Introduction

Dreaming of the future of Quebec in “solutions” mode is the ambitious mission that 400 young people aged 20 to 35 from Montreal, Quebec, Saguenay, Gatineau, Rimouski or elsewhere in Quebec have set themselves as part of the first Idea Generation Summit. These young people, from different political, social, economic and cultural backgrounds, have worked together on possible solutions to remake Quebec in their image.

What emerges from this unifying event? Fruitful exchanges, new encounters, passionate and fascinating debates, an infectious desire to change things. And also, around a hundred possible solutions, some precise and concrete, others which constitute excellent starting points and will be the subject of further discussions at a future Summit. We see a strong desire of young people to take a turn towards sustainable development in all its forms: sustainable land use planning, emphasis on public transport, responsible management of resources, human-oriented workplaces, eco-taxation, sustainable economic development …

There is also a significant concern about the state of our democratic institutions and several solutions aim to make them more representative and closer to citizens. Summit participants demonstrated their faith in the ability of education to stimulate creativity, critical thinking, cultural curiosity, intergenerational ties, entrepreneurial spirit, civic responsibility and personal development. They expressed a desire for accountability with regard to public finances and put forward several ideas to facilitate integration and exchanges between people of different generations, cultures or backgrounds. In short, a lucid and united Quebec.

The brief presented here aims to report on the discussions that took place during the November 2010 Summit and the possible solutions that were proposed by the participants. It also seeks to put these avenues of solutions into their political, social, cultural, economic or environmental context. It does not reflect the opinion of one or a few people or organizations in particular, but rather the opinions and reflections of hundreds of young people who have tried, beyond their differences, to bring out ideas that can bring them together and, they hope it will give their society a taste for dreaming better… But above all, it lays the foundations for the next big gathering of the Generation of Ideas Summit, which is probably very promising. Good reading !