Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - November 2007
Quebec's public hearings on reasonable accommodation should not serve as a model for other regions facing similar issues with regards to immigration and integration, according to experts interviewed by the National Post.
The hearings have been held across the province in an attempt to gain public input on how to deal with conflict between Quebec society and the rights of immigrants. The government is trying to gauge the level to which rules and regulations should flex in order to accommodate newcomers' traditions and customs.
The hearings are being observed all over Canada and abroad in nations such as Ireland, as policy-makers struggle to deal with the same issues due to high levels of migration. In fact, Canada's Governor General has been calling for similar debates at the national level.
Yet, experts such as Jack Jedwab from the Montreal-based Association for Canadian Studies say that Quebec's model for dealing with the issue in not an ideal one. �The main problem is the open forums that are too unstructured and too wide in scope,� said Jedwab in an interview with the Post. �Anyone can say anything and it legitimates the anxiety expressed by the people.�
Furthermore, many immigrant advocates argue that the media and politicians' focus on controversy are merely fueling the fires of intolerance, rather than solving the underlying issues.
Quebec's government seems to agree and has moved forward on the issue before receiving the commission's recommendations gathered from the public hearings, which are expected to be tabled in March of 2008. Premier Jean Charest has openly discussed his intention to �amend the provincial Charter of Rights to ensure the equality of women and men takes precedence over freedom of religion.�
Source: The National Post
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=a3c5d249-59cd-4cbc-8f90-b4e7249a8628&k=47404