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Challenges Facing Visible Minorities: Toward a Racism-Free Workplace 8 th National Metropolis Conference Vancouver - M

Presented by Ajit Mehat Director General NATIONAL LABOUR OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE LABOUR PROGRAM HUMAN RESOURCES AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA. Challenges Facing Visible Minorities: Toward a Racism-Free Workplace 8 th National Metropolis Conference Vancouver - March 24, 2006. Outline.

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Challenges Facing Visible Minorities: Toward a Racism-Free Workplace 8 th National Metropolis Conference Vancouver - M

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  1. Presented by Ajit Mehat Director General NATIONAL LABOUR OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE LABOUR PROGRAM HUMAN RESOURCES AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA Challenges Facing Visible Minorities: Toward a Racism-Free Workplace 8th National Metropolis ConferenceVancouver - March 24, 2006

  2. Outline • Context • Public policy framework for inclusion • Employment Equity Act: 1986 - 2006 • Scope • Results • Eliminating racism/racial discrimination in the workplace • Government wide Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism • HRSDC-Labour Racism-Free Workplace Strategy • Opportunities for further collaboration.

  3. Ageing population/potential labour shortages/enhance and import skills Increasing and younger visible minority and aboriginal population Need for prudent vigilance about racial cohesion Globalization/competition for capital and talent Productivity losses/under utilization Socio-Economic Context

  4. Public Policy Framework Inter Alia: • Charter of Rights and Freedoms • Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) • Official Languages Act • Employment Equity Act (EEA) • Multiculturalism Act

  5. The Employment Equity Act The EE Act aims to: • Remove barriers to employment and upward mobility encountered by four groups: Women, Visible Minorities, Persons with Disabilities and Aboriginal peoples. • Enable special measures where warranted to address disadvantage. The EE Act requires employers to: • Consult with employee representatives to develop EE plan • Conduct a workforce survey and a workforce analysis of representation of designated group members • Review employment systems to correct disadvantage • Report annually to the Minister of Labour on their workforce

  6. All Employers covered by the Employment Equity Act in 2003

  7. Employment Equity ActResults 1987-2003

  8. Employment Equity Act – Results 2003 * “R” refers to the percentage representation of the designated group. ** “A” refers to the percentage workforce availability from the 2001 Census of Canada and the 2001 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey. ± The total excludes the Federal Contractors.

  9. Eliminating racism/racial discrimination in the workplace Several indications of the need for action • UN Special Rapporteur: gaps between legislation/policies and practices • CHRC – increase in race-based complaints • From 18% to 29% (2003 – 2004) • Research studies • Stats Can – Ethnic Diversity Study – 65% of VM’s perceive racism in the workplace • Several other research studies (K. Pendakur; J.Reitz; Galabuzi; Conference Board; CLC; etc.)

  10. Government Response to Challenges • Government-wide Action Plan Against Racism, announced on March 21, 2005 • Commitment by four federal ministers (HRSDC-Labour; CIC; Justice; Heritage) • Plan fits with Canadian values of an inclusive society and shared citizenship • Plan recognizes the changing demographics of Canada and the need to build a racism-free society for both social and economic reasons

  11. Racism-Free Workplace Strategy LABOUR–HRSDC is responsible for a federal workplace strategy to promote removal of barriers to employment and upward mobility for visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples: • provide information on the benefits of inclusion, the business case, exemplary workplace practices etc • provide tools, training for employers • assist employers to connect with community groups Desired outcome: inclusive, welcoming workplace environment for all designated groups

  12. RFWS: Designing the Strategy: 2004-06 Determine the needs: • engagement sessions across Canada with stakeholder organizations (with employer organizations, labour unions, civil society) to identify barriers • research projects commissioned to academic/consultants on visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples in the Canadian labour market. Partner with Federal Departments and Agencies: • Public Service Human Resources Management Agency (PSHRMAC) – for a strategy for federal Public service • Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) – information on types of barriers through complaints • Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC) – work thorough Metropolis for field research, outreach and conference • National Film Board (NFB) – marketing and training products

  13. RFWS: Delivering the strategy: 2006-07 • Labour-HRSDC welcomes: • Feedback and input into the RFWS, policy development and program delivery. • Independent and rigorous research findings and collaboration on research projects: • Cost-benefit analysis of racism-free workplaces • Labour market outcomes • Disaggregation of stereotypes and misconceptions • Participation in upcoming Parliamentary review of EE Act • Regional delivery of the RFWS (particularly involving partnerships and community outreach).

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