Annual Report on the Operation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act 2020-21

Consciously Charting a Better Path Forward

This publication is available upon request in alternative formats.

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Annual Report on the Operation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act 2020-21 [PDF version - 2.88 MB]

List of acronyms and abbreviations

AAFC
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
ACOA
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
ARAP
Anti-Racism Action Program
ATSSC
Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada
BCCNS
Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia
BEP
Black Entrepreneurship Program
CARS
Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy
CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
CBSA
Canada Border Services Agency
CCI
Canadian Conservation Institute
CCPI
Canada’s Core Public Infrastructure
CDI
Centre on Diversity and Inclusion
CED
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
CEEDI
Committee on Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
CFIA
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
CHIN
Canadian Heritage Information Network
CHRC
Canadian Human Rights Commission
CIRNAC
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
CMF
Community Mobilization Fund
CMHC
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease
CPC
Canada Post Corporation
CPF
Canada Periodical Fund
CPFP
Community Participation Funding Program
CRA
Canada Revenue Agency
CRRF
Canada Race Relations Foundation
CRTC
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
CSA
Canadian Space Agency
CSBCY
Community Support for Black Canadian Youth
CSC
Correctional Services Canada
CSE
Communications Security Establishment
CSIS
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
CSMARI
Community Support for Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives
CSPS
Canada School of Public Service
DFO
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
DND
Department of National Defence
ECCC
Environment and Climate Change Canada
ERG
Employee Resource Group
ESDC
Employment and Social Development Canada
ESF
Emergency Support Fund
FACTOR
Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings
FPT
Federal-provincial-territorial
FPTORMI
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Officials Responsible for Multiculturalism Issues
FPTORMIA
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Network of Officials Responsible for Multiculturalism, Inclusion and Anti-Racism
GAC
Global Affairs Canada
GBA+
Gender-based Analysis Plus
GBV
Gender-Based Violence
GSS
General Social Survey
GST/HST
Goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax
IASPI
Indigenous Agriculture Science Initiative
IDC
Inclusion and Diversity Committee
IHRA
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance
IMVE
Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremism
INFC
Infrastructure Canada
IRB
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
IRCC
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
ISC
Indigenous Services Canada
ISED
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
ISEO
Indigenous Student Employment Opportunity
JEDI
Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
JISC
Joint Implementation Steering Committee
KCII
Knowledge Circle for Indigenous Inclusion
LGBTQ2
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two-Spirit
N2CB
No. 2 Construction Battalion
NAC
National Arts Centre
NEPMC
National Ethnic Press and Media Council
NFB
National Film Board of Canada
NGC
National Gallery of Canada
NHS
National Housing Strategy
NRC
National Research Council Canada
NRCan
Natural Resources Canada
NSERC
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
PCH
Canadian Heritage
PCO
Privy Council Office
PHAC
Public Health Agency of Canada
PPSC
Public Prosecution Service of Canada
PSC
Public Service Commission
PSP
Public Sector Pension Investments Board
PSPC
Public Services and Procurement Canada
QEDP
Quebec Economic Development Program
RCMP
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
REGI
Regional Economic Growth through Innovation
RHI
Rapid Housing Initiative
SBDAs
Science-based departments and agencies
SCT
Specific Claims Tribunal
SIP
Security Infrastructure Program
SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises
SSC
Shared Services Canada
SSHRC
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
SSP
Sport Support Program
TBS
Treasury Board Secretariat
VIA
Vancouver International Airport District
WAGE
Women and Gender Equality
WES
Women Entrepreneurship Strategy

Foreword from the Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion

Photo of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen
Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion

Fifty years ago, Canada became the first country in the world to adopt a policy of multiculturalism, which was later enshrined in law through the Canadian Multiculturalism Act. In Canada, diversity and inclusion are the hallmarks of our shared Canadian identity, yet we know that these values are being threatened.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated racism and hate that has affected Indigenous peoples as well as Black, Asian, Muslim, Jewish, and other racialized and religious minority communities. Research from Statistics Canada showed that hate crimes increased by 37% in 2020, with those targeting race or ethnicity nearly doubling from the previous year. In addition, Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey showed that while 7.4% of white Canadians were unemployed in 2020, that the unemployment rate for Black Canadians and Indigenous peoples was 75% higher than the rate for white Canadians. Similarly, the unemployment rate for Asian and other racialized Canadians was 66% higher than their white counterparts.

In its second year of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, the Department of Canadian Heritage undertook a wide range of initiatives to counter racism in its various forms. This includes funding 85 new community-based projects through the new Anti-Racism Action Program that aim to address systemic barriers, as well as online hate; hosting a series of community and virtual town halls to discuss the impacts and realities of systemic racism in sectors such as the legal, healthcare and philanthropic sectors; and implementing key research projects that will further our collective understanding of racism and discrimination in Canadian society, including on hate crimes in Canada. In addition, to strengthen our capacity to combat racism and promote multiculturalism, the 2020 Fall Economic Statement provided $50 million over two years, starting in 2021–22, to expand the Community Support, Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program and Anti-Racism Action Program funding, as well as expand the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat.

As evidenced by the findings highlighted in this Annual Report, federal institutions across the Government of Canada are also taking concrete actions to promote multiculturalism, and identify and address systemic racism across their policies, programs and services. For example, the Department of Canadian Heritage’s COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund helped address the specific needs of racialized communities, religious minority communities and Indigenous peoples adversely affected by the pandemic; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s 50/30 Challenge helped increase the representation and inclusion of diverse groups within the workplace; and Public Safety Canada’s Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program provided funding to enhance the security infrastructure of communities targeted by hate-motivated crimes. In addition, Budget 2021 announced that it will provide $200 million in 2021–22 to establish a new Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund. This fund will be led by Black Canadians and will create a sustainable source of funding, including for Black youth and social purpose organizations, and help combat anti-Black racism and improve social and economic outcomes in Black communities.

While these initiatives all help address racism and discrimination in Canada, we also realize that we still have a lot of work to do to ensure that our policies, programs and services are fully inclusive. Moving forward, we will continue to work collaboratively across the government to enhance our work in improving anti-racism efforts and promoting multiculturalism. This includes developing a National Action Plan on Combatting Hate as part of a renewed Anti-Racism Strategy, as well as strengthening legislation to combat hate and harmful online content.

I invite you to read the 2020–2021 Annual Report on the Operation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act for further details.

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen
Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion

Introduction

Multiculturalism is one of Canada’s greatest strengths. The Annual Report on the Operation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act is a key avenue through which the Government of Canada can highlight the important work the federal public service is doing to combat racism and discrimination, and its effort to promote a multicultural society.

Although this report highlights many of the Government of Canada’s accomplishments, we also acknowledge that much more still needs to be done across all federal institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Indigenous peoples as well as Black, Asian, Muslim, Jewish, and other racialized and religious minority communities, and has exacerbated pre-existing issues of racism and discrimination.

We aim to redouble our efforts to ensure that we contribute to a more equitable workforce, promote multiculturalism in everything we do, and continue to work towards eliminating systemic racism, discrimination and hate in Canada. From implementing Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, funding community projects, undertaking domestic and international engagements, to a wide range of innovative internal and external policies and programs across federal institutions to identify and eliminate barriers, we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and enabling environments for all to succeed and thrive.

Part one of this report provides a summary of the achievements of the Department of Canadian Heritage, and its contributions to multiculturalism and anti-racism between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021. It is organized based on the following key sections:

Part two of this report summarizes how other federal institutions are meeting their obligations under the Canadian Multiculturalism Act by highlighting a series of promising practices. These practices are highlighted through the following 4 themes:

Part 1: Canadian Heritage

The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program

In 1971, Canada became the first country in the world to adopt an official Multiculturalism Policy and 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of this important Policy. This was later enshrined in law in the Canadian Multiculturalism Act (1988). These, together with other federal laws, form a strong legislative framework that promote respect for Canada’s diverse ethnicities, cultures and religions, and the full participation of all Canadians in the social, political, civic, and economic spheres of society. The Multiculturalism Act has also proven flexible enough to respond to current events and increasing social awareness of the pervasive racism and discrimination faced by Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and religious minority communities.

The Canadian Heritage (PCH) Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program is one means by which the Government of Canada implements the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and advances the Government of Canada's priorities around anti-racism. To support and implement these initiatives, the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program within PCH has the following four key objectives:

  1. Support communities in confronting racism and discrimination, promoting intercultural and interfaith understanding and fostering equitable opportunities to participate fully in Canadian society;
  2. Reinforce cooperation among federal institutions to identity and address systemic barriers that result from racism and religious discrimination;
  3. Promote and engage in discussions on multiculturalism, diversity, racism and religious discrimination at the domestic and international levels; and,
  4. Strengthen research and evidence to build understanding of the disparities and challenges faced by racialized and religious minority communities.

Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy

Pillars of Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy
Pillars of Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy – text version
  • Demonstrating federal leadership
  • Empowering communities
  • Building awareness and changing attitudes

This was an especially challenging year for Indigenous peoples as well as Black, Asian, Muslim, Jewish, and other racialized and religious minority communities. These communities were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and subjected to alarming increases in hatred and racism in a myriad of forms. Through its Anti-Racism Strategy, and by other means, the Government of Canada sought to support those communities most impacted and to continue the hard fight against systemic racism.

Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy (CARS) saw an investment of $45M over three years (2019-2022). The Strategy was designed as a first step, laying a foundation for longer-term federal action against racism and discrimination in Canada, with a strong emphasis on community-based projects, including those with a focus on countering online disinformation, racism, and hate. In November 2020, the Fall Economic Statement provided an additional $50M to further strengthen efforts to combat racism and promote multiculturalism over two years (2021-2023). The departments funded under CARS include Canadian Heritage, Justice Canada, Statistics Canada and Public Safety Canada.

CARS has three pillars:

  1. Demonstrating Federal Leadership;
  2. Empowering Communities;
  3. Building Awareness and Changing Attitudes.

The following sections provide highlights of the key accomplishments in the second year of the Strategy.

Demonstrating Federal Leadership: The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat

The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat (Federal Secretariat) has focused on becoming a federal centre of expertise leading the whole-of-government approach to combating systemic racism and racial discrimination in Canada. The Federal Secretariat acts as a hub, convener and catalyst for all federal departments and agencies, as well as external stakeholders and partners, with which it has established trusted relationships and engages regularly.

2020-21 was a landmark year for the Federal Secretariat. Through its various activities, it was able to reach over 3,000,000 people across Canada and in 23 countries abroad through its various initiatives. Highlights of the Federal Secretariat’s activities include:

Equity-Seeking Communities and COVID-19 Taskforce

Data has shown that there has been a disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and religious minority communities. In response to this, the Federal Secretariat continued to partner with Women and Gender Equality Canada to lead the Equity-Seeking Communities and COVID-19 Taskforce, which was established in March 2020. Convening 25 federal departments and institutions for regular sessions, the Taskforce has been a space in which federal organizations have obtained access to critical data, learnt directly from subject matter experts with lived experience of oppression, and shared information about current initiatives.

Establishing a Horizontal Structure for International Decade Coordination

In recognition of the United Nations (UN) International Decade for People of African Descent, the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat established, alongside Employment and Social Development Canada, the Working Group on the International Decade for People of African Descent. Established in July 2020, the Working Group convenes over 18 federal departments and institutions to ensure that government actions effectively address the needs of people of African descent in Canada and explores further government action beyond 2024, the last year of the UN Decade.

National Black Youth Engagement Initiative

The Federal Secretariat assumed responsibility for a national Black youth engagement initiative, called the Black Canadian Youth Approach, which has seen close to 1,000 Black youth, from coast-to-coast-to-coast, engaged in developing policy and program priorities for the Government of Canada. The project culminated in February 2021 with the Federal Black Youth Forum: The Future is Now, during which approximately 300 Black youth presented their policy and programmatic recommendations on issues such as employment, justice, social participation, community safety, and mental health. Five federal ministers and two parliamentary secretaries participated in the Forum to engage in a dialogue with young people. Several of their recommendations have already been implemented by the federal government, including the program for Black entrepreneurs, a program to address the needs of Black communities related to housing, and capacity-building supports for Black community organizations. As a result of this initiative, the Federal Secretariat is working directly with Justice Canada to assist it in developing and implementing an engagement process to gather recommendations on addressing the experiences of Black youth with the youth criminal justice system.

