L'empowerment au Canada et au Québec: Enjeux et opportunités

Abstract

This article on empowerment in Quebec and Canada focuses on the capacity of citizens to create new institutional spaces in which they play a decisive role in designing socio-economic development strategies. Drawing on the concept of empowered participatory governance developed by Erik Olin Wright and Archon Fung, the focus is on the links between the political and economic dimensions of collective action, drawing on several examples of citizen based initiatives in the Canadian context. In exploring the concept of "empowered participation" through several experiences in Canada, and particularly in Quebec, the article distinguishes between citizen engagement and comprehensive community initiatives as sources of empowerment and institutional innovation in contrast to the growing number of public consultations that involve broad citizen participation. The capacity of actors and networks to influence and transform state institutions to advance the public interest in Quebec over the last twenty years is an important illustration of empowerment and social change. © 2006 Lavoisier, Paris. Tous droits réservés.