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Mr. President. Emmanuel. My friend. Welcome to my hometown of Montréal!
We have gathered here tonight, in the heart of French-speaking North America, to celebrate, despite the ocean that separates us, the closeness of the relationship between our two countries.
I can only imagine how a certain carpenter, Étienne Truteau – who left La Rochelle for New France in the 17th century – would feel knowing that over 300 years later, one of his descendants would be celebrating France and its president as the Prime Minister in the city that he helped to build.
All you have to do is walk outside, through the streets of Old Montréal, to see the history that unites France and Canada.
The streets themselves are witnesses, and the people’s language is the legacy.
If France’s heritage in Canada were limited to the remnants of our history, I would not be standing here in front of you speaking French.
We write in French.
We read it.
We sing it.
We live it.
Montréal is central to Quebec’s, and to Canada’s, Francophonie – and French is central to Canada’s identity.
And we can all be proud of that!
In a few days, we will be in Paris to celebrate the Francophonie Summit.
As you know, belonging to La Francophonie means so much more than simply sharing a language.
It means sharing our cultures, our ideas, and our hopes.
It could explain why so many people in Canada and France also share a vision of the future.
A future based on justice, equality, freedom, and the defence of human rights.
We’re also firmly aligned to protect the environment and fight climate change.
And in this fight against climate change, when we have needed help, we have been able to count on you; you responded with overwhelming numbers, standing by our side, to fight forest fires and protect our communities.
Around the world, we are seeing the consequences of climate change. We are seeing armed conflicts. We are seeing malicious actors attack democracy, international law, and human rights.
All across the world, we are seeing rising populism and extremism are on the rise, threatening our progress and unity. Both here in Canada and in France, this threat is real.
In these very challenging times, being able to count on our allies, the people of France, is priceless.
I know that, like me, many Canadians cherish this friendship.
This friendship between our two countries is also cultivated every day by our entrepreneurs and workers, who never miss an opportunity to work together.
Canadian and French businesses have formed partnerships that have created opportunities and prosperity for workers on both sides of the Atlantic.
And the ties between our economies have continued to strengthen over the years, especially since CETA came into force.
Since its implementation, this agreement between Canada and the European Union has spurred significant trade growth between our two countries.
Just this year, we have continued to strengthen this relationship with the creation of a France-Canada Business Council.
In 2023, trade between our two countries equalled nearly $13 billion and was responsible for over 150,000 jobs.
With the greatest benefits being seen in agriculture, in nuclear energy, in critical mineral mining – and many other areas.
This trade also leads to innovation and drives scientific research forward.
It is also central to the mission of the Joint Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation that we launched together in 2023.
We can all witness the positive impact of our economic partnerships, today.
But, when we work together, as we do, to achieve scientific progress – like on artificial intelligence – we can only imagine the positive impact it will have, tomorrow, for our citizens.
It is true that we are living in complex geopolitical times.
But just a few months ago, we were commemorating the courage and sacrifice of thousands of Canadians who crossed the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago to restore the freedom of the French people.
When the terror of Nazi occupation struck France, we were there.
Over 14,000 Canadians landed on Juno beach and over 5,000 Canadians fell on the battlefields of Normandy.
We will always remember their sacrifice.
It reminds us that democracy, freedom, and peace are at the heart of who we are as a nation and of our capacity to overcome the challenges we face, together.
Dear Emmanuel: our partnership is rooted in our values and in our history but strengthened by our shared ambition.
We are not only cousins, but allies and friends who are working toward an even freer, fairer, and more caring world.
My dear friend, Emmanuel, to you.