Intergovernmental Engagement

Historically, the Multiculturalism Program used to administer an FPT table called the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Officials Responsible for Multiculturalism Issues (FPTORMI). This committee last met in October 2017. The committee was reconstituted in February 2021, and the name changed to explicitly reflect the new emphasis on combating systemic racism. The Federal-Provincial-Territorial Network of Officials Responsible for Multiculturalism, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (FPTORMIA), is a working level forum of federal, provincial, and territorial government representatives that share information, align multiculturalism, inclusion, and anti-racism initiatives, and engage in policy dialogue. The federal government is represented by the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH).

Empowering Communities

A key focus of the Strategy is to support communities on the ground who have expertise in addressing various forms of racism and discrimination and this work is being done through funding and engagement initiatives.

Funding initiatives

The Anti-Racism Action Program (ARAP) is designed to help address barriers to employment, justice and social participation among Indigenous peoples, racialized communities and religious minorities. ARAP can also fund projects with a focus on Online Hate and digital literacy. 2020-2021 saw the first round of funding under ARAP - 85 projects were supported for $15M, including 17 with a focus on hate and digital literacy for nearly $3M.

Spotlight: An ARAP Funded Project
  • Project: Action Alberta: Communities Responding to Hate
  • Funding Approved: $255,000
  • Description: This project, led by Reach Edmonton Council aims to combat online and in person hate directed at Indigenous, racialized, and religious minority communities in Alberta, particularly in rural areas. Its activities include hosting workshops in six communities/regions across Alberta, during which participants will learn how to identify, report and respond to hate incidents and learn how to use the website StopHateAB.ca to report incidents of hate.
Engagement activities

In 2020-21, the Federal Secretariat developed meaningful relationships with numerous sectors and communities, resulting in the ability to gather critical and strategic community intelligence to inform government actions, from short-term needs to longer-term policy issues. For example, the Federal Secretariat has held over 15 community-based and sector-focused virtual town halls, and continuously engaged with communities, including weekly communication with over 11,000 stakeholders and partners from across Canada. The town halls have provided the Federal Secretariat with a broad-based and comprehensive understanding of the needs, realities and recommendations of Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and religious minority communities.

Building Awareness and Changing Attitudes

A fundamental principle of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy is that data and evidence are indispensable tools to identify and address inequities, and enable concrete action toward the elimination of racism and discrimination. Stakeholders across the country have underscored the fact that the availability of disaggregated data and qualitative evidence on the socio-economic and cultural experiences of Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups in Canada is limited. This knowledge gap interferes with our ability to tackle important issues related to diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism. To improve data collection and analysis, Canadian Heritage (PCH) partnered with Statistics Canada, the Department of Justice, and Public Safety Canada to conduct research on topics that further our collective understanding of racism and discrimination in Canadian society. PCH has also held monthly meetings with these partners to coordinate research efforts, share best practices, and identify potential future areas of research. Key research products under the Strategy include the following:

Statistics Canada
  1. Oversampling of the 2020 General Social Survey on Social Identity (GSS-SI)

    The GSS-SI is a survey of the general population conducted every five years and explores themes such as social participation, civic engagement, attitudes towards Canadian institutions and symbols, and experiences of discrimination. Data were collected from August 2020 to February 2021. For this cycle of GSS-SI, there was an oversample of six population groups designated as visible minorities: Black, Arab & West Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Latin American, and Chinese. A total of 40,000 dwellings were selected for the oversample, in addition to the 47,000 dwellings that were part of the regular sample.

    The overall response rate was 40%. The oversample represents a novel approach to gather data on the experiences of some ethno-cultural groups, including their experiences with discrimination, and will allow for more targeted policy analysis. It will also provide information on other key variables such as gender, income, and education. The first release took place on September 28, 2021 and the full survey results will be released in winter 2022.

  2. Expert Advisory Committee on Ethno-cultural and Immigration Statistics examines alternative concepts to 'visible minority'

    In 2020, Statistics Canada established an Expert Advisory Committee on Ethno-cultural and Immigration Statistics. Among the issues upon which the Committee has provided guidance and advice are developing a conceptual framework and a series of indicators to disseminate statistics on ethnocultural diversity and social inclusion. This includes reviewing the use of the 'visible minority' concept and its existing categories for analytical and dissemination purposes, and examining alternative concepts and categorizations.

  3. The Uniform Crime Reporting Survey

    Work has focused on supporting intersectional analysis and increased record linkage activities. This has included linking data from the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (hate crimes from police records), to Statistics Canada’s Integrated Criminal Courts Survey (hate crime charges within the court system). The purpose of the linkage was to produce new information on court outcomes for hate-motivated crimes. This work was documented in a report completed in July 2020: “Hate Crime Record Linkage Report: Court outcomes of police-reported hate crimes in Canada, 2013-2017”, and findings were included in Statistics Canada’s March 2020 publication, “Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2019”.

Department of Justice

To better understand the prevalence and nature of serious legal problems experienced by Indigenous people and equity-deserving individuals, Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy provided support for the Department of Justice's 2021 Canadian Legal Problems Survey.

This is a general population, self-reported survey of those aged 18 years and older in the ten provinces where respondents were asked whether they had experienced a serious problem in the previous three years. Amongst other questions, respondents were asked whether they believe discrimination played a role in the legal problems they experienced. The results of the survey are expected to be available in early 2022.

Public Safety

Public Safety Canada’s Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence is working to augment Canada's research on hate, including hate crimes, hate speech and hateful incidents, focusing on the intersection of hate and radicalization to violence, and to begin to synthesize an evidence base about what hate looks like in the Canadian cultural context and how to best define and measure it. This research also aims to identify strategies to prevent, counter, and address hate speech, hate incidents, and hate crime in Canada and comparable regions, especially forms that have links to violent extremism.

As part of this work, two systematic reviews are currently being conducted by the Campbell Collaboration, which are looking at 1) The effectiveness of approaches to defining and measuring hate used by scholars, government and civil society-led initiatives to preventing, countering and addressing hate speech, hate incidents, and/or hate crime in Canada and comparable regions; and 2) The associations or impacts of engagement with, and exposure to, hateful content in traditional and social media. This includes radicalization to violence, as well as other harmful effects such as those related to fear, trauma, and polarization.

Additional Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program Highlights

In addition to initiatives specific to Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy (CARS), the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program undertook several additional activities in 2020-21 to implement the Canadian Multiculturalism Act and advance priorities around anti-racism. These include:

Details on these activities are outlined below.

Community Investments: The Community Support, Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiative

The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program administers two grants and contributions funding programs, the Anti-Racism Action Program (ARAP) and the Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives (CSMARI). While ARAP was created through Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy (CARS), CSMARI was established prior to CARS.

The CSMARI Program supports Canadian Heritage’s (PCH’s) mandate by building on Canada's strength as a diverse and inclusive society. In 2020-21 funding was provided for the following streams under CSMARI:

Spotlight: A CSMARI Funded Project
  • Project: Learning Together to Change Forever
  • Funding Approved: $128,350
  • Description: This project, led by the Lennox Island First Nation of Prince Edward Island, focused on the education of non-Indigenous communities on Indigenous culture, the development of skills needed by service providers to support Indigenous peoples, and increased collaboration between communities. Customized workshops were offered to members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as well as to service providers and delivery agencies such as child and family services, employers, sports coaches and club leaders, health care providers, and teachers. The goal of the training was to increase participants’ understanding of the misconceptions about Indigenous peoples that lead to their unequal treatment within existing systems, and racist acts in society.

Public Outreach and Promotion

Public recognition of the historic roots and important contributions made by Indigenous peoples, racialized, and religious minority communities is an important part of the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program. This is done through public events, as well as by formally adopting different commemorative dates into a public calendar.

Asian Heritage Month

Asian Heritage Month 2020.
“Asian Canadians: United in Diversity.”

There have been heightened levels of discriminatory behaviours and prejudices targeting Asian communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, including in the form of hate crimes and online hate. This year the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program continued its efforts to address anti-Asian racism and highlight the contributions of Asian Canadians through various initiatives, such as Asian Heritage Month.

Asian Heritage Month honours the many achievements and contributions of peoples of Asian descent in Canada who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada the culturally rich nation that it is today. In May of 2020, the Minister marked the start of Asian Heritage Month to highlight the rich diversity of peoples of Asian descent in Canada. The theme, “Asian Canadians: United in Diversity” recognized the many contributions Asian Canadians have made to every aspect of Canadian society.

It was also a call to action for all Canadians to come together to combat all forms of anti-Asian racism and discrimination. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no in-person PCH-led public events were held to recognize this commemorative month. Instead, PCH led a social media campaign and virtual celebration, which reached over 400,000 people. The virtual celebration featured video submissions from people across Canada celebrating Asian cultural heritage. In addition, 7 community-led Asian Heritage Month events were supported through the Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives (CSMARI) Program for a total of $153,100.

Black History Month

Black History Month 2021.
“The Future is Now,” acted as a call to action for all peoples in Canada to build on the legacy of those who came before us and to recognize the transformative work that Black people and their communities are doing now.

February 2021 marked the 25th anniversary since the House of Commons officially recognized Black History Month, thanks to the work of Canada’s first Black woman federal cabinet minister and Black woman Member of Parliament, the Honourable Jean Augustine. Every February, all peoples in Canada are invited to participate in Black History Month events that celebrate and honour the legacy and the many contributions of Black people in Canada, past and present. It also is an opportunity to acknowledge the ongoing challenges and barriers that Black communities face. This remained especially important in the context of the tragic events of 2020, including the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, which further brought global attention to the issue of systemic anti-Black racism.

This year’s Black History month theme, “The Future is Now,” spoke to the work that Black communities in Canada are doing right now in many spheres of society to ensure that we build a consciously more inclusive future for all. The theme caught on nationally and internationally, as the outreach by Canadian Heritage alone ended up reaching over 1 million people in Canada and around the world, compared to the 2020-activities, which reached 150,000 people. In addition, the CSMARI Program supported 39 Black History Month community-led events for a total of $656,283.

Commemorative Dates Adopted in 2020-2021

In keeping with the rich cultural heritage of our country and the spirit of our Multiculturalism Policy, which acknowledges the freedom of all members of Canadian society to preserve, enhance and share their cultural heritage, the Parliament of Canada passed two new commemorative date initiatives in 2021.

The first of these initiatives was passed on March 10, 2021, and proclaimed March as Irish Heritage Month by recognizing the invaluable contributions of the Irish community to Canada’s social, economic, and political fabric.

The second initiative was passed on March 24, 2021, and officially established August 1 as Emancipation Day. It was on August 1, 1834, that the Slavery Abolition Act took effect, freeing enslaved people in British North America, now Canada. This day would later become known as Emancipation Day. On this day, Canadians are encouraged to recognize and learn about the history of slavery in Canada, including the injustices committed against people of African descent and Indigenous peoples, and salute their courage, resilience, and perseverance in overcoming adversity throughout our history.

These commemorative dates present an excellent opportunity for Canadians to learn more about the richness of the cultures and the historical contributions of these communities, and reflect upon both the proud moments in our history as well as the darker moments, to better shape our futures. The Government of Canada looks forward to celebrating these new dates which play an important role in raising awareness of the richness of Canada’s cultural diversity.

International Engagement

The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program continues its efforts on the international stage to support values of diversity, inclusion, human rights, and respect, and to encourage a society where all citizens can equitably access and participate in its economic, cultural, social, and political spheres.

International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which Canada became a Party to in 1970, requires that State Parties take measures to eliminate racial discrimination and to guarantee civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, without discrimination as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin.

In addition to the initiatives highlighted in this report that address racism and discrimination, the Federal Secretariat virtually convened hundreds of people from coast-to-coast-to-coast for a series of activities to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Observed annually on March 21, it commemorates the day when police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960. The events featured voices from the charitable and philanthropic sectors including the Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund, and many others.

International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is made up of government officials and experts from 34 countries, and promotes Holocaust education, remembrance, and research both nationally and internationally. Canada first became involved with the Alliance in 2007, became a full member in 2009, and chaired the Alliance from February 2013 until March 2014.

January 27, 2020, marked the 20th anniversary of the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust (the “Stockholm Declaration”), the founding document of IHRA. It is this document that guides the focus of IHRA on education, remembrance, and research.

2020 was a significant year for Holocaust remembrance during which a number of notable commemorative events were held. The first Ministerial Meeting of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance was held on January 19, 2020 in Brussels, Belgium. At this meeting, IHRA member countries reaffirmed their commitment to the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust and issued the 2020 IHRA Ministerial Declaration.Footnote 1 Rachel Bendayan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, represented Canada.

