Abstract

This thesis is about the contemporary relationship between the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) and community organizations (COs) delivering immigrant integration services in Quebec. More precisely, it investigates the role of COs as central actors in the governance processes associated with immigrant integration policies in Quebec.

The literature on the relationship between the Quebec government and COs points to the distinct recognition that autonomous community action (ACA) enjoys in the province. Although similar to other jurisdictions in its use of New Public Management (NPM) principles, the Quebec model is praised for the central role dedicated to civil society actors in governance processes. Based on a theoretical framework that synthesizes ACA and NPM as two opposing modes of action, this thesis presents an analysis of 10 semi-structured interviews with the leaders of COs active in this sector.

First, the results of this research show that COs understand themselves as service providers in their relationship with the MIFI. This is present across the diverse COs analyzed, hinting at a powerful trend that may apply to the whole sector. Second, findings document that the COs interviewed experience difficulties in pursuing their social mission. The limited mission funding and the rare mechanisms COs have developed to foster citizen participation contribute to this situation. These results open the door to a broader reflection on the specificities of the Quebec model and on the changes in the value given to citizen participation in the development of public policies in the province.