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Canada-France Relations
Canada and France cooperate closely on international issues and governance, as well as on social issues, including health, immigration policy, justice systems, development cooperation, science and technology and state and fiscal reforms. Agreements between ministries and numerous reciprocal visits by government officials and parliamentarians continue to strengthen their important relationship.
A permanent member of the UN Security Council, NATO, the G-8 and the G-20, a founding nation of the European Union and lead partner in the International Organisation of La Francophonie, France is a major international ally for Canada. Canada and France cooperate closely on foreign policy and have a common vision when it comes to international relations: a commitment to multilateralism; a focus on international security problems; and the promotion of democracy, human rights, good governance and development. Both countries have worked closely in NATO operations, such as in Afghanistan and Libya, in peacekeeping operations (Haiti and Africa), and on development aid within La Francophonie, the G-8 and the G-20. Cooperation is particularly close in the reconstruction efforts in Haiti.
Bilateral merchandise trade with France totalled $8.6 billion in 2011 with Canadian exports amounting to almost $3.1 billion and imports to $5.5 billion. That same year, French foreign direct investment stock in Canada was valued at $25.3 billion, while Canadian direct investment stock in France reached nearly $5.0 billion.
In 2011, Prime Minister Harper visited France four times. In March, he travelled to Paris to participate in a Summit on Libya. He returned to France in May for the G-8 Summit in Deauville. He also participated in an international conference on Libya in Paris in August and travelled to Cannes to attend the G-20 in November. The last French President to visit Canada was President Sarkozy in 2010 on the occasion of the G-8 and G-20 Summits.
