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PLSC 445B -- Québec
Class Notes -- 2008.05.07
=============================================
Québec and the World
What International Relations for Québec?
What do Quebecers think about World Politics?
=============================================
Québec is a non-sovereign state that operates the world's most extensive network of international representations.
Québec is situated at the top of 350 international federated political entities that exercise a jurisdiction over a given territory within a sovereign state.
Internationally, Québec has 6 general delegations, 5 regular delegations, 6 offices, 9 branches, and 4 non-delegation specialized services -- on 5 continents and in 20 countries.
1. Origins and development of Québec International Relations (IR)
2. The international status of Québec
3. The importance of France
4. Other important allies
5. Québec's international policy today: working in concert
========
1. Origins and development of Québec International Relations (IR)
Four factors that initiated Québec's new international activity in the 1960s:
A.) The Quiet Revolution
Example: Nationalization of all electric power-generating companies into
Hydro-Quebec in 1962 necessitated an appeal for American capital to finance
the operation.
B.) The International climate of the 1960s
- There were many changes during the period, and many old ideas were questioned everywhere in the world.
-- USA: JFK intended to inject a new dynamism into U.S. diplomacy
-- France: De Gaulle returned to power, signaling a renewed French impetus, and the projection of an image of modernity
-- Europe: European integration was in full progress
-- Third World: Decolonization was in full swing, leading to the creation of many new states.
- New definitions of international relations emerged during this period.
-- post-classical definitions of IR emerged: Not only limited to diplomats and soldiers, but also transnational exchanges between students, travelers, etc.
- Globalization required a rethinking of IR: Economy, labour relations, education, environment, culture, etc., all became more global issues than just domestic issues.
-- This led Québec to try to establish diverse relations with other political entities beyond its borders.
C.) The nature of the Canadian government
- The British North America Act (BNAA) of 1867 makes no explicit mention of foreign relations, because Canada was still a full-fledged British colony at the time. (In other words, a province engaging in foreign relations wasn't expressly forbidden by law.)
- Canada never concluded a treaty without the presence of a representative from London until 1923.
- Only in 1931 did Canada obtain complete sovereignty by the statue of Westminster.
Thus: Canadian diplomacy was still fairly fragile in the 1960s.
- In Québec, around 1960, critics of Canadian diplomacy pointed to the fact that Canada didn't sufficiently take into account the views of the francophone population.
- Also contested was the legitimacy of Canadian international activities in matters that were under provincial jurisdiction. So Québec demanded a more formal role for the province in foreign relations when it came to matters under its jurisdiction.
- At the time, there was also a fierce debate going on between francophones in the Canadian Foreign Service.
-- Many believed that Canadian foreign policy was too influenced by English Canada.
-- Many quit the Canadian Foreign Service, and took their experience and skills to jobs in Québec, and the burgeoning Québec Civil Service.
-- Many others stayed in Ottawa, and committed themselves to making Canadian foreign policy bilingual, and more influenced by Québécois culture.
=== Lester B. Pearson ===
- 14th Prime Minister of Canada (Liberal Party, 1963-1968)
- Affirmed Ottawa's supremacy, and a new rigidity towards Québec.
- His vision of Canadian foreign policy was: Ottawa should make foreign policy, and the provinces have no significant role to play.
- PET would later follow the same philosophy.
D.) The importance of France
- French President General Charles de Gaulle visited Canada in 1960, and is received in Québec.
- Immediately gave instructions to André Malraux, his Minister of Culture, to establish links with Québec. This formal relationship continues to this day.
- De Gaulle begins working to give Québec international status, and attempts to confer special diplomatic status on Québec.
- Québec soon opens an office in Paris (1961)
- In later years, De Gaulle receives (with great pomp and ceremony) Québec Premieres Jean Lesage and Daniel Johnson at l'Élysée Palace in Paris.
- France begins watching affairs in Québec with interest, and promises assistance in whatever Québec attempts to accomplish.