From January 22 to 24, 2020, the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, traveled to Jerusalem to participate in the Fifth World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem, the world Holocaust Remembrance Center. The forum, “Remembering the Holocaust: Fighting Antisemitism,” marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, which was the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp, and is widely considered one of the most important sites of Holocaust remembrance in the world.

The Governor General also travelled to the site of Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland to join world leaders on January 27, 2021 in marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the camp and pay tribute to the survivors and more than 1.1 million people who lost their lives there, including approximately 1 million Jews. 2020 was also the 15th anniversary of the adoption of January 27 by the United Nations as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

“Although 75 years have passed since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau our world is not immune to the scourge of antisemitism. Today far too many Jewish communities still face unacceptable acts of antisemitism and discrimination. Through our words and actions we must always stand up to hatred and racism in every form. The Governor General’s visit will highlight Canada’s commitment to preserve the memories of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and repeat the vow ‘Never Again’.”

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

From March 2020 to April 2021, Germany chaired IHRA, and during which held two plenary meetings. The first meeting was held in Berlin from June 29 to July 2, 2020, and the second in Leipzig from November 16 to December 3 2020. Highlights of accomplishments during this period include:

Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism

On November 25, 2020, the Prime Minister of Canada appointed the Honourable Irwin Cotler as Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism. Mr. Cotler has a longstanding record of leadership in the fight against racism, antisemitism, and hate, and extensive experience in human rights and justice including in cases related to mass atrocities. He is presently the head of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, a non-governmental organization he founded in 2015 that focuses on genocide prevention.

As Special Envoy, Mr. Cotler leads the Government of Canada’s delegation to IHRA, working with other member countries as well as with domestic and international partners to strengthen and promote Holocaust education, remembrance, and research in Canada and around the world. He also engages with Canadians, civil society, and academia to advance the implementation of the IHRA definition of Antisemitism, which was adopted by the Government of Canada in its Anti-Racism Strategy.

Key Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives at Canadian Heritage

In addition to the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program’s activities, there are several other initiatives and funding programs within Canadian Heritage (PCH) that work to promote a multicultural society and combat racism. The following list is a sample of key initiatives and funding programs in 2020-21. A sample of these initiatives are highlighted below through the following four themes:

Collection of Data

Canadian Heritage (PCH) has increased the usage of demographic questions in its internal and external surveys to obtain a better understanding of the various groups impacted by the Department’s activities. The collection of this additional information helps address existing data gaps and identify the discrete needs of employees and the public, notably for Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and religious minority communities.

For example, between Summer 2020 and Spring 2021, PCH collaborated with the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, Musicaction, FACTOR, Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations, Canadian Association of Broadcasters, and the Community Radio Fund of Canada, as well as all provinces and territories, to develop and deliver a survey that would determine whether the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations (ESF) achieved its main objectives. The ESF was implemented as a temporary relief measure to meet the financial needs of organizations facing significant losses due to COVID-19.

Survey results of close to 6,000 Fund recipients (60% response rate) were disaggregated through the following groupings: Persons with disabilities, racialized communities, official language minority communities, religious minorities, remote and northern communities, rural communities, seniors, those with low income, women, youth, deaf communities, ethno-cultural communities, gender diverse communities, immigrants, refugees, Indigenous peoples, and LGBTQ2+ communities. Survey results directly informed the Department’s Recovery Fund for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors and the Reopening Fund (both announced in Budget 2021).

Data revealed differentiated COVID-19 pandemic impacts on organizations that advocate for the needs of one or more diversity groups as a primary function of their mandate, as these organizations were shown to have been more deeply destabilized by the pandemic. Data also demonstrated that organizations who advocate for the needs of diversity groups were overall less satisfied with their experience of accessing the ESF. These findings have enabled the Department to plan for responsive policy and program development, and are available online.

Education and Awareness

In addition to those already mentioned in this report, PCH has implemented a variety of initiatives to educate and raise awareness on cultural and racial diversity and the challenges diverse groups face. This was exemplified through key partnerships with stakeholders, as well through PCH’s employee-led committees and networks with a diversity and inclusion mandate. Examples of these initiatives are listed below.

Examples of Partnerships

The staff responsible for administering the Canada Periodical fund (CPF) fund at PCH meet with the National Ethnic Press and Media Council (NEPMC) and its members to communicate how the CPF works and to support them in the application process. CPF staff also communicate with NEPMC throughout the year to discuss the situation and challenges faced by ethnocultural publications in the Canadian periodical ecosystem. This partnership allows the CPF staff at PCH to gain an understanding of the specific situation in which ethnocultural publications operate and can ensure that measures are in place to provide additional support to respond to their needs. The training and communication provided to NEPMC and its members also helps to raise awareness of the CPF amongst ethnocultural publications and encourages them and helps them with the application process.

The Joint Implementation Steering Committee (JISC) at PCH was formed to guide the implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act. It includes representatives from the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council and PCH. The JISC acknowledges that Indigenous peoples are best placed to take the leading role in reclaiming, revitalizing, maintaining, and strengthening Indigenous languages. For example, the involvement of Indigenous partners in the JISC was instrumental in the collaborative development of materials to support the consultations on the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages and on a Funding Model to better support Indigenous languages.

Examples of Committees

PCH has several employee-led committees with a diversity and inclusion-related mandate. Some of the roles of these committees include engaging senior management and holding them accountable to foster a healthy and inclusive workplace; acting as a spokesperson and ambassador of EE, diversity and inclusion intra-and inter-departmentally; preparing and posting messages on the PCH intranet of events, organizing events, celebrations and commemorations related to their areas of interest; and collaborating with HR on inclusive and equitable human resources practices. For example:

Promotion and Celebration

PCH undertook several initiatives to support events and distribute communication products that helped to educate employees about diversity in the workplace, such as an online event on Black Lives Matter and Indigenous Allyship; the Government of Canada’s Diversity and Inclusion Conference 2020; and various internal communication messages to its employees on topics that promote multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion. In addition to this, PCH led on other key initiatives and funding programs that promote and celebrate the historical contribution and heritage of communities of all origins to Canadian society. Samples of these initiatives are described below.

Services for Indigenous Heritage and Cultural Institutions

The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) support Indigenous heritage and cultural institutions by providing adapted services to Indigenous stakeholders that promote the preservation, migration, digitization, and digital preservation of cultural and heritage documents on audiovisual format. It is a direct result of the Government of Canada’s commitment to preserving, promoting, and revitalizing Indigenous languages. By adapting to the unique needs of Indigenous stakeholders in these fields, CCI and CHIN will help develop and consolidate the capacity of Indigenous institutions to preserve and digitize their collections and, ultimately, promote Indigenous languages and cultures.

Relevant Funding Programs and Sample Funded Projects
Canada Cultural Spaces Fund

The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund supports the improvement of physical conditions for artistic creativity and innovation.

In 2020, $2M was provided to the Tłı̨chǫ Government to support the building of a new Cultural Centre in Behchokǫ̀ in the North West Territories with a specific aim to preserve, share and celebrate the Tłı̨chǫ way of life, language, and cultural practices. The 11,270 square foot facility, with its cultural hall, gallery, exhibit spaces and Elder’s lounge, will be designed and built according to Tłı̨chǫ traditions to help facilitate the transmission of traditional knowledge from Elders to youth. The Cultural Centre will be the only facility in the territory dedicated to Tłı̨chǫ culture making this an essential gathering place for the remote and underserved communities in the region.

Celebrate Canada

Celebrate Canada provides funding to community-based activities celebrating and promoting National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27 and Canada Day on July 1. These celebrations enable Canadians to appreciate Canada's cultural, ethnic, linguistic and geographic diversity. For example, the Scarborough Heritage Skills Development Centre was the recipient of $20,000 to celebrate Canadian Multiculturalism Day 2020 in Scarborough, Ontario. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, this organization pulled off a seamless transition to a virtual event and reached more than 100,000 participants online.

Commemorate Canada

The Commemorate Canada program provides funding to initiatives that commemorate and celebrate historical figures, places, events, and accomplishments of national significance.

Teach Magazine was the recipient of $175,000 from this program to fund a project entitled “Viola Desmond: Standing up to Racism”. As part of this project, an interactive digital platform will be created that will provide educational resources for teachers and students through the story of Viola Desmond’s life, examining how her actions helped to advance racial awareness in Canada.

Museums Assistance Program

The Museums Assistance Program is a funding program that is national in scope but is delivered regionally. It supports the touring and promotions of exhibitions, preservation and promotion of Indigenous heritage and the professional development of museum staff.

In 2020, the Kitikmeot Heritage Society in Nunavut received $99,600 to will help to document the local history of the women’s sewing group known as the Arnaqarvik Collective. The collective was established in 1972 in the Kitikmeot Region community of Taloyoak to help provide direct access to Southern markets for products made by Inuit seamstresses. As part of this project, oral histories were captured, and the group was provided with support to help conserve the community collection and to create a digital inventory of the objects.

Prevention and Solutions

PCH undertook several initiatives to promote the full participation of all Canadians in the social, political, civic, and economic spheres of Canadian society. Highlights of this work include the implementation of the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund, and other innovative funding programs at PCH, which are described below.

COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund

PCH was responsible for administering the $500M COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations (ESF), which was divided among select departmental programs and Portfolio agencies as well as key delivery organizations. Outreach and communications efforts were made to ensure an equitable level of awareness of the funds’ availability amongst potential applicants in regions across Canada and within various types of communities (e.g., Indigenous, LGBTQ2+, racialized communities). Eligibility was expanded to include organizations that were not previous recipients of PCH funding. Some initiatives that were supported through the ESF and that addressed the specific needs of racialized communities, religious minority communities and/or Indigenous peoples adversely affected by the pandemic include:

Relevant Funding Programs and Sample Funded Projects
Canada Arts Presentation Fund

The Canada Arts Presentation Fund provides financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series and organizations that offer support to arts presenters.

Rice and Beans Theatre Society is a Vancouver-based independent theatre company that has a mandate to support new Canadian theatre works that experiment with language and focus on the relationship between arts and activism. The society received $15,000 towards the project DBLSPK (a stylized shortening of “double speak,” a reference to the society’s emphasis on multiculturalism) which consisted of three events featuring the work of racialized playwrights, with each event accompanied by outreach activities such as workshops, intensives and digital dissemination products online. All events offered were bilingual with translation provided.

Canada Periodical Fund

The Canada Periodical Fund supports the activities of Canadian magazines and non-daily newspapers, which include publishers and organizations from both official languages, ethnocultural, Indigenous and LGBTQ communities to ensure that Canadians have access to diverse Canadian magazines and non-daily newspapers.

The Gujarat Weekly is a community newspaper targeting the fastest-growing segment of the South Asian market – people from Gujarat, India. The newspaper received $6,788 to support operational publishing activities which will enable it to continue to provide local and community news covering the Greater Toronto Area.

Digital Citizen Contribution Program

The Digital Citizen Contribution Program supports research and programming across Canada in order to help Canadians and the Government understand online disinformation and its impact on Canadian society, and in turn builds an evidence base to identify potential action and future policy-making to address online disinformation and other online harms. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, several civil society organizations led by and serving Asian communities received funding to lead innovative and wide-reaching campaigns to support citizens to think critically about the health information they find online, to identify mis- and disinformation, and limit the impact of racism against people of Asian descent across the country.

The Metro Toronto Chinese and South Asian Legal Clinic received $301,904 from this program in support of their project Empowering, Engaging and Equipping Canadians to Combat Anti-Asian Racism through Online Resources and Social Media: A Study to Advance Policy Development and Systemic Change. This project undertook a study of the use of online resources and social media to empower, equip and engage Canadians in combatting anti-Asian disinformation, threats, racism and discrimination arising from COVID-19 with a view to advance Canada’s policy development and improve anti-racism strategies.

Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program

The Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program focuses on keeping Indigenous languages and Indigenous identity as living elements of Canadian society.

The Southern Québec Inuit Association received $74,700 to deliver Inuktut media literacy training for 16 to 24 Inuit youth participants living in Southern Quebec. It consisted of a variety of language learning and culturally relevant activities. The project also produced new podcast programming in Inuktut, intended for Inuit in Quebec south and north including a language lesson, Elder advice, youth views as well as the sharing of community events, activities, and news. This project supported the reclamation, revitalization, maintenance and strengthening of Indigenous languages by increasing access to language instruction and language resources suited to the needs and realities of Inuit communities in the Southern Quebec area and across Canada.

Official Languages Support Programs

The Official Languages Support Programs work to enhance the vitality of English- and French- speaking minority communities and promote English and French languages in Canadian society.

