#DiploQc: Québec unveils its latest International Policy

On April 11, 2017, as the Ministry of International Relations and of la Francophonie celebrated its 50th anniversary, the Québec Government unveiled its latest International Policy, which sets forth three strategic guidelines governing its international actions.

• In the face of protectionist tendencies, Québec will reiterate its commitment to building economic partnerships that boost prosperity and enable social progress.

• Given the fundamental role played by human capital in creating prosperity, one major objective of the policy is to boost the international mobility of workers, young people, researchers, entrepreneurs, artists and students.

• The government will support the efforts of Québec companies to expand internationally, including their integration into global value chains.

• Québec will pay close attention to efforts aimed at tackling tax problems created by globalization, including difficulties related to the taxation of e-commerce and to international tax evasion.

• Québec will consolidate its leadership in matters of climate diplomacy.

• Given its geographical situation and exper-tise, Québec will strengthen its ties with actors in the Nordic and Arctic region.

• Québec will increase its international solidarity initiatives as well as its support for organizations involved in cooperation and global citizenship education.

• Québec will step up its promotion of human rights and freedoms, notably with respect to gender equality and the rights and freedoms of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people.

• Québec will strengthen cooperation mechanisms in order to ensure the effective management of risks related to security, including radicalization leading to violence and cybercrime.

• Excellence in culture and science and their enrichment through exchanges are a major objective of the policy and are intimately related to the international image that Québec seeks to project.

• Active membership in the Francophonie and promoting Québec’s specificity in terms of language and culture are transversal elements of the policy, and will serve as an overall guide in the pursuit of its objectives.

Compared to the 2006 international policy, Québec on the World Stage : Involved, Engaged, and Thriving innovates by establishing a limited number of inclusive policy thrusts and by setting objectives with respect to international mobility, value chains, digital technology, Arctic and northern issues and climate diplomacy. Québec will also step up its efforts in the areas of economic and trade partnerships, international solidarity, security, culture, science, the Francophonie and human rights and freedoms, especially gender equality and respect for the human rights of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Putting Québec’s international actions to work

• Increased investment in international relations will make it possible to further deepen Québec’s historic relationships with partners in North America and Europe, and increase its level of engagement in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

• A new approach to the governance of international affairs will be put in place to foster collaboration among all stakeholders in the implementation of the policy.

Read Québec's International Policy here.