-- Example: As soon as Québec establishes a Ministry of Education in 1961 (prior to then, the church controlled education), the very first person to pay a personal visit to the new Minister of Education, Paul Gérin-Lajoie, was France's ambassador to Canada, Raymond Bousquet.
- The result of this cooperation between Québec and France leads to a 1965 agreement to work together in matters of education. Ottawa later intervenes to include this relationship in a framework agreement.
-- The Gérin-Lajoie doctrine comes out of this agreement between Québec and France.
- The Gérin-Lajoie doctrine becomes cornerstone and guiding policy of Québec's IR, to this day.
- De Gaulle visits Québec again in 1967 for Expo '67.
On July 24, he gives a speech from a balcony of Montréal City Hall, and launches into a message of emancipation: "VIVE LE QUÉBEC! VIVE LE QUÉBEC LIBRE!"
English Canada is NOT amused.
========
2. The International Status of Québec
=== Paul Gérin-Lajoie ===
- First Québec Minister of Education (1964-1966)
- Gérin-Lajoie is the first person to explicitly, and in some ways, definitively, the reasons that legitimized the international role of Québec
- On April 12, 1965, Gérin-Lajoie gives a speech before the consular corps of Montréal
-- The doctrine outlined in this speech, which becomes known as the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine, is elevated to a permanent doctrine of the government of Québec.
- The Gérin-Lajoie doctrine states:
-- The external jurisdictions of a Canadian province are the same as its internal jurisdictions, and to the same degree. (Example: Canadian provinces are responsible for education, so a province must be responsible for international educational treaties as well.)
-- A government (including a provincial government) that is charged with executing an international agreement must negotiate and sign the agreement on its own.
-- It is not acceptable for the federal government to have monitoring power and control of Québec's international relations in regards to Québec's sovereign responsibilities (education, language, culture, health, municipal affairs, etc.)
-- Québec must act to stop allowing federal representatives to act on behalf of Québec in the area of these sovereign responsibilities.
-- Since nothing in the BNAA (1867) expressly gives Ottawa central power in international relations, Québec will maintain that Ottawa is overreaching, and that the self-serving interpretation of its own powers that Ottawa claims over treaties and borders must be reigned in.
=== The Reaction of Ottawa ===
- This is entirely unacceptable, due to the indivisibility of the sovereign Canadian state.
- Canadian provinces may be associated with international negotiations that might lead to a treaty, and the execution of such treaties, BUT...
-- Foreign affairs is EXCLUSIVELY Ottawa's jurisdiction.
Aftermath
- Québec receives an exclusive invitation (Canada wasn't invited) to participate in an international conference on education in the African nation of Gabon.
-- Ottawa reacts by breaking off diplomatic relations with Gabon.
35 years later, this question is yet to be resolved.
- Québec continues to affirm its right to international extension of its constitutional jurisdiction.
-- Example: The 2001-2004 plan of the Québec Ministry of International Relations continues to refer to the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine.
- For its part, Ottawa has never ceased to assert its primacy in the area of diplomacy, more or less tolerating an international presence of Québec, while continuing to keep the province under tight scrutiny and supervision.
- In Washington DC, Canada maintains an embassy, while Québec maintains an office in a separate building.
- Québec maintains that it has never attempted a cavalier approach in these matters, going it alone and ignoring Canadian policies.
-- Example: All of Québec's extended external diplomatic delegations and offices have been established with the consent of Ottawa.
-- Example: France has contributed to carving out a special place for Québec in la francophonie, but did so with the consent of Ottawa.
=== The Agence de coopération culturelle et technique (ACCT) ===
- Created in 1970, was the foundation of la francophonie
- Functions as a permanent international institution for the promotion of French language and cultural and educational exchanges between francophone countries.
- PET wants to impose a unique Canadian presence in the ACCT.
- Much negotiation between Québec, Ottawa and Paris leads to a 1971 accord:
-- Canada is a member state of ACCT.
