Urban African Canadians: A Qualitative Study of Serious Legal Problems in Quebec

Appendix: Discussion Guide

Interview Questions

  1. Demographics & identity
    • Name
    • Surname
    • Age
    • Where do you live? (neighbourhood & city)
    • Place of birth
    • How do you identify in terms of your ethno-racial background?
    • What language or languages are most commonly spoken at home?
    • Are you a citizen of Canada/Landed Immigrant/Refugee/Temporary status/No status?
      • In what year did you move Canada? If the exact year is not known, please give your best estimate.
      • Where did you live before coming to Canada (Experiences in other places)
    • How do you identify in terms of gender?
    • How do you identify in terms of sexual orientation?
    • Are you a person living with a disability? If so, please describe it.
  2. Socio-economic status
    • What is your current employment status?
    • How would you describe your profession?
    • What is your approximate income?
    • What is your level of education/training?
    • During the past 12 months, what was your main activity?
      • Looking for paid work
      • Attending school
      • Caring for your children
      • Household work
      • Retired
      • Maternity, paternity, or parental leave
      • Long term illness
      • Volunteering or care-giving other than for your children
      • Other (Specify the main activity)
  3. Serious legal problems

    4. 3.1 Problem identification

    • Have you experienced one or more serious problems that could or could not be resolved through the legal system in the past three years? These issues could fall into one or more of the following areas consumer issues: employment, debt or money owed to you, contact with the police (as accused or victim), family, child custody or parental responsibilities, injury or healthcare, property, housing, harassment or discrimination, or a combination of any of these.
    • Please provide a detailed description of the problem(s).

    3.2 Attempts at resolving problem

    • Did you try to resolve the issue(s) (possible probes: internet searches, reached out to friends/family, connected with the other party involved in the dispute, contacted an advocacy or social service agency, sought advice from a legal professional, attended court)? Why or why not?
    • What is the current status of the problem?
    • Was the problem resolved? What actions were helpful in resolving the issue?
    • Did you receive legal assistance? If so, what kind?
    • Were you satisfied with the resolution of the problem?

    3.3 Impact of problem

    • Was there a financial cost associated with the problem?
    • What was the amount?
    • Approximately how much in total has it cost you to deal with the problem, and what impact, if any, has this cost had on you personally?
    • Did the issue impact your health in any way (probes: physical, mental, emotional)?
    • If so, how or in what ways?
    • How has the issue impacted your family?
    • Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about the problem?
  4. Respondent’s understanding of their problems
    • How do you understand your experience with (or refraining from using) the legal system?
    • How do you think your identity impacts your experience?
    • To what extent do you think your problems were influenced by racism? If so, how?
    • How have immigration status and process impacted or not legal problems?
  5. Respondent’s understanding of the legal system
    • How do you think society identifies you?
    • How do you think that influences your experience of the legal system?
    • Have you lived similar experiences elsewhere? Where? What?
    • What are your thoughts about how the legal system operates?