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The Quebec Government Offices (French: Délégations générales du Québec) are the Government of Quebec's official representations outside of Canada. They are overseen by Quebec's Ministry of International Relations.

The network of 35 offices in 20 countries consists of 9 general delegations, 5 delegations, 15 government bureaux, 6 trade offices. There are also 2 representatives at the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and UNESCO.

History

Quebec had agents-general in London, Paris, and Brussels prior to 1936, when legislation was passed by the government of Maurice Duplessis closing all Quebec government offices abroad. The government of Adélard Godbout repealed the legislation and opened an office in New York City in 1940. When Duplessis returned to power in 1944, his government retained the New York City office and its agent-general but opened no others.

In the early 1960s, the government of Jean Lesage began to open additional offices abroad in Paris (1961), London (1962), Rome and Milan (1965). Subsequent governments opened offices in Chicago (1969), Boston, Lafayette, Dallas and Los Angeles (1970), Munich and Berlin (1971), Brussels (1972), Atlanta (1977), Washington, DC (1978), Mexico City and Tokyo (1980), Beijing and Santiago (1998), Shanghai and Barcelona (1999), Mumbai (2007), São Paulo (2008) and Moscow (2012). A UQAM scholar in 1984 described the offices as "mini-embassies" for Quebec and part of the Quiet Revolution.

In 1971, the title of agent-general was officially changed to delegate-general, although the previous title is still often used, particularly for the government's representative to London.

As of 2024, the Government of Quebec is represented by 35 offices in 20 countries and has delegates-general (agents-general), delegates, bureaux, and trade offices. Québec also has a delegate for the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and Multilateral Affairs and a representative to UNESCO, both based in Paris. Quebec, like other Canadian provinces, also maintains representatives in some Canadian embassies and consulates general.

List of Quebec Government Offices

Quebec Government Offices fall into several types. General Delegations are deemed most important, and handle affairs of economy, education, culture, immigration, and public affairs. Delegations are similar, but do not deal with immigration issues. Bureaus handle a small number of issues. Trade Offices deal with trade affairs.

References

1. Reuchamps, Min (December 17, 2014). Minority Nations in Multinational Federations: A comparative study of Quebec and Wallonia. ISBN 9781317634720.
2. Sanguin, A.-L. (1984). "The Quebec Question and the Political Geography of Canada". GeoJournal. 8 (2): 99–107. doi:10.1007/BF00231488. JSTOR 41143255.
3. ^ "Québec government offices abroad". Government of Quebec. Retrieved March 12, 2024.

External links

• Quebec Government Offices
• Quebec Government Offices – Ministry of International Relations
• Historical overview of Quebec's international relations (archived)

• Government of Quebec
• De facto embassies
• Paradiplomacy