-- Sub-governments and territories of sovereign states may join ACCT, subject to the approval of the member-state responsible for that territory.
-- Québec may become a participating government in ACCT. (Later, New Brunswick also joins)
- Brian Mulroney (PM 1984-1993) was much more open to giving Québec an international role than his predecessors.
-- Example: In 1985, an agreement between Ottawa and Québec allows Québec to participate entirely in debates and activities related to the summits of la francophonie.
La Francophonie (grew out of ACCT)
- An international organization of French-speaking countries and governments.
- Its mission is to promote French language, culture and education.
- Summits are held every 2 years. (2008 Summit in Québec City).
Jean Chrétien (PM 1993-2003)
- Advocates more centralization of diplomatic role than Mulroney.
-- Example: Ottawa's 1995 white paper on foreign policy doesn’t mention provincial prerogatives and jurisdictions in the execution of international agreements concluded by Canada.
-- The stated goal of Canada's foreign policy is to project Canadian values and culture.
- This troubled the Québec government.
-- According to the 2001-2004 strategic plan of Québec’s Ministry of International Relations: this foreign policy goal had been drafted without the consent of Québec.
- According to Ottawa, the PQ government has improperly engaged in the promotion of Québec sovereignty outside of its borders.
- This was only really true during the referendum period of 1994-1995, when Parizeau went abroad to drum up support.
========
3. The Importance of France
- France and la francophonie continue to act as major players in Québec's IR.
- The general delegation in Paris is arguably the most important in Québec's network.
- The 1970s marked an intensification of relations with France.
- The Liberal government of Robert Bourassa (1970-1976) was federalist in tenor, but Bourassa applied himself to sustaining links with France, and most especially with French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac.
== Levesque and D'Estaing ==
- The succeeding PQ government of René Lévesque (1976-1985) also maintained strong ties with France.
-- French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing made Lévesque an officer of the Legion of Honour.
-- D'Estaing made a commitment that France would support Québec, "regardless of the road you decide to follow."
-- The Québec Premier & French President created a tradition of the two officeholders visiting each other once a year. That tradition has been continued by both of their successors.
== The 2nd Bourassa government (1985-1994) ==
- Bourassa maintains ties with France, but he and his Minister of International Affairs, John Ciaccia, are less interested in France than in other countries, such as the U.S.
== The Parizeau government (1994-1996) ==
- Québec and French relationship regains priority.
- Parizeau is a francophile.
- Visits Paris shortly before the 1995 referendum, actively seeking support for the sovereignists.
-- He gets support from Philippe Séguin, President of the French National Assembly, and soon-to-be French President Jacques Chirac.
- According to Parizeau:
-- "The only way to get the Americans to accept Québec's new status would be by getting France to quickly recognize Quebec as a country"
-- Given that dynamic, it has sometimes strained relations between Canada and France.
-- No country can maintain cordial international relations with another it suspects of undermining its very integrity.
- After the 1995 referendum:
-- France continues to support Québec's international status unconditionally.
-- Chirac, however, makes an bigger effort to solidify links with Ottawa than with Québec.
== French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin (1997-2002) ==
- Not as interested in Québec as his predecessors.
-- Much more fascinated by Canadian multiculturalism than by Québec identity.
== French President Sarkozy (since 2007) ==
- France will keep direct and preferential relations with Québec, but will also develop relations with ROC
- France wants a policy in line with a "new reality," one which would add to, rather than subtract from, its dealings with Canada.
=== Québec - France relations remain strong ===
- 500,000 French citizens visit Québec each year
- France is the #2 foreign investor in Québec (U.S. is #1). Some 300 subsidiaries of French companies employ about 15,000 Quebecers.
- France, the UK, and Deutschland are Québec's leading EU customers.
- Québec exports about $1 billion to Frace each year. (By contrast, Québec exports about $55 billion to the U.S. each year.)
- France is Québec's #4 foreign supplier.
========
4. Other important allies
(to be continued next class session).
