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Presented by Kamal Dib Manager of Policy LABOUR PROGRAM HUMAN RESOURCES AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA. Racism-Free Workplace Strategy February 11, 2006. Background. Part of a government-wide Action Plan Against Racism , announced on March 21, 2005.
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Presented by Kamal Dib Manager of Policy LABOUR PROGRAM HUMAN RESOURCES AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA Racism-Free Workplace Strategy February 11, 2006
Background • Part of a government-wide Action Plan Against Racism, announced on March 21, 2005. • Fits with the concepts of inclusive society and shared citizenship. • Recognizes changing demographics of Canada and the need to build a racism-free society.
Challenges • In 2001, Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities accounted for 15.2% of Canada’s workforce. • This proportion could reach 23% to 27% in 2017. Even now, many new entrants to the labour market are either immigrants or Canadian-born visible minorities or Aboriginal peoples. • Incidents of racism have been on the rise in recent years. • Canadian workplaces suffer from chronic barriers to the employment and advancement of visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples.
Challenges • CHRC reports that race-based complaints are now at 26% of all complaints. • Statistics Canada’s Survey on Ethnic Diversity indicated perception of racism in the workplace by visible minorities at 65%. • The Conference Board of Canada released a report confirming that “visible minorities experience multiple and on-going barriers in the workplace”.
Focus of the Racism-Free Workplace Strategy • promote removal of barriers to employment and upward mobility in the workplace for visible minorities and Aboriginal Peoples. • Benefit to all designated groups under the Employment Equity Act. • Year 1 activities (2004-05) delivered in 3 phases.
Year 1 (2004 – 06) • PHASE I - Set the stage by developing a research agenda; plan of action; funding arrangements; letters of agreement. • PHASE II - Engagement (sessions with umbrella organizations, focus groups, workshops, and the development of partnerships with stakeholders and key departments); research products. • PHASE III - Develop program design and needs assessment, and an accountability framework for program delivery.
Year 1 (2004-05) • PRE-CONSULTATION SESSIONS • Meetings with umbrella stakeholders; pre-consultation sessions in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto with a selection of stakeholders. • RESEARCH AGENDA • Situation of Visible Minorities and Aboriginal Peoples in Canadian Labour Market. • Policies and Approaches. • Workplace Barriers and Employer Practices. • A series of papers on the situation of visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples in key Canadian cities.
YEAR 1 – 2004-05 C. ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS • 32 educational workshops, 29 Partnership sessions, and 40 consultation sessions were delivered in Winter 2005 in 8 cities. • Private sector employers; civil society organizations, labour unions; participants from federal and provincial bodies.
Key messages • Remove barriers against entry to the workplace, job retention, upward mobility and career development. • Recognize racism as an obstacle to the progress of minorities and lead by example. • Management: active commitment and accountability. • Work in partnership among stakeholders (employer-employee leadership). • Outreach to community organizations (e.g. hiring boards). • Develop educational tools and strategies. • Work with other levels of government to achieve holistic solution.
Year 2 (2005-06) Work within HRSDC and with other federal departments Letters of Agreement with 4 departments and agencies. PSHRMA, CHRC, CIC, NFB Build links to existing programs at HRSDC: ITWI, FWP, ODI, ARO, Gender, AHRDS. Work with other departments with similar or parallel issues
Year 2 (2005-06) Program Delivery • $56 million for Action Plan Against Racism; $13 million for Labour Branch (February Budget). • Treasury Board approved submission (Oct 2005) • Pilot regional Models • Building Regional and NHQ Capacity • Training Activities
Year 3 (2006-07) Delivery: • Tools: Video/DVD: mini-films on workplace racism and lessons to employers; brochures and a compendium of diversity items. • Web-site and interactive e-learning. • Research and Data. • Training employers and unions; • Implementing partnerships: government departments and private sector; • Reporting and Evaluation