women, and not just any, occupy key positions in the diplomacy of canada and quebec.

For several months, under the leadership of Marlene Schiappa, secretary of State for equality between women and men, and Jean-Yves Le Drian, minister of Foreign Affairs, France advocates a diplomacy feminist : the idea, beneficial, is to act to defend the rights of women around the world, particularly where they are threatened. For the diplomacy of women, there is still progress to be made : women represent just 26% of French ambassadors – let us note that in Ottawa, it is a woman, Kareen Rispal, who, for the first time representing France. This is great because the Canada and Quebec show us the way : after the appointment of Isabelle Hudon, in the fall of 2017 as Canada’s ambassador to France by Prime minister Justin Trudeau, Quebec has this year been entrusted to two women in two of its largest delegations abroad : Paris, with Michèle Boisvert, and New York, with Catherine Loubier.

on Arrival as Delegate general of Québec in Paris on the 13th of may last, Michèle Boisvert is, like Isabelle Hudon (outcome of the economic sector and named, in large part, to de-mine the grounds of the opposition to the Aacc), an atypical figure in the world of diplomacy. An economist by training, a former journalist, she had left a few years ago the media to join the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the strategic position of communication and the growth of firms. Chosen for its profile as a “business”, Michèle Boisvert has a mission to double the economic trade annual between France and Quebec. Today, they represent $ 4.8 billion ($1.6 billion in exports from Quebec to France, $ 3.2 billion of exports from France to Quebec). Nearly five billion dollars (3.5 billion euros), this is not nothing… But this is only a day of trade between Canada and the United States ! As to trade in Canada-France, which is around $ 10 billion, they represent… the four days of trade between Canada and its giant neighbour to the south.

suffice to say that the challenge is to Michèle Boisvert, who has already taken to arm-the-body, as evidenced by the interview she has granted us. Even if the culture has always been the gateway to the relations between the French and the Québécois, the new Delegate wants to make the general Delegation of Québec in Paris “a place where we talk about business”, “where businesses and entrepreneurs can feel at home”. She also wants to involve the regions and ensure that the economy is always in a watermark in the agreements between our two nations, regardless of the topic.

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A small revolution, while relations franco-quebecois (who will celebrate their sixty years of history in 2021) have first and foremost been marked by political ties, and cultural. It is a change of era, with the awareness that the direct relationship between Paris and Quebec is certainly a privilege, but should never be taken for granted : “we need to work on our relationship,” insists Michèle Boisvert. A special bond that some will perhaps revisit it during the holidays of Christmas or that others are about to explore next year.