Class Notes -- 2008.05.07
=============================================
Québec and the World
What International Relations for Québec?
What do Quebecers think about World Politics?
=============================================
Québec is a non-sovereign state that operates the world's most extensive network of international representations.
Québec is situated at the top of 350 international federated political entities that exercise a jurisdiction over a given territory within a sovereign state.
Internationally, Québec has 6 general delegations, 5 regular delegations, 6 offices, 9 branches, and 4 non-delegation specialized services -- on 5 continents and in 20 countries.
1. Origins and development of Québec International Relations (IR)
2. The international status of Québec
3. The importance of France
4. Other important allies
5. Québec's international policy today: working in concert
========
1. Origins and development of Québec International Relations (IR)
Four factors that initiated Québec's new international activity in the 1960s:
A.) The Quiet Revolution
Example: Nationalization of all electric power-generating companies into
Hydro-Quebec in 1962 necessitated an appeal for American capital to finance
the operation.
B.) The International climate of the 1960s
- There were many changes during the period, and many old ideas were questioned everywhere in the world.
-- USA: JFK intended to inject a new dynamism into U.S. diplomacy
-- France: De Gaulle returned to power, signaling a renewed French impetus, and the projection of an image of modernity
-- Europe: European integration was in full progress
-- Third World: Decolonization was in full swing, leading to the creation of many new states.
- New definitions of international relations emerged during this period.
-- post-classical definitions of IR emerged: Not only limited to diplomats and soldiers, but also transnational exchanges between students, travelers, etc.
- Globalization required a rethinking of IR: Economy, labour relations, education, environment, culture, etc., all became more global issues than just domestic issues.
-- This led Québec to try to establish diverse relations with other political entities beyond its borders.
C.) The nature of the Canadian government
- The British North America Act (BNAA) of 1867 makes no explicit mention of foreign relations, because Canada was still a full-fledged British colony at the time. (In other words, a province engaging in foreign relations wasn't expressly forbidden by law.)
- Canada never concluded a treaty without the presence of a representative from London until 1923.
- Only in 1931 did Canada obtain complete sovereignty by the statue of Westminster.
Thus: Canadian diplomacy was still fairly fragile in the 1960s.
- In Québec, around 1960, critics of Canadian diplomacy pointed to the fact that Canada didn't sufficiently take into account the views of the francophone population.
- Also contested was the legitimacy of Canadian international activities in matters that were under provincial jurisdiction. So Québec demanded a more formal role for the province in foreign relations when it came to matters under its jurisdiction.
- At the time, there was also a fierce debate going on between francophones in the Canadian Foreign Service.
-- Many believed that Canadian foreign policy was too influenced by English Canada.
-- Many quit the Canadian Foreign Service, and took their experience and skills to jobs in Québec, and the burgeoning Québec Civil Service.
-- Many others stayed in Ottawa, and committed themselves to making Canadian foreign policy bilingual, and more influenced by Québécois culture.
=== Lester B. Pearson ===
- 14th Prime Minister of Canada (Liberal Party, 1963-1968)
- Affirmed Ottawa's supremacy, and a new rigidity towards Québec.
- His vision of Canadian foreign policy was: Ottawa should make foreign policy, and the provinces have no significant role to play.
- PET would later follow the same philosophy.
D.) The importance of France
- French President General Charles de Gaulle visited Canada in 1960, and is received in Québec.
- Immediately gave instructions to André Malraux, his Minister of Culture, to establish links with Québec. This formal relationship continues to this day.
- De Gaulle begins working to give Québec international status, and attempts to confer special diplomatic status on Québec.
- Québec soon opens an office in Paris (1961)
- In later years, De Gaulle receives (with great pomp and ceremony) Québec Premieres Jean Lesage and Daniel Johnson at l'Élysée Palace in Paris.
- France begins watching affairs in Québec with interest, and promises assistance in whatever Québec attempts to accomplish.
