Prime Minister Gabriel Attal once again defended the French and Quebec models of secularism on Friday, while saying that he was not using them as a “political or cultural weapon”, during a trip to the French-speaking Canadian province. “I affirmed a very strong attachment, which is that of France, to secularism. We share this same approach,” declared Gabriel Attal during a press conference in Quebec City alongside the Prime Minister. Quebec Minister François Legault. “It is above all a freedom which allows equality and fraternity”, he clarified before adding: “Quebecers are not alone on this subject”.
A joint declaration to strengthen French and promote the language
The question of secularism is one of the very strong points of friction between Quebec and the rest of Canada, which considers Quebec laws to be “unconstitutional” and “racist”. An opposition that goes all the way to the top of the Canadian government: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defends a multiculturalist approach to society and directly opposes Quebec on the subject.
Insisting on the “solid and unshakeable ties” that unite Quebec and France, MM. Attal and Legault also signed a joint declaration to strengthen French and promote the language, including online. “We have a treasure in common, our language. And I really want to thank you for your unfailing commitment to the defense of the French language. You can count on France to help you,” declared Gabriel Attal.
Quebec and France are committed to strengthening the “discoverability” (potential for online content to capture attention) of French-language content in the digital space, the fight against disinformation and the promotion of economic Francophonie , according to the agreements reached during the 21st Alternating Meeting of Prime Ministers (RAPM), the last edition of which dates back to 2018. They also renewed the agreement on student mobility from 2015 to allow students to benefit from tariff exemptions when registering at university.
Visit to a school with innovative teaching methods
Earlier in the morning, Gabriel Attal visited a primary school in the suburbs of Quebec with innovative teaching methods: cooking workshops to also learn divisions, classes outside in nature, management of emotions, mini-educator students of younger. “It’s a good model,” welcomed the Prime Minister, attentive to the fight against harassment and the management of screens.
In front of trays of maple taffy cones, treats which can also be used to work on calculating divisions, Quebec students excelling in mathematics according to the OECD, he spoke of a change in the teaching of this subject in France “with the concrete, the pictorial or the abstract”, revealing in passing his taste for candies with maple syrup.
Exchange with business leaders
To finish his first official trip outside Europe, Gabriel Attal spoke with business leaders in Montreal, a city with nearly 200,000 French people. “The links are very strong (between France and Quebec) and it is thanks in particular to you,” he boasted in front of an audience of entrepreneurs, indicating that trade had jumped by 9% per year. last.
Mr. Legault hoped that the two countries would be reciprocal “open doors” for their businesses in the face of the risk of protectionism in the United States: “It’s give and take.”