Newcomers and social and health pressures in Franco-Manitoban communities: Overview of avenues of research and preliminary considerations

This article outlines theoretical considerations and preliminary data for a research project undertaken at the request of the research office at the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface in Winnipeg, with the support of the Corporation Catholique de la Santé du Manitoba. The Corporation's "Étude d'évaluation stratégique sur l'intégration des médecines alternatives à la médecine officielle (2006-2009)" seeks to build the capacities of public medical institutions in view of, among other things, socio-demographic changes caused by the arrival of newcomers. The study, now in progress, is already concerned with the potential clientele for the alternative health services that would be integrated into what is regarded as officiai medicine. Our research project, entitled "Nouveaux arrivants et pathologies émergentes en milieu franco-manitobain: Quelles exigences?" seeks to identify newcomers' implicit (unexpressed) and explicit (known) demands regarding sociocultural and health services available in the Franco-Manitoban host community. The first step involves collecting basic data on migration trends and their multidimensional implications at the community level. This article will, therefore, focus on contrasting local social and health services with the direct and indirect demands of newcomers. It will attempt to identify requirements for community, social and institutional development. The abovementioned theoretical considerations relate to the issues, objectives and approach of our research project. The preliminary data consist of information obtained from Accueil francophone and from several immigrants, such as the excerpt at the beginning of this paper.