-- Example: As soon as Québec establishes a Ministry of Education in 1961 (prior to then, the church controlled education), the very first person to pay a personal visit to the new Minister of Education, Paul Gérin-Lajoie, was France's ambassador to Canada, Raymond Bousquet.
- The result of this cooperation between Québec and France leads to a 1965 agreement to work together in matters of education. Ottawa later intervenes to include this relationship in a framework agreement.
-- The Gérin-Lajoie doctrine comes out of this agreement between Québec and France.
- The Gérin-Lajoie doctrine becomes cornerstone and guiding policy of Québec's IR, to this day.
- De Gaulle visits Québec again in 1967 for Expo '67.
On July 24, he gives a speech from a balcony of Montréal City Hall, and launches into a message of emancipation: "VIVE LE QUÉBEC! VIVE LE QUÉBEC LIBRE!"
English Canada is NOT amused.
========
2. The International Status of Québec
=== Paul Gérin-Lajoie ===
- First Québec Minister of Education (1964-1966)
- Gérin-Lajoie is the first person to explicitly, and in some ways, definitively, the reasons that legitimized the international role of Québec
- On April 12, 1965, Gérin-Lajoie gives a speech before the consular corps of Montréal
-- The doctrine outlined in this speech, which becomes known as the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine, is elevated to a permanent doctrine of the government of Québec.
- The Gérin-Lajoie doctrine states:
-- The external jurisdictions of a Canadian province are the same as its internal jurisdictions, and to the same degree. (Example: Canadian provinces are responsible for education, so a province must be responsible for international educational treaties as well.)
-- A government (including a provincial government) that is charged with executing an international agreement must negotiate and sign the agreement on its own.
-- It is not acceptable for the federal government to have monitoring power and control of Québec's international relations in regards to Québec's sovereign responsibilities (education, language, culture, health, municipal affairs, etc.)
-- Québec must act to stop allowing federal representatives to act on behalf of Québec in the area of these sovereign responsibilities.
-- Since nothing in the BNAA (1867) expressly gives Ottawa central power in international relations, Québec will maintain that Ottawa is overreaching, and that the self-serving interpretation of its own powers that Ottawa claims over treaties and borders must be reigned in.
=== The Reaction of Ottawa ===
- This is entirely unacceptable, due to the indivisibility of the sovereign Canadian state.
- Canadian provinces may be associated with international negotiations that might lead to a treaty, and the execution of such treaties, BUT...
-- Foreign affairs is EXCLUSIVELY Ottawa's jurisdiction.
Aftermath
- Québec receives an exclusive invitation (Canada wasn't invited) to participate in an international conference on education in the African nation of Gabon.
-- Ottawa reacts by breaking off diplomatic relations with Gabon.
35 years later, this question is yet to be resolved.
- Québec continues to affirm its right to international extension of its constitutional jurisdiction.
-- Example: The 2001-2004 plan of the Québec Ministry of International Relations continues to refer to the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine.
- For its part, Ottawa has never ceased to assert its primacy in the area of diplomacy, more or less tolerating an international presence of Québec, while continuing to keep the province under tight scrutiny and supervision.
- In Washington DC, Canada maintains an embassy, while Québec maintains an office in a separate building.
- Québec maintains that it has never attempted a cavalier approach in these matters, going it alone and ignoring Canadian policies.
-- Example: All of Québec's extended external diplomatic delegations and offices have been established with the consent of Ottawa.
-- Example: France has contributed to carving out a special place for Québec in la francophonie, but did so with the consent of Ottawa.
=== The Agence de coopération culturelle et technique (ACCT) ===
- Created in 1970, was the foundation of la francophonie
- Functions as a permanent international institution for the promotion of French language and cultural and educational exchanges between francophone countries.
- PET wants to impose a unique Canadian presence in the ACCT.
- Much negotiation between Québec, Ottawa and Paris leads to a 1971 accord:
-- Canada is a member state of ACCT.