The Black Community Resource Centre in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood received $72,000 to hold a variety of workshops for English-speaking Black seniors to help them engage in their community and improve their knowledge of available services. The funding also supported the development of intergenerational activities in partnership with local youth organizations. The programming in 2020 focused on a Black Community Forum which identified challenges currently facing the English-speaking Black Community in Quebec.

Sport Support Program

The Sport Support Program (SSP) supports the development of Canadian athletes and coaches.

Toronto-based MLSE Launch Pad received $60,000 from the SPP – Innovation Initiative for a project that targeted girls aged 11 to 14 from racialized communities who experience barriers to participating in organized sports. The project has given girls the opportunity to maintain and develop competencies through the intentional use of sport. MLSE LaunchPad is a developmental sports facility focusing on racialized youth, many of whom belong to a minority religion.

Youth Take Charge

Youth Take Charge supports youth-led projects that aim to strengthen attachment to Canada through engagement in one or more of four thematic areas: history and heritage; civic engagement and youth service; arts and culture; and economic activities. The Program assesses funding applications against several factors, including demographic reach.

The Active Inclusion Project delivered by SQx Danza with support of $150,000 is a project that engaged approximately 6,700 youth aged 7-25 living in Western Canada with a special focus on equity-deserving groups. The program invited youth to take part in a new socially conscious dance program aimed at disrupting systemic discrimination, hate and racism. Youth were encouraged to reflect on their behaviours and identify changes in attitudes that could be translated into solutions for their communities.

Part 2: Implementation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act across Federal Institutions

The Canadian Multiculturalism Act recognizes the crucial role that federal institutions play in preserving and enhancing multiculturalism in Canada. The Act instructs federal organizations to address equal opportunity in federal institutions, promote capacity building, enhance the understanding of and respect for diversity, collect research and data that support the development of relevant policies, programs, and practices, and make appropriate use of the language skills and cultural knowledge of individuals of all origins. This work is especially significant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, that has exacerbated racism and hate that has affected Indigenous peoples as well as Black, Asian, Muslim, Jewish, and other racialized and religious minority communities.

In 2020-21, the federal government introduced key horizontal initiatives to strengthen the government’s commitment to promote multiculturalism and address systemic racism.

Federal institutions have made significant strides in responding to the Multiculturalism Act and key horizontal federal initiatives to promote multiculturalism, strengthen diversity, and combat racism and discrimination. This is demonstrated through the wide range of activities highlighted through this year’s Annual Report submissions. Significant work has been undertaken in the areas of ethnocultural data collection; consultations and partnerships with diverse stakeholders to better understand their needs; offering diversity and inclusion training in the workplace; and holding events and distributing communication products to educate employees about diversity in the workplace. In addition, the majority of federal institutions created or leveraged existing employee equity, diversity, and inclusion networks as a space to express ideas, identify and discuss current issues, and act as an advisory role on various initiatives.

Federal institutions also made important progress in ensuring that internal and external policies and programs are inclusive to all. This included identifying and addressing systemic barriers in their programs, policies, and practices; implementing targeted hiring practices to recruit students from diverse backgrounds; and developing ways to respond to official language requirement barriers in the public service. Many federal institutions also leveraged the multilingual capacity, cultural competency, and cultural expertise of their employees; provided translation and interpretation services in a non-official language; and have transfer payment programs that directly address systemic racism or systemic barriers. Finally, several federal institutions implemented programs, policies, or practices to directly respond to the needs of racialized communities, religious minorities and Indigenous peoples adversely affected by the pandemic. Highlights of these activities are further described below.

Methodology and Approach to Analysis

To gather information from federal institutions for the Annual Report, Canadian Heritage distributed questionnaires to government institutions of all sizes and mandates. Of the 141 departments that received the questionnaire, 121 of them provided a submission (86% response rate), which is a 15% increase in participation rate from last year. In addition, this year institutions with less than 100 employees (25 total) completed a shortened questionnaire.

All input received was reviewed, tabulated, and analyzed based on the following four themes:

The following sections provides promising practices on how federal institutions have met the requirements of each theme.

Collection of Data

Data provides a strong foundation for better policies, programs and practices and overall strengthens the evidence-based work of government. Under this theme, federal institutions were asked:

Racial, Ethnic, and Religious Diversity Data

Federal institutions have made significant strides in the collection of data on ethnic, racial and religious diversity. This is demonstrated in the 58% of large federal institutions surveyed that indicated that they collect racial, ethnic, and religious diversity data to develop or improve internal and external policies, programs, practices, and services. Figure 1 (below) provides a breakdown of the sources of data used.

Figure 1 Data collection sources for federal institutions

Source: Produced by PCH using data from the Annual Report.

Figure 1 Data collection sources for federal institutions – text version
  • 38% - Internal
  • 33% - External
  • 29% - Both Internal and External

As shown above, 38% of these institutions collected data internally, 33% collected from external sources, and 29% collected both. Institutions used this data for program monitoring purposes to ensure they are meeting program targets, to measure the equitability of their programs, and to make changes or design new policies, programs, or practices. Of note, most federal institutions reiterated their continued commitment to Gender-Based Analysis Plus to assess systemic inequalities and better understand how diverse groups of Canadians could be affected by their actions.

The table below shows examples of best practices led by federal institutions with regard to the disaggregation of racial, ethnic, and religious diversity data to improve policies, programs, practices, and services.

Table 1 Best practice(s) in data collection – Data disaggregation
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) NSERC implemented a questionnaire that asks all applicants to funding opportunities, and individuals involved in the merit review of applications, to self-identify by providing information on age, gender, Indigenous identity, visible minority and population group or disability. The process allows NSERC to monitor the diversity of participants in most of its programs and design new measures that achieve greater equity, diversity and inclusion in the research enterprise.
Statistics Canada (StatCan) There has been a strong demand for data and analysis on the social and economic impacts of the pandemic, especially the impacts on vulnerable populations. The need for disaggregated data on these populations was prioritized, and questions on visible minorities and Indigenous identity were included in a number of new surveys, for example the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey and the crowdsourcing initiative “Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians”. The population group question was also added to existing surveys: it was included in the Labour Force Survey starting in July 2020 and in the Homicide Survey starting with 2019 data. These initiatives have enabled Statistics Canada to provide policy-makers and the general public with a clearer and timely picture of the situation of the visible minority and Indigenous populations in Canada.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

Consultations

In addition, federal institutions were asked whether they held consultations with racialized communities, religious minority communities and/or Indigenous peoples to gain feedback on the design, development, and/or delivery of policies, programs, practices and/or services. 73% of large federal institutions surveyed held external consultations with racialized communities, religious minorities, or Indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples were the most consulted and on a wide range of issues including agriculture, infrastructure, natural resources health, employment, public safety, and others. Many federal institutions noted that consultations were a major part of their efforts towards reconciliation. Racialized and religious minority communities were also consulted, often to help increase awareness of inequities and barriers faced by diverse groups, and inform actions that could be taken to address them, such as through policies, programs and services. Finally, several institutions held consultations internally on how to improve employment equity, by changing hiring practices, career development, and employee retention. The following table provides an example of a best practice undertaken by a federal institution in terms of consultations to improve the design, development, and/or delivery of an initiative.

Table 2 Best practice(s) in data collection – Consultations
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) ISED held engagements with the Black Canadian community from September to November 2020 on the design and implementation of the Black Entrepreneurship Program, which aims to provide Black business owners and entrepreneurs with the supports they need to advance their entrepreneurial ventures. Consultations were held with Black entrepreneurs and business owners, business organizations run by and serving the Black business community, academics and other key knowledge holders on Black entrepreneurship in Canada.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

For more examples of best practices in data collection, refer to Annex A.

Education and Awareness

Public education and awareness are essential in increasing understanding of issues affecting equity-deserving groups and to provide tools and resources to the public, and federal institutions, on how to take action. Under this theme, federal institutions were asked about:

Training

Federal institutions have placed a significant focus on providing diversity and inclusion training to employees. This is demonstrated through the 88% of institutions surveyed that indicated that their employees participated in training related to racism or discrimination. Table 3 (below) provides further breakdown by type of institution (small and large). Most federal institutions offered training on topics such as anti-harassment, anti-violence and anti-discrimination, cultural awareness and competency, unconscious bias, training on Indigenous peoples and reconciliation, Gender-Based Analysis Plus, diversity and inclusion, systemic racism, anti-racism and allyship.

Table 3 Number and percentage of institutions where employees participated in training (by type)
Type of institution Total
Small Large Number Percentage
Number of institutions where employees undertook training 11 95 106 88%
Number of institutions where employees did not undertake training 14 1 15 12%

Source: Produced by PCH using data from the Annual Report.

Most of the training offered by federal institutions originated from the Canada School of Public Service. Some institutions also offered training on decolonization, critical race theory, and other complex issues, often utilizing the services of specialized companies or independent professionals to do so. There was also often additional mandatory training for managers and executives, such as on eliminating bias in hiring and inclusive leadership. Refer to Table 4 for an example of a best practice undertaken by a federal institution in anti-racism and discrimination training.

Table 4 Best practice(s) in education and awareness – Training
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) CSPS’ Anti-Racism Learning Series includes tools, training and resources for managers and employees to help combat racism and discrimination in the workplace. Products included in the series are: an evergreen toolkit covering a list of learning products to support a culture of inclusion; a guide to leading conversations on systemic racism and racial discrimination; and a micro-learning video series on understanding anti-Black racism and how to be an ally. Additionally, under the four themes of Recognition, Respect, Relationships, and Reconciliation, the Indigenous Learning Series provides learners with access to a wide range of resources on the current realities, history, heritage, cultures, rights and perspectives of First Nation, Inuit and Métis, including their long-standing relationships with the Crown. Current resources include: courses (7 self-paced, 5 instructor-led), 9 job aids, videos, podcasts, a mobile app and events. These resources are available to all employees within the federal Public Service.

Source: Excerpt from Annual Report responses

Committees, Groups and Forums

93% of large federal institutions indicated they had committees, groups, or forums to represent the concerns and ideas of employees of racialized communities, religious minority communities and/or who are Indigenous. These forums were most often referred as equity, diversity, and inclusion networks.

These groups were described as providing a key resource for employees to find information that they may need, and act as a safe space for diverse groups to express their ideas and identify and discuss current issues while being supported by their allies. These groups were also described as serving as advisory roles to collaborate on the design and implementation of various initiatives within the institutions. Table 5 (below) provides best practices of committees, groups, and forums.

Table 5 Best practice(s) in education and awareness – Committees, groups and forums
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Health Canada (HC) Achieving diversity, equity, inclusion and EE objectives is a responsibility that HC takes seriously, and it works with various employee networks to deliver and meet these goals. These networks provide a forum for members, employees and managers to discuss issues, ideas and provide advice and support to each other. They also serve as consultation bodies for policies and programs. Examples of networks and teams include: the Black Employees Matter Network; Indigenous Employees Network; Visible Minorities Network; Leadership Council on Diversity and Inclusion; and the Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Team.
Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) Achieving diversity, equity, inclusion and EE objectives is a responsibility that PHAC takes seriously, and it works with various employee networks to deliver and meet these goals. These networks provide a forum for members, employees and managers to discuss issues, ideas and provide advice and support to each other. They also serve as consultation bodies for policies and programs. Examples of networks and teams include: the Indigenous Employees Network; Visible Minorities Network; and the Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Team.
Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) The Employment Equity and Diversity Advisory Committee is made up of representatives from every sector of TBS. The committee’s role is to identify issues that have an impact on employees of employment equity and equity deserving groups and provide senior departmental management advice, strategies and techniques to address these issues. The sector representatives are a liaison to their respective sector in promoting and encouraging TBS employees to participate in cultural events and sharing relevant Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion information. The leads of the diverse employee networks also represent their communities at the committee.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

For more examples of best practices in education and awareness, refer to Annex A.

Partnerships

Federal Institutions recognize that engaging with stakeholders or partners is essential to increase effectiveness of current or future programming through collaboration in the design and/or delivery of the program. It is also essential in expanding one’s knowledge and understanding of diverse groups and their needs.

69% of small and large federal institutions surveyed have developed or maintained partnerships with stakeholders or external associations to learn more about the experiences of racialized communities, religious minority communities, or Indigenous peoples, and/or raise awareness about racism and discrimination. Table 6 (below) provides further breakdown by type of institution (small and large).

Table 6 Number and percentage of institutions that developed or maintained partnerships with stakeholders or external associations (by type)
Type of institution Total
Small Large Number Percentage
Number of institutions that developed or maintained partnerships 7 77 84 69%
Number of institutions that did not develop or maintain partnerships 18 19 37 31%

Source: Produced by PCH using data from the Annual Report.

