Presented by Kamal DibPresented by Kamal DibManager of PolicyManager of Policy
LABOUR PROGRAM LABOUR PROGRAM
HUMAN RESOURCES AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADAHUMAN RESOURCES AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA
Racism-Free Workplace Strategy Racism-Free Workplace Strategy
February 11, 2006February 11, 2006
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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.
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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.
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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”.
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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.
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Year 1 (2004 – 06) 1. PHASE I - Set the stage by developing a research agenda;
plan of action; funding arrangements; letters of agreement.
2. PHASE II - Engagement (sessions with umbrella organizations, focus groups, workshops, and the development of partnerships with stakeholders and key departments); research products.
3. PHASE III - Develop program design and needs assessment, and an accountability framework for program delivery.
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Year 1 (2004-05) A. PRE-CONSULTATION SESSIONS• Meetings with umbrella stakeholders; pre-consultation sessions
in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto with a selection of stakeholders.
B. 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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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Year 3 (2006-07)
Delivery: 1. Tools: Video/DVD: mini-films on workplace racism and
lessons to employers; brochures and a compendium of diversity items.
2. Web-site and interactive e-learning. 3. Research and Data. 4. Training employers and unions; 5. Implementing partnerships: government departments
and private sector;6. Reporting and Evaluation