Hello everyone. Thank you for being here with us today. We have just concluded a G7 Summit in Italy, and we are already eagerly awaiting the next one. I would first of all like to thank Mayor Couturier for his warm welcome. We have just finished an initial productive meeting during which we discussed the summit set to take place here in Charlevoix next year.

I also had the opportunity to meet with several stakeholders from the business community and the tourism industry, as well as other mayors from the region, as part of a round table discussion on this subject.  

In 2018, the eyes of the entire world will be riveted on Charlevoix, a magnificent location which is a reflection of our country and is truly ideal for welcoming the world’s greatest leaders to Canada. For generations, Canadians and visitors from around the world have fallen under the spell of this charming region, and I have no doubt that my counterparts will also be charmed by its natural beauty. Our guests will stay at Le Manoir Richelieu, located along the St. Lawrence River, and will have the chance to admire the breathtaking scenery and enjoy legendary Quebec hospitality.

The summit will attract hundreds of people from around the world: journalists, camera operators, photographers and members of each delegation. The Charlevoix region will benefit from significant exposure on the international scene. This will be a golden opportunity to discover the culture, history and tourist attractions of this dynamic community.

In 2018, Canada will welcome its G7 partners for the sixth time. In the past, these meetings have resulted in numerous economic spinoffs for communities. This is therefore excellent news for the people of the region, especially for the tourist industry.  

In the coming months, we will have the pleasure of working with the Mayor of La Malbaie, the Director of Le Manoir Richelieu, our provincial partners and the entire community to guarantee the success of this summit and, as Minister Duclos said last week, to ensure that the house is perfect when the important visitors arrive.

Every year the G7 is an opportunity for Canada and its partners to take stock of our progress, discuss the challenges we face and come up with solutions. As the host of the G7, Canada will be in a unique position in 2018 to advance our priorities including gender equality. I’ve often argued that the full participation of women and girls is essential to the success of our country. This is true not just for our country but for all countries.

That’s why this topic will be at the top of the agenda next year and I look forward to working with my counterparts to promote gender equality both at home and abroad.

Since the beginning of my mandate and my participation in the G7 Summit, I have insisted on the fact that a strong and thriving middle class is at the heart of any prosperous economy. I will therefore return to the need to foster economic growth that helps our middle class succeed and prosper. We will also discuss ways of promoting peace and security around the world, addressing climate change and encouraging trade between our countries in order to generate economic benefits for all our citizens.

We will have more details to share in the next few months, but in the meantime, we’re very pleased to be hosting the G7 here in Charlevoix in 2018 and very pleased at the positive response I’ve seen from local communities, from citizens, and from all our partners.

Once again, thank you for being here with us today. I will now gladly take your questions.

Thank you, Mayors and Sirs.