The following table illustrates best practices in the area of Partnerships.

Table 7 Best practice(s) in education and awareness – Partnerships
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) AAFC’s Indigenous Agriculture Science Initiative (IASPI) enables AAFC scientists to establish and/or strengthen relationships with First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners. The Initiative allows AAFC scientists to undertake exploratory relationship-building discussions and small-scale science activities with Indigenous partners on small, short-term projects ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. This has allowed for a greater understanding of Indigenous community research priorities related to Indigenous agriculture, which can support the co-creation of larger strategic research collaborations.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) In tandem with the federal Knowledge Circle for Indigenous Inclusion (KCII), the Federal Public Service Indigenous Training and Development Community of Practice, founded and led by two Canada Border Services Agency employees, shares a wide variety of resources and training aimed at enhancing diversity, equity & inclusion within the workplace, specific to Indigenous employees, but relevant to many equity-deserving communities. Frequent communications from the Community of Practice focus on inclusion and training resources, and help inform the CFIA’s communications to staff, their participation in federal and other stakeholder events and training, and provide a venue for information sharing, partnership and collaboration.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

Promotion and Celebration

Promoting and celebrating the historical contribution and heritage of communities of all origins to Canadian society allows us to continue to learn about each other and embrace our diversity. Under this theme, federal institutions were asked about whether they celebrate, promote and support events and/or distribute communication products that helped to educate employees about diversity in the workplace.

Celebrating Diversity in the Workplace

Despite public health measures to limit in-person gatherings, federal institutions continued to find alternative ways to promote and celebrate the historical contributions and cultural heritage in the workplace. Specifically, 84% of small and large federal institutions surveyed indicated that they celebrate, promote and support events and/or distribute communication products to educate employees about diversity in the workplace, especially pertaining to racialized communities, religious minority communities and/or Indigenous peoples. It was common for institutions to promote events such as Canadian Multiculturalism Day, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month, National Indigenous Peoples Day, and other ethnic or religious holidays via messages on the institution’s intranet or by e-mails to employees. Due to the pandemic, institutions held many virtual diversity-related events, often inviting speakers, and/or having discussions on topics such as how to address racism. Finally, it was common for institutions to post on social media to promote their own events or those by other institutions, such as Canadian Heritage.

Table 8 (below) provides further breakdown by type of institution (small and large), and table 9 (below) provides best practices in the celebration of diversity.

Table 8 Number and percentage of institutions that celebrate, promote and support events and/or distribute communication products to educate employees about diversity in the workplace (by type)
Type of institution Total
Small Large Number Percentage
Number of institutions that educate employees about diversity in the workplace 10 92 102 84%
Number of institutions that did not educate employees about diversity in the workplace 15 4 19 16%

Source: Produced by PCH using data from the Annual Report.

Table 9 Best practice(s) in promotion and celebration – Celebrating Diversity
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Infrastructure Canada (INFC) INFC continually celebrates, promotes, and supports events and distributes communication products to help educate employees about diversity in the workplace. This is done through emails to all staff including INFC’s weekly news email, as well as articles and a calendar of events posted on the main INFC Intranet Page. For example, to recognize Black History Month, the Deputy Minister’s Monthly Forum focused on equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Special guest speaker, Gail Johnson, Chief Human Resources Officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Assistant Deputy Minister Champion of the Black Executive Network, shared her thoughts about what needs to be done now to foster a more inclusive public service.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) Throughout the year, PSPC regularly raised awareness on Diversity and Inclusion, anti-racism and reconciliation through promoting a series of virtual activities such as lunch and learns and moderated speaker/panel events. The Human Resources Branch took the lead in commemorating specific events from the diversity calendar such as: Black History Month, National Indigenous Awareness Week, National Indigenous Peoples Day, Multiculturalism Day, Mi’kmaq History Month, Asian Heritage Month, World Acadian Congress, “Semaine de la Francophonie”, and Pride Week among others. Due to the new work environment, these events were promoted through their intranet pages and communicated through weekly written pieces in their In The Know articles.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

For more examples of best practices in promotion and celebration, refer to Annex A.

Prevention and Solutions

Federal departments and agencies are taking concrete action to ensure the full and equitable access of individuals and communities of all origins, and identity and address racism and discrimination in their practices. To identify these activities, institutions were asked about:

This year, federal institutions were also asked to identify both internal and external programs, policies, or practices to respond to the needs of racialized communities, religious minority communities and/or Indigenous peoples adversely affected by the pandemic.

Identifying and Addressing Systemic Barriers

Systemic barriers consist of organizational culture, policies, directives, practices, or procedures that exclude, displace, or marginalize some groups, especially racialized communities, religious minority communities, and Indigenous peoples, creating unfair barriers for them to access valuable benefits and opportunities. Through this year’s submission, 58% of large federal institutions noted that they have identified systemic racism or systemic barriers in their employment policies and practices and have taken various actions to address them. It is important to note that not all institutions may have processes in place to identify barriers, therefore even though 42% of large federal institutions have not identified any, they may still exist within these institutions.

Some of the ways that federal institutions have identified barriers have been through engagement sessions, surveys (especially the annual Public Service Employee Survey), and employment equity audits. Most of the barriers identified were specific to the underrepresentation of racialized communities and Indigenous peoples in the workplace. This includes barriers around career development and retention, performance and talent management, workplace culture, unconscious bias by selection board members, and use of government jargon (terms unique to government which may be difficult to understand by external applicants).

Some of the actions that were taken to address these barriers include establishing working groups and committees for equity, diversity, and inclusion, reviewing hiring policies and practices such as changing Statements of Merit Criteria and assessment materials, changing job postings into plain language, using diverse and inclusive hiring selection boards, improving access to language training, training and coaching to reduce bias and improve cultural competency for managers and executives, and, creating accountability frameworks to determine if goals are being met. These are all steps taken towards creating a more diverse and equitable workforce that can better serve the needs of a population that continues to become more diverse. The following table provides examples of actions taken to address barriers identified by federal institutions.

Table 10 Best practice(s) in prevention and solutions – Identifying barriers
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
National Film Board of Canada (NFB) The NFB identified a lack of managers and senior managers from under-represented communities. As announced in the NFB’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan, the NFB will ensure that all of its Directors General, Directors, Executive Producers and Producers are representative of Canada’s diversity and include persons from under-represented groups (lndigenous, Black, racialized and LGBTQ2+ communities, and persons with disabilities) at all times. To achieve this goal, at least half of all new hires will be from these groups.
National Gallery of Canada In September 2020, the National Gallery of Canada engaged a consultant - Elevate Inclusion Strategies - to deliver an external expert audit and internal consultation to identify systemic barriers and identify pathways to eliminating these barriers. This phased work resulted in a thorough report that detailed the assessment and delivered an extensive list of recommendations related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). This report will inform the development of a NGC JEDI & Accessibility Action Plan. This plan will create a framework that will establish short-term, mid-term, and long-term commitments, timelines, accountabilities, and allow associated costs to be forecast.
Privy Council Office (PCO) PCO continues to proactively work towards removing possible barriers and engaging with staff to understand where they may be and how to mitigate them. As an example, PCO has proactively used diverse and inclusive selection boards for use in the recruitment process. Understanding that having selection boards that do not represent a diverse workforce are a recognized barrier during the assessment process, a pool of PCO employees with various abilities, cultural and professional backgrounds, skills and experiences representative of Canada’s population was created to serve on selection and assessment boards. This pool of self-identified employees of one or more of the employment equity groups interested in participating as board members is periodically refreshed and shared upon request with interested hiring managers.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

Student Hiring

Many federal institutions seek to hire students to provide them with valuable work experience and to recruit and retain diverse, new talent. 81% of large federal institutions surveyed indicated that they made efforts to recruit students from racialized communities, religious minority communities, or who are Indigenous.

While co-op programs with colleges and universities and the Federal Student Work Experience Program are the most common means of recruiting students, some institutions focus on recruiting Indigenous students or racialized communities using their own specific programs, such as targeted internship programs. Some larger institutions also participate at job fairs or have agreements with post-secondary institutions to further increase the reach of their outreach strategies. Table 11 illustrates a best practice in hiring students from underrepresented groups.

Table 11 Best practice(s) in prevention and solutions – Student hiring
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Defence Construction Canada Defence Construction Canada’s National Student Program has two main goals: to recruit, engage and retain diverse student talent, including Visible Minority and Indigenous students by providing relevant and interesting work at an equitable salary; and, to provide resources and tools to support hiring managers to efficiently recruit, engage and retain diverse student talent. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Defence Construction Canada participated virtually in job fairs and indigenous community outreach sessions and, continued to post student opportunities to fill various roles within the organization. Defence Construction Canada also continued evolving its student program, using student surveys and check-ins to measure student engagement as well as the effectiveness of the program.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

Official Language Barriers

Official language requirements can sometimes serve as a barrier to hiring employees from racialized communities, religious minority communities, and/or who are Indigenous, as not all people in Canada may have had an equal opportunity to learn both official languages. 92% of large federal institutions surveyed indicated that they developed ways to respond to official language requirement barriers. Figure 2 provides a breakdown of the different approaches taken by organizations.

Figure 2 Types of initiatives employed by institutions to respond to barriers

Source: Produced by PCH using data from the Annual Report.

Figure 2 Types of initiatives employed by institutions to respond to barriers – text version
  • 9% - Bilingual Non-Imperative Staffing
  • 34% - In-house language training
  • 43% - Both
  • 14% - Other

As per Figure 2, 34% of institutions addressed language barriers by providing in-house second language training for new or current employees to meet the language requirements of a position, 9% of institutions used non-imperative bilingual staffing of positions, 43% used both language training and non-imperative bilingual staffing, and 14% used other ways, such as reclassifying positions that do not require bilingualism. Use of non-imperative bilingual staffing ensures that employees can be hired into a position and access the necessary institutional resources (such as funding for classes) to learn the other official language and maintain their proficiency.

While all types of employees may benefit from these types of initiatives, these actions particularly benefit those who may not have had an opportunity to learn both official languages, such as some newcomers, Indigenous peoples, or others, based on factors such as geographical location or socioeconomic standing, by reducing the barriers to entry into a federal government position. Likewise, federal institutions must continue to meet official language requirements to create a work environment conducive to bilingualism and best serve the public in their language of choice. For an example of a best practice in addressing language barriers, refer to Table 12.

Table 12 Best practice(s) in prevention and solutions – Official language barriers
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) When advertising bilingual positions at Headquarters, CanNor uses non-imperative staffing to reduce barriers to the recruitment of northern Indigenous candidates. CanNor also recognizes the use of other languages in their workplaces such as Indigenous languages of the North. As approved in CanNor’s multiyear Inuit Employment Plan, CanNor recommends and financially supports staff who are interested in learning Nunavut’s official language (Inuktut). Inuktut training is also offered to Inuit staff to help strengthen their first language. In addition, CanNor often has an Inuk panel board member during hiring processes in Nunavut, which allows Inuk candidates to be able to speak in the language of their choice.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

Leveraging Cultural Knowledge and Language Abilities

67% of large federal institutions surveyed indicated that they leveraged the multilingual capacity, cultural competency, or cultural expertise of their employees to inform or improve their institution’s policies, programs, services, or practices.

Most commonly, this took the form of keeping track of employees who speak non-official languages, and then encouraging them to communicate with clients or stakeholders in their preferred non-official language. Federal institutions stated that they leveraged the cultural knowledge of staff to make projects more inclusive. For example, they identified staff with expertise or cultural background relevant to specific projects and involved them in research and consultation activities. Finally, leveraging both the multilingual capacity and cultural knowledge of employees also enabled institutions with an international mandate to better engage with their stakeholders, including for-profit companies, non-governmental organizations, and members of other governments, facilitating the sharing of vital information, and building better relationships.

The following table provides examples of best practices by federal institutions in leveraging the language and cultural competencies of staff to improve the design, development and/or delivery of their initiatives.

