Apprentissages des élus des petites municipalités québécoises : le gifted amateur revisité

Abstract

Since the 2000s, the role of Quebec’s municipalities has evolved significantly. The provincial government has granted them increased responsibilities, particularly in areas such as territorial development, poverty reduction, and climate change adaptation. This recognition was formalized in 2017 with their official designation as “governments of proximity.” This shift reflects a global trend observed in Canada, the United States, and Europe, where municipal elected officials are increasingly professionalizing their roles, moving away from the traditional model of the “gifted amateur.” The professionalization of municipal officials implicitly raises questions about their relationship to learning. However, this transformation varies depending on the context. In municipalities with fewer than 5,000 residents—which make up 83% of Quebec’s municipalities—elected officials often carry out their duties with limited resources, which affects how they work. Yet, few studies have focused on these smaller municipalities. This article seeks to fill that gap by analyzing how these officials learn and what their main sources of information are. The goal is to better understand whether the gifted amateur model still prevails in these settings or is evolving under the pressure of new responsibilities and expectations.