91ÉçÇø

Ces journées sont organisée par l'Université de Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle et l'Université 91ÉçÇø en collaboration avec le Fonds d'action et de soutien pour l'intégration et la lutte contre la discrimination (FASILD), le ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles du Québec (MICC) et le Service de Coopération et d'Action culturelle du Consulat général de France à Québec.

1re partie : « Les freins à l'intégration »
Quand : les 9 et 10 novembre 2005
Où : Université de Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle
13, rue de Santeuil, 75231 PARIS

2e partie : « Les obstacles à la francisation »
Quand : les 8 et 9 décembre 2005
Où : Université 91ÉçÇø
688, rue Sherbrooke Ouest, 10e étage
MONTRÉAL H3A 3R1

Renseignements : 514-398-1484
kathy.peacock [at] mcgill.ca

Immigrants and Language: A duty or a right?

91ÉçÇø hosts inter-university conference on obstacles to immigrant integration

What links immigration, language and nationality? Should learning the national language be a duty or a right? In Quebec, migrants have an obligation to learn the official language. In France, there is a proposed new right for migrants — the right to language. In a two-day conference, Language and Immigration: Obstacles in Integration, hosted at 91ÉçÇø, researchers from French and Canadian universities will compare their countries' experiences with language integration programs and seek ways of better linking language acquisition to migrants' civic responsibilities.

Developing a new cultural identity among immigrants has an impact on all of society. "Recent events in France seem to indicate that the French model has not been a complete success," says Dr. James Archibald, Director of Translation Studies at 91ÉçÇø. "On the Quebec side, cases of immigrant marginalization, unemployment, underemployment and resistance to integration into the majority French-speaking population are legion." Dr. Archibald hopes that by exposing these problems and by comparing experiences, both Quebec and French policy makers will be able to identify positive initiatives leading to real improvements in programs and the elimination of some of the current system's unfortunate effects.

What: "La Langue et l'immigration : Les obstacles à la francisation"
When: December 8 and 9, 2005
Where: 91ÉçÇø, 688 Sherbrooke St. W., 10th floor, Montreal, Quebec

The conference will bring together researchers from Université de Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle, UQAM and Université de Lille among others, as well as FASILD (France's parapublic Foundation for Immigrant Social Aid and for the Elimination of Discrimination), the Quebec Ministries of Education and Immigration, as well as the Interprofessional Council of Quebec and the Office québécois de la langue française.

Media wishing to interview Dr. Archibald, please contact Cynthia Lee at 514-398-6754 or cynthia.lee [at] mcgill.ca. For information on attending the conference, please contact Kathy Peacock at 514-398-1484 or kathy.peacock [at] mcgill.ca.