Ambassador of France to Canada, Mr. Michel Miraillet’s first official visit to the Yukon [fr]
The Ambassador of France to Canada, Mr. Michel Miraillet, made his first official visit to the Yukon territories on May 30th, 2024. It is important for the Ambassador to go everywhere in Canada, to learn about the people of the provinces and territories and see how to develop connections with France.
The Ambassador was first received by the Commissioner of Yukon, the Honourable Adeline Webber.
With the Honorable Premier Ranj Pillai, he presented topics that offer potential for collaborations between France and the territory, of which were discussed : arctic and polar science as well as critical minerals. These are critical for a transition to decarbonized energy, including nuclear energy with SMRs, where France can provide expertise on all the value-chain of the industry.
From left to right : Nicolas Baudouin, Consul General ; Erik Hougen, Honorary Consul, Premier Ranj Pillai and Michel Miraillet, Ambassador of France.
They also touched upon Francophonie, which was further talked about with the Honorable John Streicker, including the standardized French proficiency tests (DELF/DALF) and teaching assistant programs, areas where there is room for more cooperation.
The Ambassador and the Consul general in Vancouver then had a meeting with members of the Association Franco-Yukonaise, to learn about the dynamics of the francophone community, one of the fastest growing across Canadian provinces and territories.
Lastly, Mr. Miraillet presented Yukoner Erik Hougen with the medal of Knight of the Ordre National du Mérite (National Order of Merit) for his long-lasting contributions to the renown of France and his service to French citizens in the Yukon. Mr Erik Hougen has been the Honorary Consul of France in Whitehorse for 24 years, taking over his father. He is recognized for his invaluable service to the French community in the region, residents or visitors, and to the continuous connection to France he has maintained and fostered between the two jurisdictions.
France looks forward to continue building connections with people from the Yukon, for example through the sister city agreement between Whitehorse and Lancieux in Brittany (France) which allows students from schools in the two cities to meet during exchange programs.