Minister Anand announces launch and first meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Francophonie Consultation Committee

April 29, 2026 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced the establishment of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Francophonie Consultation Committee, which is meeting for the first time today in Ottawa.

This new committee will strengthen coordination among federal, provincial and territorial ministers on Francophonie-related priorities in the lead-up to Canada’s engagement in upcoming Francophonie summits. It will work to align Canadian approaches to economic

resilience and cooperation with other La Francophonie countries while reflecting Canada’s commitment to enhancing intergovernmental collaboration and promoting the diversity of Canadian Francophonie on the global stage.

The inaugural meeting brings together partners to exchange views on shared priorities, identify opportunities for collaboration ahead of the 2026 Francophonie Summit in Cambodia and begin discussions on Canada’s potential hosting of a Francophonie summit in 2028.

Quotes

“Today’s inaugural meeting of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Francophonie Consultation Committee marks a key step in strengthening collaboration and advancing Canada’s engagement in La Francophonie. Together, we can better showcase the richness and diversity of francophone communities at home and abroad. As Canada explores hosting the 2028 Francophonie Summit, this comes at a pivotal moment to highlight our leadership and celebrate the vitality of French language and culture from coast to coast to coast.”

- Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick facts

• La Francophonie brings together 90 member states and governments, including observers, representing more than one billion people, including 396 million French speakers, across five continents.

• Canada is a founding member of La Francophonie and has maintained strong and sustained engagement with the organization for over 50 years.

• Several Canadian provinces participate actively in La Francophonie, including Quebec and New Brunswick as full members and Ontario and Nova Scotia as observers. Manitoba has applied for membership ahead of the 2026 Francophonie Summit in Cambodia.