Ethnicity, civil society, and public policy: minority inclusion in democratic governance strategies/Ethnicite, societe civile et politique publique generale : l'inclusion de minorites dans les strategies de gouvernance democratique.(Reports on Two Plenary Sessions at the Nineteenth Biennial Conference of the Canadian Ethnic Studies Association, Winnipeg, September 27-30, 2007/Rapports de deux sessions plenieres a la dix-neuvieme conference bisannuelle de la societe canadienne d'etudes ethniques, Winnipeg, 27-30 septembre 2007)

INTRODUCTION

The transition to democracy is a slow and fragile process. The development of practical and sound public policies that are applicable, acceptable, and inclusive are vital for the establishment of democratic systems. We believe that such policies should be led by citizens and supported by governments. To achieve this goal, initiatives must also overcome entrenched nativist attitudes if they are to be truly anchored in the community. The issue is how to formulate and deliver policies that will underpin the installation of the democratic ideal and which address the contexts unique to the countries undertaking this process.

Earlier in 2007, the Democracy Council hosted a "Dialogue on Canada's Approach to Democratic Development" to discuss issues and challenges involved in the promotion of democratic development. One of the key findings of this dialogue was the importance of participation and inclusion of all citizens, particularly marginalized populations, in designing and implementing democratic processes. The intention of the plenary session was to build on this dialogue and discuss the lessons learned to date, the role of external actors in facilitating democratic reform, and the role that Canada might take.

This report provides an overview of the plenary session on minority inclusion and democratic governance, sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), which was held at the biennial conference of the Canadian Ethnic Studies Association on September 28, 2007.

The plenary session was intended to share ideas and experiences about how to ensure effective minority participation in democratic governance systems. While it was assumed that a "one size fits all approach" is neither desirable nor realistic, the focus was on finding alternative ways to minority inclusion. Presentations by panelists and discussions in the session revolved mainly around seven questions:

1. Who should take the lead in initiating, maintaining, and controlling minority inclusion in the democratic process?

2. What role do women and minority groups play in citizen-focused projects in democracy building?