Legault in France pushing exports, investment
PARIS Quebec is preparing to give new impetus to its international economic influence in three ways: with its network of delegations abroad, with Investissement Québec, which provides business assistance, and through the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.
Premier François Legault promised Sunday that Quebec’s action would be better co-ordinated and less compartmentalized. An action plan for economic development should be ready in the coming weeks, the premier said as he began a three-day mission to Paris.
The plan will have specific targets, he said. “I am a results man and what I want is to create wealth in Quebec. To create wealth, we have to do two things: increase our exports, because that comes from the manufacturing sector, where there are jobs that pay well; second, we have to attract more investment to Quebec to increase productivity,” Legault said.
In February, Legault plans to travel to New York and Washington, in part to look for customers for surplus electricity.
Currently, 70 per cent of Quebec’s exports are to the United States. That’s way too much, according to Legault.
The new Investissement Québec president will have a clear mandate: “to close deals, as they say in English,” in other words to increase investment in Quebec by foreign companies offering annual salaries of more than $50,000.
The Caisse de dépôt, which according to Legault has “the best international network,” will also be pulled in.
On Monday, Legault will visit French president Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace, and meet with the prime minister and presidents of the National Assembly and Senate.
On Tuesday he will preside at a conference lunch at the Paris Stock Exchange with 350 handpicked guests. On Wednesday Legault leaves for Switzerland, to participate in the 49th World Economic Forum in Davos
Presse Canadienne