SIXTH INTERNATIONAL METROPOLIS CONFERENCE

WORKSHOP 27. Do Small-size receiving societies face specific immigration issues ?

Wednesday, November 28, 2001
14:00 - 17:30

ORGANIZERS

Louis-René Gagnon
Ministère des relations avec les citoyens et de l'immigration (MRCI)
louis-rene.gagnon@mrci.gouv.qc.ca

Jacques Ledent
Université du Québec
jacques.ledent@inrs-urb.uquebec.ca

DESCRIPTION
Problem. Are the demographic, economic and cultural imperatives of immigration affected by the size of the reception society? Specifically, be they nation-states or sub-national jurisdictions, do the small reception societies face specific problems that the large countries that receive immigrants do not encounter ?

Aims, subject and relevance. During this workshop we will review knowledge on immigration matters and the integration of immigrants in small immigrant reception societies in order to determine if the experience of these countries is significantly different to that of large countries that receive immigrants, solely because of their size. Particular emphasis will be placed on the results of research and the role these play in drawing up public policies with a view to implementing model practices.

Methods. The workshop will be divided into several sections and each one will aim to focus on the points of view of two researchers as well as a decision-maker or an NGO as a warm-up to a general discussion. Countries will be compared, starting with a debate contrasting the case of Quebec with other small reception societies, followed by a comparison between small reception societies and large countries that receive immigrants.

Format. The workshop will be split into four sections :
- in the first three sections we will examine the problems of immigration and the integration of immigrants in various small reception societies :
The first section will deal with the impact of immigration on the reception society and will focus on the demographic, economic and cultural aspects, while the next two sections will examine the integration of immigrants on an economic (section 2) as well socio-cultural level. Each one of these three sections will include:
. two speeches by researchers ) : the first will be by a Quebecker and the second by a researcher from another small reception society (the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Catalonia, New Zealand etc...)
followed by
. a presentation given by a decision-maker or an NGO member , then by
. a debate which is thrown open to the floor

- the fourth and last section will build on what has been achieved in the three previous sections. They will deal with the question of the specific imperatives in the small reception societies as compared to the large countries that receive immigrants. It will consist of :
. a speech by a Quebec reporter who will summarise the similarities (and differences) that were brought to light in the first three sections
. a presentation by a researcher on the importance of the size of the reception country in terms of immigration and the integration of immigrants or, if such a researcher cannot be found, a series of speeches by a member of each one of the 3 groups of participants (researcher, decision-maker and NGO) (15 minutes in total) and finally
. a general discussion

DURATION
The 4 sections that have been planned should be spread over two consecutive sessions lasting an hour and a half each.

speakers
( R : researcher - D : Decision-maker - N : NGO member)

Partie I

Introduction by Louis-René Gagnon, MRCI, Québec
Section 1
1) Hans Vermeulen, Institute for Migration and Ethnic studies, University of Amrterdam
2) Paul Brassé, Forum, a Dutch ONG
3) Marc Verlot, University of Ghent
4) Jacques Ledent, INRS-UCS, Université du Québec
5) Jean Renaud, CEETUM, Université de Montréal

Partie II
Section 2
6) Barbro Bakken, Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norway
7) Gary Obas, Centre d'appui aux communautés immigrantes de Bordeaux-Cartierville, a Quebec ONG

Section 3: The impact of size
1) Initial thoughts by Martine Faille, MRCI, Quebec
2) Discussion (45 mn) moderated by Louis-René Gagnon, MRCI, Quebec involving speakers in previous sections and additional selected individuals such as
- Catarina Oliveira (New University of Lisbon)
- Albert Bastardas-Boada (Universitat de Barcelona)

The presentations and debates at the workshop will be recorded and a summary of these will be prepared by a student under the supervision of two people in charge and published by Immigration and Métropoles, the Montreal centre of the Metropolis Project. It will consist of a summary of the presentations and discussions, followed by a piece explaining the effects of the workshop on 1) the public policies and 2) the direction to be followed in terms of future collaboration and research (as required by the Conference organisers).