Table 13 Best practice(s) in prevention and solutions – Leveraging cultural knowledge and language abilities
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Canada Council for the Arts (the Council) The Council has an informal list of employees with non-official language capabilities. Staff can be contacted to help communicate with clients or partners who prefer or feel more comfortable speaking a language other than English or French. Multilingual staff support the Council’s capacity to respond to the needs of today’s diverse Canadian arts ecology. Their contribution includes local liaison, translation, and providing cultural expertise. Leveraging the staff’s multilingual capacity aids in maintaining partnerships and stakeholder relations with several cultural associations.
International Development Research Centre (the Centre) In 2020-2021, the Centre offered Spanish language training to 4 Ottawa-based employees to facilitate relationships with researchers and partners around the world. Vast linguistic diversity (the employees speak over 27 languages) opens doors to the Centre, not only in Canada, but also around the world. Most of the Centre’s employees working in regional offices in the developing world speak local languages which enable them to inform and improve research management with researchers in addition to maintaining and pursuing new funding partnerships.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

Translation and Interpretation Services

55% of large federal institutions surveyed indicated that they translated their policies, programs, services, or practices into a non-official language, and 36% indicated that they provided the public access to translation or interpretation services. These institutions have gone beyond having information available in only English and French, but have expanded to common Indigenous languages, Mandarin and Cantonese, Spanish, Punjabi, Japanese, Turkish, Thai, Portuguese, Arabic, Hindi, Tagalog, Korean, Italian, German, and continue to change their approaches based on demographic shifts. Providing information in multiple languages, spoken, or written, or in some cases, sign language, improves the ability for diverse groups to best access the information they need, and support the cultural practices of diverse communities in the spirit of multiculturalism. Table 14 illustrates examples of best practices in translation and interpretation services.

Table 14 Best practice(s) in prevention and solutions – Translation and interpretation
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Canada Post Corporation (CPC) CPC has continued to promote multicultural stamps to diverse communities. For example, the Lunar New Year Cycle stamps for 2021 was promoted to Asian communities through digital, print and direct mail advertising in traditional and simplified Chinese as well as an extensive retail promotional program across Canada. This type of promotion rendered the stamp issues more inclusive to Canadians who might not communicate fluently in either of the two official languages and increased its accessibility.
Tax Court of Canada and Courts Administration Service Interpretation services are available for non-official languages during Tax Court of Canada hearings upon request from the parties. This includes allowing witnesses to be heard in a non-official language. Interpretation services are provided free of charge.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

Transfer payment programs (e.g. Grants and Contributions)

Transfer payment programs include those that directly provide funding to individuals or organizations for specific purposes, ranging from supporting activities such as farming, entrepreneurship, community safety planning, housing, cultural and arts programming, employment, research, development of tools and resources, and more. 40% of federal institutions indicated that they had transfer payment programs that that directly address systemic racism or systemic barriers in the areas of employment, justice, social participation, or other aspects of Canadian society. Table 15 provides examples of these transfer payment programs.

Table 15 Best practice(s) in prevention and solutions – Transfer Payment Programs
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
  1. The Black Entrepreneurship Program will help Black Canadian business owners and entrepreneurs grow their businesses and succeed now and into the future. It consists of the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund, Knowledge Hub, and Ecosystem Fund.
    The Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund is a partnership between the Government of Canada, Black-led business organizations, and several financial institutions. It will provide loans up to $250,000 to Black business owners and entrepreneurs across the country.
    The Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub will conduct research on Black entrepreneurship in Canada. It will help identify barriers to success and opportunities for growth. The hub will be led by not-for-profit Black-led community and business organizations in partnership with educational institutions.
    The National Ecosystem Fund will support not-for-profit Black-led business organizations across the country in their capacity to provide support, mentorship, financial planning, and business training for Black entrepreneurs. It is being administered by the Regional Development Agencies.
  2. In addition, ISED’s 50-30 Challenge Ecosystem Funding provides funding to organizations, known as Ecosystem partners, to help 50 – 30 Challenge participating companies, organizations, and not-for-profits meet the diversity and inclusion goals. The Ecosystem partners will support participants by linking them to best practices and tools, providing guidance and advising on other diversity supports specific to each organization’s unique needs. The goals of the challenge are: Gender parity (“50%”) on Canadian board(s) and senior management; and Significant representation (“30%”) on Canadian board(s) and senior management of other underrepresented groups: racialized persons including Black Canadians, persons living with disabilities (including invisible and episodic disabilities), Canadians who identify as LGBTQ2, and First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
Public Safety Canada The Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program (SIP) provides funding to enhance the security infrastructure of communities targeted by hate-motivated crimes. Under SIP, Public Safety Canada provides funding to private, non-profit organizations linked to a community at risk of hate-motivated crime, to make security improvements to their community centres, provincially/territorially recognized educational institutions, and places of worship. The program aims to reduce incidents of hate-motivated crime, increase the sense of security in at risk communities and increase awareness of the challenges these communities face.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

Actions Taken during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exasperated many underlying systemic issues in Canadian society. While there remains significant work to do, many federal institutions took action to help mitigate the effects of the pandemic on groups that were disproportionately affected, as well as people more widely. This section highlights some of the actions taken by federal institutions both internally and externally.

Internal Actions

57% of large federal institutions surveyed indicated that they undertook initiatives for employees adversely affected by the pandemic, especially those from racialized communities, religious minority communities, or who are Indigenous. For example, institutions often held or referred employees to events, discussions, and trainings in response to systemic racism and racial discrimination exacerbated by the pandemic. These were occasions for employees or outside speakers with lived experience to share their stories. Some institutions developed equity, diversity and inclusion, and anti-racism action plans during the pandemic and continue to implement them. As federal institutions continue to navigate the pandemic, they held and will continue to hold “pulse checks” to determine what the sentiments are of employees on the best directions forward.

External Actions

50% of small and large institutions surveyed indicated that they implemented or utilized programs, policies, or practices to address the specific needs of racialized communities, religious minority communities or Indigenous peoples adversely affected by the pandemic. Table 16 (below) offers a breakdown of these institutions by type (small or large).

Table 16 Number and percentage of institutions that undertook initiatives for employees affected by the pandemic (by type)
Type of institution Total
Small Large Number Percentage
Number of institutions that implemented initiatives 5 56 61 50%
Number of institutions that did not implement initiatives 20 40 60 50%

Source: Produced by PCH using data from the Annual Report.

Initiatives targeted to the public varied based on the mandate of the institution and ranged from increased funding amount for groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic; a shift in focus for research topics to address different forms of racism and discrimination; and implementing more flexibility when consulting with different communities, such as relying on virtual consultations and extending deadlines.

Table 17 outlines examples of best practices undertaken by federal institutions to support employees and target communities in response to COVID-19.

Table 17 Best practice(s) in prevention and solutions – Actions taken during COVID-19
Name of federal institution Best practice(s)
Canada Post Corporation (CPC) CPC’s Joint National Equity and Diversity Committee sent out a communication to all employees about increasing reports of racist incidents, violence against women and hate crimes, including a widespread rise of anti-Asian attacks during or as a result of the pandemic. The communication reiterated Canada Post’s position on racism, discrimination, harassment and violence, as well as a plan to work with union groups on expanding resources to help ensure and enforce a racism-free and violence-free workplace. It also reviewed how to access support through the Employee and Family Assistance Program and Canada Post’s Make it safe, Make it home program (on the internal website). Finally, it provided a confidential email address to raise any diversity related concerns.
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) Since the beginning of the pandemic, the IRB has been guided by the dual objectives of protecting the health and safety of employees and those appearing before the Board, while also ensuring meaningful access to justice to those who appear before us, many of whom are seeking protection based on their race or religion. In light of increasing concern about the public health situation, in January 2021 the Board adopted a virtual-by-default approach to its hearings and most hearings now take place virtually. This promotes access to justice by allowing members of racialized and religious minority communities to participate in hearings without having to travel. In certain limited circumstances, such as when a claimant does not have access to a safe place from which to participate or appropriate technology to join a virtual hearing, the Board can still allow claimants to participate by using IRB technology from a secure IRB space while other participants join virtually.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) At IRCC, employees’ wellbeing and safety has been at the forefront of their considerations from the very beginning of the pandemic. The messaging and actions of IRCC’s management and senior executives early and throughout the response to the pandemic recognized that not all employees were being affected the same way, especially given underlying barriers and challenges faced by many equity deserving groups. The message to managers and employees was that they would use as much flexibility as possible to accommodate and support employees in their specific circumstances and needs.
Office of the Chief Electoral Officer During the pandemic, the Adapted Voter Services in a Pandemic Context consultation was launched. The purpose of this initiative was to assess the impact of Elections Canada’s proposed pandemic measures in its administration of a federal election on several target groups (Indigenous electors, New Canadians, youth electors and electors with disabilities). As a result of this initiative, some communities chose to close access to non-residents, including elections officials, to mitigate health risks.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) The Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) prioritizes housing for those in the greatest need, including Indigenous people and racialized communities. In October 2020, CMHC designed the $1B Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI), an NHS program, to address the urgent housing needs of priority populations under the NHS, specifically people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, or living in temporary shelters because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the rapid construction of affordable housing, RHI exceeded its initial target of creating up to 3,000 new affordable units for Canadians by supporting the construction of more than 4,700 units across Canada, 40% of which support to Indigenous people. Due to the overwhelming interest, Budget 2021 announced an additional $1.5 billion for this program in 2021-22.
Public Health Agency of Canada In response to Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, in September 2020, the Government of Canada committed an additional $30.25 million (2020-2023) through the Immunization Partnership Fund to continue to support efforts to increase vaccine acceptance and uptake among Canadians and reduce vaccine preventable disease. The Immunization Partnership Fund aims to increase access, acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in priority or marginalized populations and those disproportionately impacted, including racialized and ethnocultural communities.

Source: Excerpts from Annual Report responses

For more examples of best practices in prevention and solutions, refer to Annex A.

Conclusion

This report presents a sampling of the actions federal institutions took to demonstrate their commitment to the pursuit of policies and programs that reflect the essence of multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion. Part 1 of the report focused on the actions of the core Multiculturalism and Anti-racism Program, mainly in its activities around Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, community investments, public outreach and promotion, and international engagement. Part 1 also highlighted key initiatives within Canadian Heritage that help to enhance the multiculturalism mandate through key initiatives such as the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund, and increasing use of demographic data to better understand the discrete needs of employees and the public, including for Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and religious minorities. It also highlighted several funding programs that support diverse communities at Canadian Heritage.

Part 2 of the report provides an overview of how federal institutions promoted policies, programs and practices that are sensitive and responsive to the multicultural reality of Canada. Illustrative examples within the themes of Collection of Data, Education and Awareness, Prevention and Solutions, and Promotion and Celebration only represent a small part of the collection of initiatives undertaken by federal institutions. The results indicate that institutions are taking action and innovating in the ways that they contribute to a more inclusive Canada. This includes implementing policies, programs, and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic to help address the needs of the whole population in this new reality, and especially those disproportionally affected by the pandemic, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and religious minorities.

While this report highlighted some of this past year’s achievements to strengthen multiculturalism, and address racism and discrimination, we recognize there is much more to be done. Our government remains committed to that work as we continue to do all that is required to build a more inclusive Canada. Promoting multiculturalism and combatting racism and discrimination is a continuous process that we all need to play a role in consciously and deliberately moving forward. Only with sustained action will we be able to remove the barriers that prevent all Canadians from equitably participating in all spheres of society.

Annex A

Examples of promising practices under the theme Collection of data

Name of Federal Institution Initiative
Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) CHRC held a Dialogue Session with Representatives from Racialized Communities on Advancing Racial Equality in Canada. The session served as a forum within which representatives could share their concerns with the effectiveness of the human rights complaints process for race-based complaints, as well as to generate ideas about what the Commission can do to ensure that human rights complaints and the mechanisms that support them remain a viable tool to advance racial equality in Canada. Feedback received has informed the evolution of the Commission’s processing of complaints.
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

CED collects data on gender and diversity for several of their programs. For example, their Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP) helps promote the long-term economic development of the regions of Quebec by giving special attention to those where slow economic growth is prevalent or opportunities for productive employment are inadequate; and Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) is a National program that supports the economic growth of businesses and the regions through innovation. In Quebec, it is administered by CED and is the vehicle for the delivery of the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) and the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP).

