This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

232220Z Feb 06

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUEBEC 000024 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS PLEASE PASS TO UNESCO - ANDREW KOSS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  2/23/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL CA ECON
SUBJECT: QUEBEC BUREAUCRATS UPBEAT ABOUT HARPER GOVERNMENT 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Abigail Friedman, Consul General, Quebec City, 
State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
¶1.  (c) Summary: CG hosted a lunch for Quebec Ministry of 
International Relations (MRI) Deputy Minister Denis Bedard and 
other MRI officials February 22, one month following the 
election of Stephen Harper's Conservatives in Ottawa.  Ministry 
officials were upbeat about the Tory victory, heralded by Bedard 
as the beginning of a new openness in Ottawa toward Quebec.  (A 
new poll suggests the party is enjoying a rise in Quebec 
popularity since the federal vote, now at 31 percent from 25 
percent at election time.)  The MRI expects Charest to announce 
a cabinet reshuffle in the not-to-distant future, and also to 
split the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources into two 
separate ministries.  MRI officials concurred with CG that 
Premier Charest is in pre-election mode, with the next 
provincial election likely in 2007.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (c) PM Harper's decision to make his first meeting with 
provincial leaders a meeting with Premier Charest last week in 
Ottawa was not a huge surprise to Bedard, who saw it as a clear 
signal of Ottawa's determination to work with Quebec. After 
their meeting the two leaders did not publicly discuss details 
of their conversation but Bedard told us Charest pushed Ottawa 
on a number of Quebec demands, notably concerning Quebec's role 
in international institutions such as UNESCO. The GOQ is hoping 
for a rapid meeting of the minds with Ottawa on how to proceed 
on the UNESCO chapter. 
 
¶3. (c) Bedard said PM Harper has virtually agreed to give Quebec 
a seat at the UNESCO table along with Canada.  There are two 
ways this could be done.  The first would be to fashion a role 
for Quebec along the lines of Quebec's existing status within 
the Francophonie organization.  The problem, according to Bedar, 
is that such a status does not exist at UNESCO and would have to 
be created.  Bedard said this would require that two thirds of 
the 156 member countries agree to a special status for Quebec, 
which could prompt demands from other minority groups, for 
example in countries such as Spain, Germany, and the U.K.  The 
other option would be for the PM to allow Quebec to occasionally 
speak in Canada's name on certain subjects agreed upon in 
advance.  This could take place much more rapidly, but will 
likely be considered insufficient in some circles.  (Comment: 
The opposition PQ is already doubting publicly that the Harper 
government will deliver on its campaign promise to Quebec on 
UNESCO. End comment.) 
 
¶4. (c) Bedard confirmed CG's impression that Premier Charest is 
in a pre-election mode.  There are a series of GOQ policy 
documents and announcements that will be rolled out in phases in 
the months ahead, he said.  These include a long-awaited 
announcement on Quebec's energy policy, an announcement on 
Quebec's sustainable development policy, and one on Quebec's 
foreign affairs priorities and revamping of the MRI.  As for the 
persistent rumors of an impending cabinet shuffle, Bedard 
believed this would likely take place quite soon.  Newly-elected 
Liberal MNA Raymond Bachand (Outremont) is slated to become the 
new Minister for Economic and Regional Development, while 
current minister Claude Bechard would move over to head up a new 
Energy Ministry, which would be split off from the existing 
Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. 
 
FRIEDMAN