Mr. Speaker, as many members of this House know, the Sommet de la Francophonie will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from November 14 to 16.
The seventh summit will be a turning point in the development of multilateral francophonie. Indeed, this summit will elect a new secretary general, who will become a political spokesperson and arbiter of multilateral francophone co-operation.
The summit will also formalize the move of the Francophonie into a new era, by focusing on the information highway and promoting economic development.
Canada has been a leader of the Francophonie since its inception more than 25 years ago. The fact that the Prime Minister will lead the Canadian delegation to the Hanoi summit shows how important he feels our participation in this international forum is. He will be accompanied by the Minister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie.
I wish them both a successful participation in the seventh Sommet de la Francophonie.