As part of QEDP and REGI, CED collects data on the gender and diversity of the main small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) owners (i.e., whether they belong to one of the following groups: youth, the English-speaking community, Indigenous peoples, women, persons with disabilities or visible minorities). CED also collects information about the clients of non-profit organizations, i.e., youth, the English-speaking community, Indigenous peoples, women, persons with disabilities or visible minorities. The data helps CED better understand the impact of its programs and initiatives on various population groups in Quebec, for evaluation and continuous improvement purposes (e.g., development of programs or initiatives that take the needs of these groups into account). It also allows for the identification of potential gaps that may exist in terms of accessibility and the communications needs of various target groups in the regions of Quebec.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) IRCC has been connecting with Indigenous, racialized and other community organizations on the development of the Citizenship Study Guide and the new Oath, both in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action 93 and 94. Specifically, re-engagements took place over the past year with a number of National and regional Indigenous Organizations (the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis Nation) to seek their views on the wording of the new Oath and advance the new Citizenship Guide. Consultations also included focus group testing, polling of the general public as well as discussions with academics, select experts and stakeholders, Settlement Service Providing Organizations and community groups to seek views on a change to the Oath and reduce barriers to accessing the information in the guide and the citizenship test. Changes to the guide were made in collaboration with Indigenous organizations and historians to ensure accuracy and an honest telling of a difficult history. A series of learning aids and tools have also been developed to assist learners of all levels with the content of the guide and the test.
Infrastructure Canada (INFC) INFC partnered with Statistics Canada to develop Canada’s Core Public Infrastructure survey (CCPI). For CCPI reference year 2018, the survey was designed to allow dissemination of data for the four regions of Inuit Nunangat, and targeted complete census coverage of the Metis Settlements of Alberta. Statistics Canada released an infographic on the state of infrastructure within the Metis Settlement of Alberta, for reference year 2018. For CCPI reference year 2020, the survey has been designed for the same purposes. Statistics Canada offered support to collect the data via telephone in several languages. Data produced by this survey allows for analysis and comparisons of Canada’s public infrastructure from a regional, urban and rural, and asset perspective. The survey provides information that supports all levels of government to develop policies to improve Canada’s core public infrastructure, and to monitor and report on the progress of these investments.
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Data was gathered for the Equal by 30 Campaign on diversity and inclusion components of organizations and governments in the global energy sector, including a subset of Canadian organizations, through three main factors: demographic diversity, particularly in leadership, a public commitment to diversity and inclusion, and ability to demonstrate a safe and inclusive workplace for employees. The initiative asks companies and governments to endorse high-level principles, set commitments, and take concrete action to close the gender gap in the energy sector. The Low Carbon Energy Sector within Natural Resources Canada leads the initiative and worked with a data analytics company, Diversio, to develop a reporting framework and launch the first data collection exercise over 2020-2021. This data collection process provided insight into diverse representation and inclusive workplaces and identified key areas of improvement for the global energy sector. The Equal by 30 Campaign will use these data-driven insights to accelerate progress, build momentum, and take targeted action to create a more equitable and inclusive energy sector.
Parks Canada Parks Canada’s 2020 Minister’s RoundTable was held in October 2020. Over 13,000 participants online and 60 stakeholder organizations (through nine virtual discussions) shared their perspectives on the work of Parks Canada throughout the consultation. Out of the five themes discussed during this consultation, three were directly linked to racialized communities, religious minority communities and/or Indigenous peoples: Diversity, inclusion and accessibility; Indigenous leadership in conservation; Protecting our cultural heritage. Seventeen stakeholder organizations representing racialized communities, religious minority communities and Indigenous peoples participated in the nine virtual stakeholder sessions. Following this consultation, 12 actions items were identified for the Agency and a commitment from the President and Chief Executive Officer was pledged. Out of these, 10 items are directly aiming at improving experiences for and/or relationships with racialized communities, religious minority communities and/or Indigenous peoples.
Public Safety Canada (PS) In 2021, Public Safety Canada held engagement sessions with communities in an aim to improve the Security Infrastructure Program. During these sessions, community leaders were invited to share their experiences of hate-motivated crime, especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and to discuss ways in which the Program can better meet the needs of their communities. Additionally, through the funding application form for the Program, the Department has begun gathering demographic information to gain a better sense of who the Program is reaching and to ensure communities that are most at risk of hate motivated crime are able to participate. The information will help improve the Department’s Call for Application process, communication and outreach activities and ensure the targeting of diverse at-risk communities.
Public Service Commission (PSC) All employees at PSC who are members of an equity-seeking group were encouraged to provide information, via online questionnaires, on their lived experiences within the organization. Responses were gathered anonymously and presented in aggregate format. The information gathered enables the organization to clearly identify the successes and challenges experienced by employees who are members of equity-seeking groups, gather ideas on what actions are required to further diversity and inclusion within the PSC, and propose solutions to address areas requiring action. The resulting actions will be recommended to the PSC’s executive management committee in 2021-2022 and will be integrated to the PSC’s People Management Strategy.
Telefilm Canada As part of Telefilm Canada’s application process, applicant companies can self-identify when applying for funding as being majority owned or run by individuals who self-identify as racialized, LGBTQ2+, persons with disabilities, Indigenous, women or Official Language Minority Community members. Telefilm Canada’s decision-making process will take into account their goal of fostering a diversity of voices in the industry, ensuring that they fund a balanced production portfolio that reflects a variety of genres, budgets and company sizes, regions of the country and perspectives. To this end, Telefilm Canada could prioritize projects whose key creative personnel (director and/or writer and/or producer) identify as racialized, Indigenous, women or members of official language minority communities. The data collected allows for an assessment of existing measures and simulations to estimate the potential impact of a new measure on equity, diversity and inclusion.
Veterans Affairs In January 2021, the Minister of Veterans Affairs received a Supplemental Mandate Letter which charged him with ensuring that women, LGBTQ2, Indigenous, Black and racialized Veterans and Veterans with disabilities who are transitioning out of the Canadian Armed Forces receive support that meets their unique needs. This work is being supported by a Veteran identifier question on the May 2021 national census for the first time in almost 50 years. Collecting new data on the country’s current Veteran population will allow the Government to undertake more robust GBA+ while ensuring that Veterans and their families have access to the care, treatment, programs and services they need. This data will be pivotal especially to better understand the needs of women, LGBTQ2+, Indigenous, Black and racialized Veterans and Veterans with disabilities, who are transitioning out of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) WAGE collects data regarding the target populations of funded projects, including a range of identity factors such as gender, racialized communities, Indigenous peoples, Official Language Minority Community, and religious minorities. Additionally, funded projects collect data on the number of people reached and this number is disaggregated by a range of identity factors. The data is used to improve all WAGE programs, for example, the Women’s Program (which seeks to advance equality for women in Canada by working to address or remove systemic barriers to their progress and advancement) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Program (which seeks to support organizations working in the GBV sector to develop and implement promising practices to address gaps in supports for Indigenous and underserved groups of survivors in Canada). Collecting data on various identify factors informs the progress of programs in achieving their objectives, allows the identification of any differential impacts based on these factors, and enables improvement of programming to ensure that the design of initiatives address barriers/improves outcomes for population groups.

Examples of promising practices under the theme Education and Awareness

Name of Federal Institution Initiative
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) ACOA supported the New Brunswick Multicultural Council’s multi-year initiative to engage New Brunswick businesses and residents in a dialogue about the need to build the provincial labour force, the advantages of increased immigration to attract additional workers, and the collaborative responsibility of supporting inclusive and diversified communities.
Bank of Canada (the Bank) The Bank regularly engages and consults with the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Network comprised of D&I Champions (senior leaders), the Diversity and Inclusion Committee comprised of representatives from each of the Bank’s departments, and the Employee Resource Group (ERG) Advisory Committee (ERG leads and executive sponsors). The composition of these committees is quite diverse and brings together representatives from different equity groups, backgrounds, and cultural experiences to ensure that concerns and ideas of employees from racialized communities, religious minority communities, or those who are Indigenous are represented in these discussions. This network provides input on various policies, programs, initiatives and services including the Bank’s Diversity and Inclusion Plan, and Employment Equity, Multiculturalism and Official Languages legislative reports. In addition, representatives participate in the interview and selection process for the Bank’s scholarship programs and are consulted on the Bank’s D&I Strategy and Diversity and Inclusion pulse check.
Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Offered by the Ashanti Leadership & PDS, the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training. The training program focused on understanding racial discrimination and its impact on the everyday experience of racialized communities and Indigenous peoples; examining systemic discrimination and racism in Canada and more specifically in Nova Scotia; reviewing and engaging in conversation on the scope in Accessibility, Residential Schools, Truth and Reconciliation; and what roles cultural institutions like Museums play in building harmonious communities.
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) The CRTC's Inclusion and Diversity Committee (IDC) and the Indigenous issues and Reconciliation group are voluntary employee groups seeking to understand, represent and address the needs of diverse groups, including those from racialized, religious minority and Indigenous communities. The IDC organizes events and activities to promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace. These activities involve creating space to have difficult and meaningful conversations about the experiences of individuals from marginalized groups. The IDC also makes a wide range of educational resources on these topics available to all employees. The Indigenous issues and Reconciliation group works as a forum to discuss Indigenous issues (with volunteer members who are Indigenous and non-Indigenous), using SharePoint technology to share information and recommendations, creating a special section in the CRTC Intranet system (“The Zone”) for reconciliation issues, and organizing events for staff (including the February 2021 virtual all-staff event).
CBC/Radio-Canada Inclusive Newsrooms is a workshop designed for a variety of newsroom roles, and individuals who work closely with them. Its objectives are to: define characteristics and identify the barriers of an inclusive newsroom; develop a common language for talking about matters of race and ethnicity; recognize how the impact of words and behaviours may be perceived by staff, depending on their lived experiences; discover how to open up with humility and less fear when communicating about race & racism; revisit parts of the content development process for places to practice “active inclusion,” tapping missing voices and perspectives for story conversations and decision-making; gain new tools and techniques for story meetings and everyday conversations; and, discuss what it means to ask for help and include the perspectives of staff in a way that is supportive.
Department of Finance The Department of Finance’s Anti-Racism Committee was established to support the Anti-Racism Champion in the development and implementation of a comprehensive action plan. A plan that will address systemic racism and barriers to inclusion as well as build a more inclusive and diverse workforce in accordance with the Clerk of the Privy Council’s 2020-2021 Deputy Minister Commitments on Diversity and Inclusion, and the Treasury Board Directive on Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The Committee is the focal point for reviewing systemic racism within the Department as well as the main body for recommending actions towards ensuring the Department supports equity-deserving groups.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) ESDC Diversity Networks play a key role in informing departmental recruitment, advancement, learning and workplace strategies. Recognizing the time commitment required by Network Chairs to meaningfully advance work plans for their respective communities, ESDC is establishing Diversity Employee Network Chair roles on a full-time basis. Examples within ESDC include the Black Engagement and Advancement Team, the Visible Minorities Network, and the Indigenous Employees’ Circle. All of ESDC’s Diversity Networks also include spaces for allies.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) ECCC held a virtual two-day conference for all executives of the Department that focused on the subjects of Diversity and Inclusion and Mental Health. The first afternoon was dedicated to Diversity and Inclusion. Preparatory materials for the event contained a video from the Canada School of Public Service entitled: “Understanding racism against Black people and how to be an Ally”. The conference included presentations from the diversity employee networks – the Black Employees Network, the Indigenous Employees Network, the Visible Minorities Network, the LGBTQ2+ Network, the Women in Science and Technology Network and the National Youth Network. Following the presentations, group discussions and a plenary session were held to identify concrete measures towards this departmental priority.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) African-Canadian Experience is a five day workshop designed by the RCMP to provide candidates with an understanding of African-Nova Scotian culture and history in relation to the African-Nova Scotian community today. The workshop also explores issues of anti-Black and systemic racism, bias, White privilege, interrupting discrimination, micro-aggressions, and community engagement. The course ensures that candidates understand how these concepts are relevant to their current policing environment and realities. The workshop promotes interactive and in-depth learning opportunities, group discussions, and scenario-based case studies. Candidates learn about both the successes and challenges that have shaped the relationships between police and the African-Nova Scotian community, and receive a framework for fostering positive relationships moving forward.
Shared Services Canada (SSC) SSC held a Design Jam on Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. The Design Jam was an opportunity for employees from all sectors and levels to have an open discussion about racism and diversity issues at SSC, generate ideas and solutions, and propose constructive employment equity and diversity initiatives that SSC could commit to acting on. Over 200 employees participated in the event, and the Diversity and Inclusion Team obtained valuable feedback and suggestions for future projects.
VIA Rail All members of the VIA Rail Police Service took training on Racially Biased Policing. This training was delivered through e-learning by the Canadian Police Knowledge Network and was designed to increase officer awareness with regard to interacting with members of the community who represent various ethnic and racial backgrounds. Through examples and exercises, as well as a review of recent case law decisions and the subsequent legal ramifications, this course is designed to help officers think critically about their actions when engaged in their duties and ultimately take reasonable steps to avoid racially-based policing.
Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) Supported by an executive champion, WD’s employee resource group is composed of employees from WD’s representative workforce who bring their culturally diverse expertise, experience and capacity to influence the departmental culture and programming. With a strong collective passion to support and increase the inclusiveness of WD and the products/services provided to Canadians, this group is identifying meaningful and impactful actions that consider the diverse perspectives and needs of WD’s workforce and the Canadian population it serves.

