Today, during a phone call, I spoke with the President of the French Republic, Mr. Emmanuel Macron.
Right from the start, I mentioned to him that Quebec women and men are following recent events in France with close attention. I expressed to him the full support and solidarity of the Government of Quebec and our condemnation of the unrest stirred up by the far left. I assured him that the Quebec people have no doubt that France will find the path to social peace and respectful dialogue—a way forward that will be useful for all of the West in light of the growing polarization in each of our democracies.
We also discussed the close and historic relationship between France and Quebec: the government-to-government relationship allows our two states to collaborate on a host of issues for the benefit of our French-speaking peoples on both sides of the Atlantic. I proposed to Mr. Macron that we continue to deepen economic relations and develop new areas of cooperation, such as digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
We also discussed the 20th Francophonie Summit, which will take place next month in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and the election of the new Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophonie.
Finally, we agreed on a possible meeting in France, which will take place in the coming weeks.
I am very grateful for this call, which bears witness to the solidarity and natural chemistry between our two nations.
: Paul St-Pierre Plamondon
Premier of Quebec