The purpose of this study is to provide insight into the level of literacy training being conducted within municipal governments in the province of Quebec. The study covers the level of literacy training being delivered within the municipal work force and the community. As well, it indicates the level of knowledge and the amount of interest regarding literacy training in municipal government, the workplace and the community.
This project examines the environment within Quebec municipal governments to determine the current situation regarding municipal workplace literacy and learning programs, what is needed, and what can be done to promote and communicate workplace literacy and learning programs to municipal stakeholders.
Initial meetings were held with Patricia Nutter, Project Director, Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA). The purpose of these meetings was to give the consultant direction and ideas on how to proceed.
In addition, the consultant met with David Johnstone, past president of CAMA, and Louis Provencher, Quebec Representative and CAMA board member. The primary purpose of this meeting was to introduce the consultant to the Quebec board members and explore ways to proceed in that province.
Following consultations with Patricia Nutter, David Johnstone and Louis Provencher, the consultant developed a brief, targeted survey that was approved by the initial project organizing committee. This survey, a cover letter and a short description of the project were sent to over 270 municipalities across the province of Quebec. The survey and description are included in Appendix A of this report.
Following meetings with Quebec union officials in Québec City on May 9 and 10, 2005, a survey was sent out to most Quebec municipal unions represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). CUPE represents the majority of municipal workers in the province of Québec. It must be mentioned that CUPE-Québec volunteered to mail out all surveys in late June, with a further mail out in July to remind the local unions of the importance of this survey. As a result, a total 54 replies were received.