The Consultation Commission on Accommodation Practices Related to Cultural Differences will be holding public hearings and town hall meetings in 17Quebeccommunities this fall. Having done five months of research and focus groups, the Commission's public hearings will give immigrants, French-speakingQuebecers and English-speaking Quebecers a chance to come together and discuss perceptions about immigration in Quebec.

Based on the findings from thesemeetings, the commissioners will submit a report to Quebec Premier Jean Charest next March. The report will outline recommendations on how to improve theimmigrant settlement process in Quebec.

"Reasonable accommodation is a legal notion, defining equality in a diverse society. But the phrase in Quebec has come to encompass everyday gestures thathelp integrate immigrant customs and religious practices into the broader society," writes Canadian journalist, Ann Carroll. The goal of the upcomingpublic hearings is to understand the different stakeholder perceptions in order to work towards easing the transition of newcomers into Quebec society.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest is talking about increasing immigration numbers beyond the current 46,000 annually, to fuel population and economic growth inthe province. The Commission's report is intended to facilitate this increase.