Premier Wynne Delivers Historic Address to the Québec National Assembly

Premier Kathleen Wynne released the following statement today, following her speech in the Québec National Assembly:

“Today I had the honour of being the first Canadian Premier from outside Québec to address the province’s National Assembly. It is a testament to the strength of the relationship between our two provinces and the way our collaborations in Central Canada are building a stronger Québec, a stronger Ontario and a stronger country.

In my speech, I talked about how today’s partnership between Ontario and Québec is grounded in a rich history and in our vision of a fairer, better tomorrow. As founding partners in Confederation, we understand that our cultural and linguistic differences do not diminish our union, they enhance it. Diversity is the essential character of Canada. On the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Government of Québec has invited all of Canada into an open and democratic dialogue about the diversity of our country and the importance of Québec’s place within Canada. Ontario looks forward to continuing to contribute to this discussion. Together, French and English helped build this country, and together, Québec and Ontario can continue to keep it strong.

Sometimes independently, sometimes working together, we are responding to the challenges of a volatile world. Instead of withdrawing, we are being bold, active and innovative. Above all, we are striving to ensure fairness. We in Central Canada understand that in this time of turmoil, we must work harder than ever to build and preserve a fair society. Where our approach differs, it is always grounded in these shared values of equality, fairness and respect for diversity.

Premier Couillard and I are strongly aligned on many issues that affect the people of our provinces, our economies and our climate. We share common ground in our belief that government can be a force for good. And we both believe that if we make the right choices now, we can navigate the turbulence of today’s world in a way that helps our people get ahead and puts our provinces on a course towards long-term success.

Tomorrow, Québec will host the seventh joint meeting of our Cabinet ministers. These meetings enable us to work together to address our shared opportunities and challenges. We will engage in a candid dialogue on the current state of Canada-U.S. relations, and we will explore ways we can continue to bolster Ontario and Québec’s position as leaders in the innovation economy. This year we will also welcome Governor Jerry Brown of California, and further our common commitment to fighting climate change.

My address to the National Assembly represents a milestone in the relationship between our two provinces. Ontario and Québec are natural allies — our relationship predates Confederation and continues to create opportunities for our people and drive greater prosperity across Canada. I look forward to everything we will do together to grow the economy and create greater fairness and opportunity for people in the days and months ahead.”