-- Sub-governments and territories of sovereign states may join ACCT, subject to the approval of the member-state responsible for that territory.
-- Québec may become a participating government in ACCT. (Later, New Brunswick also joins)
- Brian Mulroney (PM 1984-1993) was much more open to giving Québec an international role than his predecessors.
-- Example: In 1985, an agreement between Ottawa and Québec allows Québec to participate entirely in debates and activities related to the summits of la francophonie.
La Francophonie (grew out of ACCT)
- An international organization of French-speaking countries and governments.
- Its mission is to promote French language, culture and education.
- Summits are held every 2 years. (2008 Summit in Québec City).
Jean Chrétien (PM 1993-2003)
- Advocates more centralization of diplomatic role than Mulroney.
-- Example: Ottawa's 1995 white paper on foreign policy doesn’t mention provincial prerogatives and jurisdictions in the execution of international agreements concluded by Canada.
-- The stated goal of Canada's foreign policy is to project Canadian values and culture.
- This troubled the Québec government.
-- According to the 2001-2004 strategic plan of Québec’s Ministry of International Relations: this foreign policy goal had been drafted without the consent of Québec.
- According to Ottawa, the PQ government has improperly engaged in the promotion of Québec sovereignty outside of its borders.
- This was only really true during the referendum period of 1994-1995, when Parizeau went abroad to drum up support.
========
3. The Importance of France
- France and la francophonie continue to act as major players in Québec's IR.
- The general delegation in Paris is arguably the most important in Québec's network.
- The 1970s marked an intensification of relations with France.
- The Liberal government of Robert Bourassa (1970-1976) was federalist in tenor, but Bourassa applied himself to sustaining links with France, and most especially with French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac.
== Levesque and D'Estaing ==
- The succeeding PQ government of René Lévesque (1976-1985) also maintained strong ties with France.
-- French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing made Lévesque an officer of the Legion of Honour.
-- D'Estaing made a commitment that France would support Québec, "regardless of the road you decide to follow."
-- The Québec Premier & French President created a tradition of the two officeholders visiting each other once a year. That tradition has been continued by both of their successors.
== The 2nd Bourassa government (1985-1994) ==
- Bourassa maintains ties with France, but he and his Minister of International Affairs, John Ciaccia, are less interested in France than in other countries, such as the U.S.
== The Parizeau government (1994-1996) ==
- Québec and French relationship regains priority.
- Parizeau is a francophile.
- Visits Paris shortly before the 1995 referendum, actively seeking support for the sovereignists.
-- He gets support from Philippe Séguin, President of the French National Assembly, and soon-to-be French President Jacques Chirac.
- According to Parizeau:
-- "The only way to get the Americans to accept Québec's new status would be by getting France to quickly recognize Quebec as a country"
-- Given that dynamic, it has sometimes strained relations between Canada and France.
-- No country can maintain cordial international relations with another it suspects of undermining its very integrity.
- After the 1995 referendum:
-- France continues to support Québec's international status unconditionally.
-- Chirac, however, makes an bigger effort to solidify links with Ottawa than with Québec.
== French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin (1997-2002) ==
- Not as interested in Québec as his predecessors.
-- Much more fascinated by Canadian multiculturalism than by Québec identity.
== French President Sarkozy (since 2007) ==
- France will keep direct and preferential relations with Québec, but will also develop relations with ROC
- France wants a policy in line with a "new reality," one which would add to, rather than subtract from, its dealings with Canada.
=== Québec - France relations remain strong ===
- 500,000 French citizens visit Québec each year
- France is the #2 foreign investor in Québec (U.S. is #1). Some 300 subsidiaries of French companies employ about 15,000 Quebecers.
- France, the UK, and Deutschland are Québec's leading EU customers.
- Québec exports about $1 billion to Frace each year. (By contrast, Québec exports about $55 billion to the U.S. each year.)
- France is Québec's #4 foreign supplier.
========
4. Other important allies
(to be continued next class session).
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