Jean-François Thibault, P.Eng., lives in Calgary and is the co-founder and CEO of Fortitude Sales Development Inc. He lived in Montreal for 35 years before relocating his family and business to Alberta.Canada and the European Union (EU) launched a new alliance at a summit held October 29–30 in Montreal.We will have to wait for the details before assessing its implications, but the alliance opens the door to promising opportunities for Canada without compromising its sovereignty, at least for now. Nevertheless, we must remain vigilant.For example, the alliance includes initiatives to facilitate Canadian liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe, improve mobility for skilled workers, young professionals, researchers, and students, and introduce other measures to facilitate trade, including regulatory simplification.The EU can maintain its carbon border adjustment mechanism without Canada adopting a similar one. The alliance provides neither for Canada to join the Schengen Area nor for European regulations to be imposed on Canada. Instead, regulatory cooperation aims to bring technical requirements and certification procedures closer together.In short, from a commercial standpoint, despite the suspicion raised by the clumsy announcement concerning Canada’s potential status as an “associate member”, this alliance could prove beneficial for Canada.ControversyThis is a welcome outcome for a summit that attracted attention for all the wrong reasons throughout its proceedings..Western Canadians may not fully understand the controversy between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (PSPP) surrounding the Canada-EU summit. Let me briefly explain what happened.Carney did not invite Quebec’s premier to deliver a speech at the summit, despite the fact that it was being held in Montreal, Quebec’s largest city.In response, PSPP sharply criticized Carney for not allowing him to speak and demanded that the situation be corrected. Carney subsequently replied that PSPP had been invited to the table. However, that response did not satisfy PSPP, who ultimately decided not to attend the summit.It is worth noting that Carney’s response did not address the complaint that had been raised.If you find PSPP’s reaction disproportionate, you probably are not familiar with the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine. Let me explain.Gérin-LajoieThe Gérin-Lajoie doctrine is the foundation of Quebec’s international policy. It was formulated by the late Paul Gérin-Lajoie when he served as a minister in Jean Lesage’s government during the 1960s.In short, the doctrine holds that Quebec’s constitutional jurisdiction extends to the international stage.Under this doctrine, Quebec is responsible for acting internationally in areas such as healthcare, education, natural resource development, and any other field of provincial jurisdiction established under the Canadian Constitution. This international role is commonly described as “the external extension of its internal jurisdiction”..Every Quebec government since Jean Lesage has upheld the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine, regardless of political affiliation.At the federal level, however, there has historically been a difference in approach depending on which political party holds power. Liberal governments have consistently maintained that the federal government retains overall responsibility for foreign relations and treaty-making, even when it consults the provinces.Conservative governments, on the other hand, have historically shown greater openness to allowing Quebec to represent itself internationally whenever possible. In 1985, Brian Mulroney’s government reached an agreement allowing Quebec to participate in Francophonie summits. Similarly, Stephen Harper’s government signed an agreement in 2006 allowing Quebec to participate in UNESCO.RespectThose who cannot see beyond the ends of their noses will focus on the fact that PSPP leads a sovereigntist government and assume that he is simply looking for trouble with the federal government anyway.That is a poor, simplistic interpretation that distracts from the question Carney was asked and stubbornly refused to answer: Is it really too much to ask that Quebec’s premier be allowed to speak and welcome European Union dignitaries on Quebec soil?No.Anyone who claims otherwise is nothing more than a lackey incapable of critical thinking.If Carney wants better media coverage of his future announcements, he must remember that the federal government is a creation of the provinces, not the other way around. Its role is to serve them, rather than seek to dominate them as though they were mere colonies.Jean-François Thibault, P.Eng., lives in Calgary and is the co-founder and CEO of Fortitude Sales Development Inc. He lived in Montreal for 35 years before relocating his family and business to Alberta.
