The Québec Nation in Brussels: the dialogue initiated by Québec attracts international attention

14 mai 2018

April 18, 19 and 20, 2018  

Jean-Marc Fournier, the Minister responsible for Canadian Relations and the Canadian Francophonie, draws up a positive assessment of his 3-day mission to Brussels, the Belgium and European capital, where he presented the Policy on Québec Affirmation and Canadian Relations at an international symposium on comparative federalism. The mission gave the Minister an opportunity to discuss European approaches to citizen dialogue with many different representatives from European institutions and civil society organizations.

The meetings have nourished the Québec government's examination of ways to improve cohabitation within the federation for the benefit of all Quebecers and all Canadians.

A prominent place for the Québec perspective at an international symposium on comparative federalism

A number of academics from Québec and Canada were present at the symposium, entitled  La modification constitutionnelle dans tous ses états - Expériences belge, canadienne et européenne ("The challenge of constitutional amendments – experiences from Belgium, Canada and Europe"), to present the Québec and Canadian viewpoints on federalism and constitutional amendment.

Minister Fournier gave a speech,  Une Politique d’affirmation du Québec et de relations canadiennes pour mieux se connaître et ainsi mieux se reconnaître ("The Policy on Québec Affirmation and Canadian Relations – improving our knowledge and acknowledgement of each other"), setting out Québec's vision for the Canada of tomorrow and the related call to a dialogue. He stressed that recognition of the individual and collective belongings, especially those of Québecers, the Aboriginal peoples and the Francophone and Acadian communities, offer Canada the only path leading to a shared feeling of belonging.  

The symposium, which brought together academics and researchers specializing in constitutional and federal issues in Canada and Europe, provided an important opportunity to strengthen understanding, outside Québec, of the Québec vision for Canadian federalism. The discussions and debates about experiences in Canada and Europe, with respect to governance in a context of national diversity, helped to enrich the process of reflexion initiated by the Québec government. The examples of Belgium and Europe are particularly relevant to Québec, because they involve plurinational federations that must adapt to a range of national realities.

The Québec approach to citizen dialogue and cohabitation enriched by numerous meetings

In addition to attending the symposium, Jean-Marc Fournier met with representatives from European institutions and organizations from civil society. These discussions gave the Minister an opportunity to better understand the initiatives taken by the European Union (EU) in connection with the dialogue between government and civil society, and the mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation put in place by civil society organizations in Europe.

National and regional diversity is a complex subject within the EU and raises a number of challenges for cohabitation and citizen dialogue. For this reason, many different organizations are working to ensure that more Europeans participate in the Union's shared political spaces, and aim at stimulating discussions between citizens in the various member states. More specifically, Minister Fournier discussed best practices in the development of solidarities amongst citizens from different communities and approaches to bring Europeans closer together around shared values and objectives. These discussions took place with representatives from two European Commission directorates-general,  Justice and Consumers and  Migration and Home Affairs, the Directorate-General of Communications at the  European Parliament, and the President of the Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship of the  European Economic and Social Committee and the President of the  European Committee of the Regions.

Jean-Marc Fournier also discussed similar issues with several representatives of non-governmental organizations such as the Chief Executive of the  European Policy Centre, a think tank dedicated to fostering European integration through analysis and debate, and the  Initiative Re-Bel, which brings together academics from Flemish and Walloon society to discuss the future of Belgian institutions. Next, the Minister met with the Secretary General of the  European Movement International, which provides a platform to encourage and facilitate active participation by citizens in the creation of European solutions to shared challenges.

Taken as a whole, these meetings provided an array of ideas to improve Québec's actions on the Canadian stage.

Meetings at the Canadian Embassy in Brussels

Minister Fournier also visited the Canadian Embassy in Brussels, where he presented the Policy on Québec Affirmation and Canadian Relations to the staff of Canada's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Olivier Nicoloff, Canada's Ambassador to Germany and Special Envoy to the European Union and Europe, Stéphane Dion, and Canada's Ambassador to the European Union, Daniel J. Costello. A discussion followed with the Embassy staff, focusing mainly on the importance of strengthening cooperation and solidarities between the citizens of Canada.