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Montreal

Quebec international relations minister will kick off first mission in New York

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Coalition Avenir Quebec MNA Martine Biron smiles as Quebec Premier Francois Legault grabs her hand and points toward photographers so she can pose for an official picture, Tuesday, October 18, 2022 during a ceremony at the legislature in Quebec City. National Assembly secretary general Siegfried Peters, right, looks on. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

Martine Biron will make her first trip as international relations minister to New York state.

Trade between Quebec and New York reached more than $10 billion CAD in 2021. In addition, about 6 per cent of New York state's electricity supply comes from Quebec.

The U.S. accounts for over 70 per cent of Quebec's international exports.

Biron, who is also the minister responsible for Francophonie and the status of women, is the MNA for Chutes-de-la-Chaudière.

In a press release, she expressed her intention to increase her meetings abroad. She wants to focus on economic issues such as decarbonization and the green economy and, in particular, to reaffirm Quebec's position as a green solutions provider.

As the status of women minister, she will speak on the theme of women in governance at the opening of the Women's Global Leadership forum, an event organized by New York's Quebec delegation, in partnership with the State University of New York.

Biron is counting on an increased presence of Quebec U.S., which she says will benefit Quebec's companies, institutions and economic ambitions.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 9, 2022.