2024-04-11 14:11:45
By Le Figaro with AFP
Published 14 hours ago, Updated 46 minutes ago
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The French Prime Minister is meeting his counterpart Justin Trudeau this Thursday in Ottawa, whom he will try to reassure about the fate of Ceta, a free trade treaty between the European Union and Canada, whose ratification process Paris is threatening to block.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal arrived Wednesday evening, April 10 in Ottawa for a two and a half day visit to Canada where he met his counterpart Justin Trudeau with the aim of “to strenghten” cooperation between two “historical partners”, according to its services. This first trip outside the European Union by the head of the French government is all the more anticipated as there has not been a French visit at this level to Canada since June 2018, when Emmanuel Macron visited Quebec. for a G7 summit and a working visit.
“Canada and France, we speak the same language, not just French, but the language of shared values”declared Gabriel Attal, citing “freedom, respect for law, humanism” before a dinner in honor of his visit. “In these complicated times in the world, it is even more important to come together with friends and above all to recommit and make a deep promise to continue working to advance our shared values”as “democracy, freedom, the rule of law”added Justin Trudeau.
Gabriel Attal dines Wednesday evening with the Canadian Prime Minister on the theme of the Francophonie. France will host the 19th Francophonie summit in October at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts (north-east), and Mr. Trudeau could participate in this event. Before these feasts, Gabriel Attal will have an interview with Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, who represents King Charles III, head of state of this parliamentary monarchy.
A “direct and privileged” relationship
Attal and Trudeau will have a more official meeting on Thursday, followed by a press conference, during which the fate of Ceta (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, AECG in French) will be discussed. The French parliament threatens the ratification process of this free trade treaty between the European Union and Canada but the executive is supportive. Gabriel Attal brings industry representatives to his delegation “direct beneficiaries of Ceta and mobilized to defend it”according to Matignon.
The head of the French government then goes Thursday afternoon and until Friday to Quebec, the French-speaking province of Canada with which France maintains a relationship “direct and privileged”, where he will meet his counterpart François Legault and deliver a speech to the National Assembly of Quebec. Attal and Legault will chair the 21st Alternate Meetings of French and Quebec Prime Ministers (RAPM), the last edition of which dates back to March 2018 in France.
Five ministers will accompany Gabriel Attal: Éric Dupond-Moretti (Justice), Sylvie Retailleau (Higher Education), Franck Riester (Foreign trade and Francophonie), Roland Lescure (Industry and energy), and Patricia Miralles (Veterans).
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