Type of Research: Research Paper, Database          

Research Description:

This project will compile information on criminal and scandalous activities of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) from its founding in 1984 to the present. It will attempt to track the consequences for CSIS of each scandal which has come to light. Finally, it will analyse the data according to a set of questions developed in collaboration with the People's Commission Network in the course of this project.

Part A. Scandalous activities and consequences for CSIS.

Drawing on a wide variety of public sources (literature review; media coverage; SIRC reports; internal Public Safety audits; court decisions and transcripts; interviews with activists and lawyers; reports by human rights and community organizations), information on CSIS misdemeanors will be gathered, synthesized, and categorized.

We are interested not only in illegal activities but any ""shocking"" behaviour: actions that are broadly held to be incompatible with justice and freedom. To narrow the scope of the research, we have categorized the kinds of activities that have in the past provoked public scandals. The following ten categories can be refined and modified in the course of the research, but serve as an initial basis:

Type of Research:

Program Design      

Project Description:

Our members (domestic workers) have expressed an interest in starting a cooking club where they can share recipes, cook together on a budget. If possible, they would also like to learn cooking skills to be able to obtain a certificate at the end of the course.        

We will share the results of this experience with our partners whose members often have integration, financial and isolation issues. They may use this program as a model to teach others how to meal plan and budget. The developments of the project will be posted on our website and space will be reserved in our newsletter for the participants or organizing students.            

Project Description:

Quebec industries are hiring migrant workers under the federal Temporary Foreign Workers Program.  Little is known by the public about the conditions of workers in this program, particularly those workers under the Low Skilled Pilot Project.  Under this program the worker's status in Canada is tied to their their employment.  Once the employment ends for whatever reason, the worker has a very limited grace period to find a new employer that has been granted an Labour Market Opinion (LMO) in order to hire temporary foreign workers. 

Over the years, the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC) in Quebec has been working with temporary foreign workers in different industries such as landscaping, telecommunications, aerospace manufacturing and video game developers.  Their precarious situation is compounded by the fact that it is almost impossible to find a list of employers who have LMOs as this information is not made public.  Many workers are forced to go through placement agencies in order to find new employment. A situation that tends to complicate their labour relations.

The student working on this research will compile a detailed list (Name, profile, contact number, address, etc...) of Quebec based companies that have an LMO or are hiring temporary foreign workers.

Project Description:

Conduct surveys for a study on Quebec Recruitment Agencies and their involvement in the exploitation, racism, and harassment of migrant workers and to develop a report on the analysis and recommendation as per a collective discussion from respondents.           

This project was started last school year by two Concordia students and a lot has been accomplished. A questionnaire has been finalized after this model was approved by a Concordia University ethics board.

Reproduction of this questionnaire was done and the plan was to start the collection of information by filling up the forms by recruitment users. Unfortunately, this stage did not materialize as planned this summer. We would like to continue this project to the end.

We would like to use the result of this project as an organizing tool in the empowerment of migrant workers in general and in our community in particular. Numerous Filipinos migrate to Canada under the TFWP who can benefit from this project.

Project Description:

The Montreal Media Co-op is looking for a student, preferably in Journalism or Communications, to undertake a research and writing project for the upcoming semester. The student would be expected to work with members of the MMC is researching one or several topics through various means, including Access to Information Requests, archival research and interviews. While familiarity with journalistic research methods is a plus, training will be provided to the student as well.

The research will revolve around a clear topic with the goal of publishing at least one in-depth investigative piece. The topic will be defined based on the needs identified by the MMC and take into account the student's research interests. Possible topics include: Housing and homelessness Poverty rates/anti-poverty programs Environmental initiatives on Montreal island Police brutality/killings and accountability Women, queer and trans- issues in Montreal Race and racism in Montreal.