Forum to address ‘challenge’ of diversity

Province aims to help immigrants feel more welcome

The provincial government is organizing a “diversity and antidiscrimination forum” on Dec. 5 in Quebec City.

In attendance will be provincial, regional and municipal representatives, as well as community and social groups and people in the employment and education fields, David Heurtel, minister responsible for immigration, diversity and inclusion, said Friday.

The forum will “focus on finding concrete solutions based on best practices.”

It will be divided into four plenary sessions on employment, training, francization and the fight against discrimination. During each session, speakers will present “best practices that can be adapted to the realities of every Quebec region.”

The forum will be webcast at valoriserdiversite.gouv.qc.ca.

The event is part of the provincial government’s new approach to an issue that became mired in controversy.

In October, Quebec changed the title of its effort, originally set to be more of an inquiry into racism.

The old title, “Consultation on Systemic Discrimination and Racism,” was replaced by “Forum Validating Diversity and the Fight Against Discrimination.”

At the time, Heurtel said the government wanted to quash the notion the hearings are putting Quebecers on trial for racism when in fact the process has a nobler goal: finding ways to make immigrants and minorities feel welcome at the same time as responding to Quebec’s chronic labour shortage.

“We really want to focus on concrete issues and concrete solutions on how diversity, how immigration, can contribute more to this challenge that we have in Quebec,” Heurtel said in October.