by John R. Harris

We caught up with Mario Girard, Quebec’s newly appointed Délégué Général in Tokyo on what turned out to be a very special day. That he made time for our humble magazine on this day proved to be a pleasure as well as a privilege.

“Really, it’s your first day in Tokyo this time?” we asked.

“No, it’s my first day in Tokyo ever,” he responded. “I’ve changed planes here in the course of many trips to Asia, but until now I had never been into the city.”

That launched us into a lively hour of conversation that covered a lot of ground – in fact all the way to the very north tip of La Belle Province. But let’s start at the beginning.

Monsieur Girard hails from Jonquière in the Saguenay, a region (sometimes called “the Tibet of Quebec”) whose inhabitants’ distinctive accent instantly identifies them. But most of his life has been spent 200 kilometers down Route 175 in Quebec City, where he first moved to attend Laval University.

He first made a name for himself as one of Quebec’s most dynamic entrepreneurs, having started up two internationally successful IT ventures. For the past 14 years though he has been CEO of Quebec City’s port authority, with its commanding position on the mighty St. Lawrence River. In that role he became a key player in the global community of port authorities and made Quebec a leader among ports in sustainability.

“The thing I’m most proud of is our achievements in sustainability,” he said.

Well, that and his family. Girard is coming to Tokyo with his wife, Manon Bilodeau, and their two Taiwan-born daughters, Ayli (19) and Yuli-Rose (14). Ayli plans to attend a Japanese university while her sister starts high school. The typical four-year posting for a Délégué Général  should mesh neatly with the girls’ educational progress. Sadly, one member of the family will not be making the move: a six-year-old Royal Poodle with a name that has proved prophetic.

“Way before there was even any hint of a posting here… we named the dog ‘Tokyo,’” Girard laughs. “But we had to leave him behind.”

He lists his favorite hobbies as reading, hiking and cooking, but what about the critical skill for Tokyo-based diplomats? “Do you golf?” we asked.

“I enjoy it… but I’m not very good,” he admitted. Then again, conveniently he won’t have to fake losing to his Japanese hosts.

Arriving at a critical moment

Girard takes up the Tokyo posting just as it assumes a new importance. Since the launch of Trump’s trade blitzkrieg on Canada the phrase of the moment in Quebec and across Canada is “diversify our trading partners.” 

Thanks to the inauguration of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Japan’s doors are opening up at a time when Canada’s relations with both China and India have cooled somewhat. Along with the ASEAN economies, that means Japan may be the best bet for diversifying. And much of what Quebec has to offer neatly dovetails with what Japan needs.

“Quebec is the world’s fourth-largest hydro-electricity producer,” Girard said, “and Japanese industries can benefit from this as they seek to invest in green projects abroad and reduce emissions at home. Already, 99 percent of our power is produced from sustainable resources. And by 2050 we aim to double our output by harnessing massive untapped wind resources. That is going to require investment estimated at $185 billion.”

“We also have significant deposits of critical minerals,” Girard added. “But we are much more than just a resource supplier. For instance, around Montreal we have one of the world’s top aerospace clusters with 200 companies and 40,000 workers. Within a 30-kilometer radius you can get an aircraft designed, built – airframe and engines – tested and certified. This makes us an ideal partner for Japan’s aerospace sector.”

Quebec is likewise a major force in the life sciences, and the hub of pharma in Canada. In IT, Quebec start-ups have been at the forefront of AI and Quantum computing.

Fromage et sirop d’érable

One of Canada’s foremost food producers, notably dairy, Quebec’s agri-food sector is especially keen to diversify its markets in response to threats from Trump. Quebec is the world’s largest producer of maple syrup (sirop d’érable in Quebec’s official language), which is by now near ubiquitous in Japan. And pork exports to Japan have grown steadily.

Where Girard hopes to see growth is in dairy, specifically cheese (fromage). While Quebec producers have historically been focused on liquid milk, many are now moving up-market into specialty cheese. 

“Given our French heritage, cheese is a natural evolution for us,” Girard said. “And at a time when Japanese are becoming more adventurous in their taste, we have a growing number of high-end artisanal producers. I would love to see our cheese in Costco!”

What about Quebec’s indigenous producers? Visiting Nunavik, Quebec’s far-northern Inuit homeland, I found that fishers in communities like Kangiqsujuaq harvest plentiful wild arctic char, a delicious salmonid that is unknown in Tokyo’s Toyosu Market. Could the Délégation help introduce it to Japan?

“That’s a great idea! Let’s explore it,” Girard responded enthusiastically.

Cirque du Soleil and much more

Promoting Quebec’s cultural assets is another key concern for the Délégation. So far the most successful imports have been cultural products that don’t rely on language – notably Montreal’s world-famous Cirque du Soleil, which for some years even had a full-time venue at Tokyo Disney Resort.

On the cultural front, what Girard looks forward to is the upcoming Osaka Expo, where the design of Canada’s pavilion has been led by Robert Lepage, Quebec playwright, actor and director, and a team of Quebec architects. Lepage has a long and deep association with Japan.

“The man is a genius,” Girard said.

Never a better time to visit

All other concerns aside, Girard said his fondest wish is for more Japanese to see Quebec for themselves: “There has never been a better time. Air Canada now flies non-stop from Narita to Montreal, and the Canadian dollar, like the yen, has declined against the U.S. dollar. So Quebec is reasonably affordable.”

What Quebec attractions does he recommend?

“Our two grande villes, Quebec City and Montreal, are of course exceptional. But I’d love to see Japanese visitors discover less well-known places like Côtes-du-Nord, Gaspésie, Îles de la Madeleine, Nunavik and my personal favorite… Saguenay.

“As head of the Port of Quebec, I saw cruises becoming popular for visits to these destinations – particularly the magnificent Saguenay Fjord. I hope Japanese visitors might enjoy this.

“From now though, my family and I look forward to exploring our home for the next four years, Japan.”