Wikipedia

The zone that was awarded to France was unusual and in two parts: first, the boundary was set at an equidistant line between the French islands and the Canadian island of Newfoundland. Added to this was a 24 nautical mile bulge on the west of the islands. Lastly, a long north–south 188-nautical-mile (348 km) corridor south of the islands was awarded to France, presumably to allow France access to its EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) from international waters without having to pass through the Canadian EEZ.

My guess is the strip grants grand banks fishing rights proportional to the size of the island, without being a big land grab.

Plus Canadian professional cartographers know how to party. They have more active bans on pub crawls on Water street than anyone but the Chemists.

Also the longest border on solid land that France shares with another country is with…

Brazil!

so Canada and Brazil both share the same neighbour.

“Don’t you dare try passing to the south of us, ya shifty Canooks.”