How to participate in the consultation

1. General conditions

To register for one of the three methods of participation described earlier, individuals must fill out the application form.

Interested individuals must indicate on the form the desired method of participation, i.e.
(a) the submission of a brief (without a presentation before the Commission);
(b) the presentation of a brief or testimony; or
(c) participation in a regional citizens’ forum.

The calendar of consultation sessions indicates the dates of the sessions and the registration deadline, depending on the method of participation selected.

Registration in a particular facet of the consultation does not guarantee that the individuals concerned will be able to participate in it, because of scheduling and availability. However, the Commission undertakes to do everything possible to hear as many Quebecers as possible. In all cases, the Commission Secretariat will confirm participation by interested individuals one week prior to the meeting.

 

2. Specific procedures – Submission or presentation of a brief

Institutions, groups or individuals may submit a brief without presenting it to the Commission or present the brief at one of the consultation sessions.

Presentations must be confined to the brief’s highlights, bearing in mind the limited time available at the hearings. The Participation Guide indicates the rules governing the presentation of a brief.

Participants wishing to present their briefs at a public hearing must register as soon as possible before the deadline indicated in the calendar and submit their brief to the Commission at the time of registration.

It should be noted that it is very important for participants to register to enable the Commission to examine the briefs and properly organize the consultation sessions.

2.1 Drafting of briefs

The brief expresses opinions or indicates concerns about the themes mentioned in the consultation document or the participants’ personal experience of cultural differences. Participants may also examine other aspects of the question that they deem to be relevant.

Briefs may be written in French or in English, in a spirit of respect for other participants. They must not contain remarks that undermine the dignity, honour, reputation or privacy of individuals.

Briefs must not exceed 15 pages and, generally speaking, must include:

• the title;
• a brief presentation of the individual, group or organization submitting the brief;
• a brief explanation of the individual’s, group’s or organization’s interest in the consultation topic;
• the presentation of viewpoints pertaining to the themes examined in the consultation document;
• any other comment related to the topic.

Individuals, groups or organizations that wish to present their briefs at a public hearing should prepare a one- or two-page summary in the form of highlights.

Participants can download the consultation document or request a copy of it from the Commission Secretariat.

2.2 Submission of briefs

Once they have written their briefs, participants must register by completing the registration form (hyperlink) and submitting it with the briefs.

The entire brief must be submitted in a single electronic file. The document must be in Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint format. Otherwise, it should be submitted in PDF.

The brief should not be altered once it has been submitted. Any addition to the brief or additional information must be submitted to the Commission in the form of an addendum so that it can be appended to the brief already received.

2.3 Publication of briefs

The briefs remain confidential until they are presented at a hearing, after which they will be displayed on the Commission’s Website. Briefs not presented at a hearing will be displayed on the Commission’s Website at the conclusion of the consultative tour.

 

3. Specific procedures – Province-wide citizens’ forums

The Commission has asked the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM) to organize the province-wide forums. The forums, open to citizens throughout Québec, will be held in Montréal in the fall and winter of 2007. Individuals interested in participating in the forums should contact the Institut du Nouveau Monde.

To obtain additional information or to register for one of the forums, please consult the Institut du Nouveau Monde Website (www.inm.qc.ca).