Gabriel Attal and Justin Trudeau defend Ceta, the free trade agreement between the EU and Canada

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau defended the free trade treaty between the European Union and Canada on Thursday in Ottawa. The two men said they were confident in the continued application of this so-called agreement. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreementor Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, in French.

“It is a win-win agreement, and we see it today, the figures do not lie, since it was signed, since it came into force, trade between our two countries has progressed more of a third,” declared Gabriel Attal, speaking of a “fair and balanced agreement.” For its part, Canada will continue to “demonstrate the positive impact on citizens of trade and responsible commerce between friends and allies who share the same values,” explained Justin Trudeau. “If a country cannot or does not want to have free trade with a progressive, open and responsible country like Canada, with which country would you want to make a free trade agreement? “, he added.

Following its approval by the European Parliament in early 2017, this agreement has already been applied provisionally since September of the same year. Ten European states have yet to ratify this trade agreement, which entered into force provisionally at European level on September 21, 2017. However, the French Senate voted on March 21 againstjeopardizing its ratification against a backdrop of agricultural crisis.

In addition to agriculture, the agreement includes a section on so-called “critical” Canadian minerals for the energy transition such as uranium or lithium, prized by Paris. Trade between the EU and Canada has taken a new turn since the war in Ukraine. Thanks to Ceta, Europe was able to substitute Canadian products – such as these materials – for Russian products that it no longer imports.

Forest fires, climate and Quebec

Another major issue put on the table by the French and Canadian Prime Ministers on Thursday: the climate issue and that of forest fires. Justin Trudeau announced the purchase of two Canadian bombers by France and the signing of “an agreement to better collaborate when it comes to dealing with forest fires.” Last year France sent 350 firefighters to help Canada fight the worst fire season in its history, which ravaged more than 15 million hectares.

On the climate front, Gabriel Attal intends to push an initiative from French President Emmanuel Macron, the “Paris Pact for people and the planet” (4P), launched in June 2023. It aims to overhaul the global financial system in order to fight against both against global warming and poverty. Canada has not ratified it, but Paris is expecting an “ambitious” commitment from its partner which would also send “a signal” to France, where the Prime Minister is accused of backing down on the climate issue for the benefit of farmers.

After celebrating on Wednesday evening the “values ​​shared” by the two countries such as freedom and the rule of law, the two men addressed international issues. Gabriel Attal “welcomed Canada’s support for Ukraine”.

In the afternoon, the French Prime Minister went to Quebec, a French-speaking province of Canada with which France maintains a “direct and privileged” relationship, in the words used by General De Gaulle. He will meet Quebec Prime Minister François Legault and deliver a speech to the Quebec National Assembly. Laurent Fabius was the last French head of government to speak there, in 1984, and François Hollande the last president, in 2014. Despite this long absence, Franco-Quebec relations “are obviously not weakening. Our objective is to embody this strength and give it a little flesh,” we emphasize to Matignon.