What happens to NATO? Although this is an organisation which has
probably outlived its usefulness (scaring the Russians), it is unlikely that it will be disbanded.
The answers to these questions are close at hand, as former European
enemies join forces towards the goal of a common currency.
The New Québec
The arrival of Jean Charest could be as much the harbinger of change as it constitutes a source of change. Already, Americans and Europeans have begun to discover what a bargain Canada, Québec, but more especially Montréal is. Corporations are being taken over, real estate is being bought by foreigners, because of the bargain prices and because of the positive experience of living and working in Montréal.
Although no attention is being paid to Canada by the pension funds and other large investors in London today, soon there will be irresistible corporate takeover targets here as cash rich Europeans look for investments. The recently announced BMW takeover of Rolls Royce has shaken the British. Smart money is already coming to Canada and more will follow soon. Tensions have been reduced by the entry of Jean Charest into the Québec scene.
Fine, but there are still no jobs for experienced managers and technical staff who are not fully bilingual. It is virtually impossible to hire qualified managers from elsewhere because they will not accept the restrictions (French-language schooling, etc.) and the high taxes. That is one view, but the other, and more prevalent one is that living and working in Québec, and particularly Montreal, is a vital, positive experience. Yes, the taxes are high, but there are compensating factors and services.
Meanwhile, recent polls are pointing to the new Quebec phenomenon. Children in their mid-teens, products of the language legislation are totally bilingual and bicultural. Immigrant children are increasingly trilingual, without any problems. More importantly, the attitudes of most young people have changed. In other words, despite apparent efforts on the part of the government of Québec to thwart it, "Quebeckers are seducing themselves into being bilingual".
These young people (like many in the generation ahead of them) will go where the jobs are. A relatively new phenomenon has been the exporting of talented Francophones, especially to Ontario and British Columbia (but also to the United States) where they live in their own language and culture. As they become successful, they develop a global outlook. But do they come "home"? Can they afford to come home? Their educations are costly. Traditionally in North America - particularly in the U.S. -, the population has moved to new opportunities. Bouchard and Charest both have bilingual children, they both must be concerned with the flow out of Québec and the need to create a climate which keeps our young people here with education for jobs in the fields we are good in: aerospace, biotechnology, informatics, multimedia….
The Québec Budget
The item which caused the most discussion was the announcement that the SGF will be beefed up with money coming from Hydro Québec. These funds, more rightly, should be paid as dividends to the shareholder (the Québec government) rather than propping up a bunch of under-performing organisations such as SOQUIP, etc. Is this a way of providing cushy jobs for friends of the government?
Or, is this move in preparation for selling off SGF? We were reminded that the redundancy in the government is massive, particularly in the area of investment policy : SOQUIP, SGF, SDI, Ministère du Commerce…. Note that there is no reduction in the number of civil servants mentioned in this budget!
Québec has to achieve political stability to attract serious investors who will create jobs, increase the tax base. The Landry budget is not an election budget.
The Charest Decision
The one item of discussion which was not debatable. All are delighted with his decision and feel that it is good for Québec and Canada. There is a lot of work to be done, however. He will need to overcome the major differences among different wings of the QLP. and will need to recruit both staff and candidates to develop economic and social policies. He must change the attitude of Québec towards Montréal. Everyone wants to help (which may be a problem!); who will he listen to?
Latin America Soon
In closing, it was mentioned (strongly) that Wednesday Night has discussed [APEC] Asia, North America and the United States frequently and Africa quite often, not to mention individual countries and their problems, but rarely if ever Latin America. An evening on this topic is planned soon and all are invited to suggest subject matter and/or specialist guests.
In view of the growing importance of Latin America in the Canadian outlook, this is a topic which should receive significant attention, notably because:
- A proposal to negotiate a trade deal among 34 countries in North and South America -the Free Trade Area of the Americas - is to be launched on April 17th in Santiago, Chile. This follows on the recommendations of the Miami Summit of the Americas of 1994.
- Canada is to chair the negotiating process of the Free Trade Area of the Americas for the first 18 months.
- Canada is to host the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the year 2000, the 10th anniversary of Canada's membership.
Reported by Herbert Bercowitz and Michael Judson
Edited by Diana Thébaud Nicholson