcome with open arms the new technologies enabling us to disseminate knowledge at a speed and to an extent that we would have never before dreamed imaginable. The information highway and multimedia are already part of our day-to-day lives.

The effects that these new types of recreation and learning will have on our societies remain difficult to evaluate.

One thing is certain, though: it is through creativity and adaptability that we will remain among the leaders and be in a position to influence these developments to the benefit of the Francophone world as well.

The English language has the lion's share in this new environment. It is imperative that French also become known as a source of creation and communications.

That is why Canada and France have joined forces in this vast project to make French a language which can be used to travel the information highway.

In a world threatened with uniformity, it becomes very important to support minority groups in their cultural affirmation.

Our linguistic duality and cultural diversity, entrenched as they are in our institutions, serve us in good stead when it comes to adapting to a constantly changing world.

Nothing is perfect, of course. We have our share of societal problems, such as unemployment, social alienation and dropouts. The transformation of our economies is having a profound impact on our populations.

We must address the concerns of our citizens who are hardest hit by these changes.

The people of Quebec were faced with a decision last October on whether to remain in Canada. For the second time in fifteen years, they chose to stay. In so doing, Quebecers sent a message for change. We heard this message.

The concept of the distinct society and other measures in this vein have been adopted by the Parliament of Canada. Others are in the works. They are aimed at making our country more efficient, while at the same time responding to the expectations of our citizens, including those of Quebec.

Mr. Prime Minister, our two countries have of course developed on both sides of the Atlantic. Our ancestors adapted to the particular political, economic and cultural conditions facing them. Bridges were built, thanks to our common language and our struggle for freedom.

Your visit to Canada and that of the members of your important delegation illustrate once again our mutual desire to continue in our efforts to develop still further the special ties that unite our two great countries.

I have no doubt that they will continue to grow to the benefit of both our citizenries.

I wish you a productive and pleasant stay here in Canada.