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SIXTH
INTERNATIONAL METROPOLIS CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
51: Ethical and political considerations with respect to ethnic indicators Thursday, November 29, 2001
14:00 - 15:30
ORGANIZERS
Sylvie Gravel
Research Officer
Montreal Public Health Department
1301 Sherbrooke Street East
Montreal, Quebec
Canada H2L 1M3
Telephone: (514) 528-2400, ext. 3361
Fax: (514) 528-2426
sgravel@santepub-mtl.qc.ca
Mary Farrell
Senior Advisor, Canadian Identity
Canadian Heritage
Complexe Guy-Favreau
200 René-Lévesque Boulevard West
West Tower, 6th Floor
Montreal, Quebec
Canada H2Z 1X4
Telephone: (514) 496-1223
Fax: (514) 496-1553
mary_farrell@pch.gc.ca
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
There is a certain paradox involved in using ethnic indicators. The use
of such data to document various situations of concern to immigrant populations
such as discrimination, specific health problems, or access to services
may lead to the same information being used subsequently to stigmatise
these groups. But refraining from using the data creates the opposite
problem, that is, of not having the information necessary to assure fair
treatment. The objective of the workshop
is to examine the ethics and political consequences of including or not
including ethnic indicators in the administrative files of public services
such as education, health, social services, and public security. Each particular country's history
influences the degree to which it tends to compile information on people's
ethnic identity or immigration status, and to include such information
in official government records. Factors such as war, genocides, mass migrations
and racial prejudice influence these tendencies. In light of these differences,
a debate concerning these ethical and political considerations is of international
interest. Presenters are invited to comment
on these considerations as they apply to their respective countries-Canada,
France, United States and the Netherlands-while bearing in mind the historical,
demographic, sociological, and legal aspects. Referring to Peter Skerry
's study on ethnic and race indicators in the American census, the presenters
and participants from governments and NGOs, as well as researchers can
exchange views on: a) governmental policies regarding the use of indicators
in public service institutions; b) how public service institutions use
these indicators; c) how ethnic and immigrant communities react to information
disseminated to the public that links their health and living conditions
with these ethnic indicators. Issues of integration and accessibility
of services will be debated from an ethical perspective and will contrast
policies to fight racial discrimination and exclusion with those that
encourage equal participation of all citizens without distinction. The discussion which will follow
the presentations from four different countries will make it possible
to identify ethical issues from an international perspective. The issues
raised will undoubtedly incite government policymakers as well as immigrants'
rights advocates to reflect upon these matters. They should think about:
a) policies that may or may not favour deploying measures to include ethnic
indicators in the administrative records of public service institutions;
and b) management of the indicators to ensure discrimination does not
result from their misuse. DURATION: 1 session
Discussion Framework Rotterdam 01-11-2001
PARTICIPANTS
Mr. Victor Piché, Director Department of Demography, University of Montréal
victor.piche@umontreal.ca
Mr. Patrick Simon, Senior Researcher, National Institute of Demography in France
simon@ined.fr
Mr. Peter Skerry, Senior Analyst, Government Studies of Brookling Institute and Professor, Clermont McKenna College in the United States
peter.skerry@clermontmckenna.edu
Mr. Derrek Thomas, Senior Analyst, Statistics Canada
thomder@statcan.ca
M. Justus Veenman Professor and General Director of Institute for Sociological Economic Research, Erasmus University, Rotterdam
veenman@few.eur.nl
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