Examples of promising practices under the theme Promotion and Celebration

Name of Federal Institution Initiative
Canadian Museum of History (CMHC) As part of the “An Evening with…” series held during Black History Month, the Canadian Museum of History hosted a special virtual event on February 18, 2021 featuring renowned Canadian author and activist Desmond Cole. Cole expressed his views on what it means to be a Black person in Canada and discussed his own experiences in a discussion moderated by CBC reporter Adrian Harewood. Partnerships like these are beneficial as they include voices from people who are the subject of educational resources, community information, understanding, knowledge and relationship building with the Museum.
Communications Security Establishment (CSE)

CSE annually celebrates, promotes, supports, and communicates events like Black History Month, Lunar New Year, National Indigenous Month, Multiculturalism Day where lived experiences, recommended reading, blogs, music and stories are shared and communicated to all CSE employees. They have found innovative ways of celebrating these annual events like asking employees to show five pictures that represent who they are, and hearing life lived experiences from various people at CSE.

CSE also hosts an online channel for employees to discuss diversity, inclusion, and community. In this channel, there are specific areas for visible minorities, indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, gender issues, as well as Asian heritage, engagement, everyday experiences, and multiculturalism.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fisheries and Oceans Canada developed a relationship with First Light, a registered non-profit organization that serves the urban Indigenous and non-Indigenous community alike by providing programs and services rooted in the revitalization, strengthening and celebration of Indigenous cultures and languages in the spirit of trust, respect and friendship. A shared interest in Indigenous culture helped maintain this relationship. Because of this relationship, they shared a number of Indigenous events and celebrations which were made available to all employees.
Public Sector Pension Investments Board (PSP Investments) In 2020, PSP Investments launched an illuminating “We Are PSP” initiative, which encouraged employees to share via the intranet the unique experiences that shaped their lives and identities. Topics included the challenges faced by new Canadians, the personal impact of being the only Black woman at the table, the stigma of invisible disabilities, the impact of COVID-19 on the LGBTQ+ community and the importance of connecting with people with empathy. These moving stories have proven to be PSP Investment’s most popular articles throughout the year. The seven stories published so far have received 654 likes, 4210 page views and 1054 video views. By reaching such an impressive number of employees, they have significantly deepened the understanding of the challenges some employees have faced and continue to face and helped break stigmas and stereotypes. They have also encouraged others to come forward to share their own stories and have demonstrated that everyone brings their own diversity.
The Department of National Defence (DND) DND partnered with the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia (BCCNS) as part of planning for a governmental apology to the descendants of the No. 2 Construction Battalion (N2CB). BCCNS has promoted the legacy of N2CB, Canada’s only Black unit, formed in 1916 to support the war effort in Europe during World War I. In March 2020, the government publicly committed to offer a formal apology to the descendants. Ongoing engagements will be planned in 2021-22 to ensure input for a meaningful apology to take place when public health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic permit.

Examples of promising practices under the theme Prevention and Solutions

Name of Federal Institution Initiative
Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada (ATSSC) While many tribunal secretariats in the ATSSC were required to adjust their approach to help maintain operations and access to justice for all Canadians during the pandemic, efforts of the secretariat supporting the Specific Claims Tribunal (SCT) held most of its hearings on First Nations lands to allow for community participation. In response to concerns about the possible spread of COVID-19 in Indigenous communities, the SCT moved to a fully remote approach. Significant changes to tools and resources were implemented and parties were supported from a technological standpoint to ensure the seamless conduct of hearings. Through the dedicated efforts of SCT secretariat staff, a virtual “super hearing” that allowed for First Nation community participation was held successfully.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) AAFC’s Emergency On-Farm Support Fund provided a one year, $35 million investment to primary producers to implement measures to improve health and safety on farms and in employee living quarters to prevent and respond to the spread of COVID-19. The fund provided non-repayable support to farmers for direct infrastructure improvements to living quarters and workstations, temporary or emergency housing (on or off-farm), as well as personal protective equipment, sanitary stations, and any other health and safety measures to safeguard the health and safety of Canadian and temporary foreign workers from COVID-19. The Program’s cost share ratio was 50:50; but for underrepresented groups, including visible minorities and Indigenous Persons, the cost share ratio was increased to 60:40 (AAFC: Recipient).
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) The United States Customs and Border Protection at the Vancouver International Airport District (VIA) requested Indigenous CBSA officers from VIA to provide a socially distanced presentation in honour of the United States’ Indigenous History Month. CBSA officers shared the history of First Nations and Indigenous peoples in Canada, including Métis Peoples. The focus of the presentation was on cultural awareness and the commitment for reconciliation. This initiative supported the improvement of practices and services through the sharing of information and open dialogue, engagement, and collaboration.
Canada Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) Through the Community Mobilization Fund (CMF), the CRRF provided grants from $5,000-$20,000 for anti-racism projects across the country. The focus was on initiatives that focus on anti-Black, anti-Asian and anti-Indigenous racism effort, however they also funded projects that looked at systemic racism as a whole.
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) CRA’s various social media platforms such as its YouTube channel provide Canadians and Newcomers with informative and instructional videos detailing all tax and benefit-related topics including, but not limited to, setting up My Account, filing taxes, applying for benefits, and protecting themselves against fraud. Some of this content is available in Simplified Chinese/Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Persian, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, Russian, and Tagalog. Notably, a video entitled “Benefits and Credits for Newcomers to Canada” informs newcomers of the benefits and credits they are entitled to, even if they just arrived in Canada and have no income (such as the Canada child benefit, GST/HST Credit and other related Provincial and Territorial Programs).
Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)

CSIS has engaged with community leaders and members to offer support and solidarity and to reinforce their position that there is no place in Canada for racial prejudice, discrimination and hate in our country. These discussions also provide an opportunity to affirm CSIS’ commitment to ensure the safety and security of all Canadians – and to seek input on how CSIS can build trust with racialized communities.

CSIS has also engaged with a number of community groups to seek their perspectives on how they can better-support Canadians experiencing racism, discrimination, and harassment. CSIS has offered briefings to community groups on topics of interest to them, including foreign interference and Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremism (IMVE).

Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

The Naurvik project ("the growing place" in Inuktitut) is a community-led hydroponic food production system in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut – a small community located about 250 km north of the Arctic Circle. Winters in Gjoa Haven are long, cold and windy, with temperatures dipping to -40 °C. As in many northern communities, high-quality, fresh, affordable produce may not always be available. The Naurvik system includes three recycled shipping containers that were retrofitted into "pods"—the Grow Pod, Utility Pod, and Power Pod. The system is powered almost entirely by renewable energy sources such as wind and solar in order to sustainably grow fresh food year-round. Naurvik is a partnership between the Gjoa Haven community, the Arctic Research Foundation, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, National Research Council Canada, and the CSA.

The CSA works to ensure that space science and technology make life better for Canadians and help solve everyday challenges on Earth. The Naurvik project is an initial step towards achieving that objective. By working with community members and partners, the CSA can support opportunities related to Arctic food security, green energy, nutrition, health, infrastructure and technology. The integration of Inuit knowledge into Naurvik makes this project unique and adapted to the needs of the community.

Correctional Services Canada (CSC) CSC’s Emerson Douyon Multiculturalism Award is awarded annually, and is open to all CSC employees, volunteers, and individuals on contract or summer employment programs. This award may also be given to members of the public (e.g., volunteer organizations) in recognition of their contribution to CSC in the area of multiculturalism. This award formally acknowledges those who have shown commitment and determination in helping to build an integrated ethnocultural society for all in Canada and especially within CSC. The candidate promotes initiatives that support the objectives of CSC in regard to multiculturalism, support to the successful reintegration of ethnocultural offenders, facilitates programs such as mentorship, volunteerism, leadership, and civic education among ethnocultural offenders and at-risk ethnocultural youth.
Department of Justice Canada (DoJ) In 2020-21, the DoJ finalized translation and posted six factsheets and a brochure on the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights in 12 Indigenous languages: Atikamekw, Dene, Denesuline, Inuktituk, Micmac, Montagnais, North Slavey, Oji Cree, Ojibway, Plains Cree, Western Swampy Cree, and Woods Cree. These materials are part of an ongoing project to make information on the rights of victims available to a greater number of Canadians, particularly to Indigenous victims of crime and Indigenous communities.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) ESDC’s Supporting Black Canadians Communities Initiative was implemented to create a sustainable source of funding and help combat anti-racism and improve social and economic outcomes in Black communities. The objectives of this initiative are: To support research and give advice to leaders within a Black Canadian context; provide funds to improve workplaces and local spaces; provide funds to build a national web to help black led not for profit organizations; and provide funds for new priorities for Black Canadians.
Federal Economic Development Agency (FedDev) for Southern Ontario FedDev for Southern Ontario has undertaken a number of steps to mitigate unconscious biases to create an inclusive, equitable and barrier-free Agency. Steps taken have included: conducting research, seeking out best practices, and reaching out to experts like: Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute, the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat and the Government of Ontario. The Agency also engaged FedDev Ontario employees through the Agency’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the Managers’ Forum, the Young Professionals’ Network, smaller employee focus groups, the Executive Committee and the Network of Champions.
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) GAC launched an external selection process for FS-01, across Canada, with a clear intention to offer official languages training to candidates who will not meet the linguistic profile but are qualified everywhere else. This is done using the “ab initio status” which offers up to 52 weeks of OL training to candidates. “Ab initio status” is a non-employee status conferred on external candidates who take initial language training prior to appointment to the Public Service as an employee. Ab initios are hired outside from the Public Service and are not considered employee of the public service.
Health Canada As the DM Champion for the Science and Technology community, Dr. Harpreet Kochhar and colleagues of other science-based departments and agencies (SBDAs) have identified “Acting Against Racism in Science” as a priority of the community and will support and further the discussion of the Clerk of the Privy Council’s Call to Action by acting as a catalyst in support of SBDA efforts. They will also contribute to efforts to identify and address the effects of racism and biases in science and science processes; and, raise awareness of the issues through engagement of the federal, scientific community.
Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) Through the Policy Dialogue Funding Program, which supports the provision of external advice and participation in the development of policies, methodologies, tools, and practices related to impact assessment, regional assessment, and strategic assessment, funds were provided to Indigenous organizations adversely affected by the pandemic to continue policy collaboration with organizations on topics relevant to the impact assessment process. In addition, due to the pandemic, the Agency extended contribution agreements with Indigenous communities and organizations receiving funding through the Policy Dialogue Program from March 31, 2020 to October 30, 2020. This funding was provided to provide feedback to the Agency on its Practitioner’s Guide to Federal Impact Assessment under the Impact Assessment Act.
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) Both Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) have an Indigenous Ambassador Initiative across Canada which is supported by regional coordinators and Indigenous student ambassadors. The following objectives are at the center of the initiative: to reach out to Indigenous peoples; to showcase both ISC and CIRNAC as employers; and, to encourage Indigenous peoples to apply on job opportunities as well as to self-declare. The Indigenous Ambassador Initiative has been adapted to the virtual reality brought on by the pandemic. The objective is to continue outreach and promotional efforts within educational institutions, Indigenous communities, and Indigenous organizations such as friendship centres including the promotion of the Indigenous Student Employment Opportunity (ISEO). As part of the Indigenous Ambassador Initiative, ISC and CIRNAC have attended different virtual events, including career fairs and outreach activities across Canada.
Library and Archives Canada

Listen, Hear Our Voices is an initiative that aims to support Indigenous organizations in their efforts to digitize their existing culture and language recordings, and build the skills, knowledge and resources required to carry out this work in their communities.

Seven archivists, based in traditional territories, were available to provide advice and support with Listen, Hear Our Voices funding applications. An external review committee made up of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation members from across Canada evaluated the applications and made recommendations for funding.

National Arts Centre (NAC) Over the course of 2020, NAC Indigenous Theatre compiled a list of Mental Health Resources as response to the mental health challenges experienced during the pandemic and major incidents of racially motivated violence and historic oppression. The list of links and resources posted on the Indigenous Theatre website were created with and for NAC staff, artists and community members across the country with the primary goal of helping to safeguard mental wellness.
National Research Council Canada (NRC) The NRC undertook a multi-year project (Indigenous Languages Technology Project) to produce technology to help Indigenous communities preserve and revitalize their languages. Employing Indigenous language speakers has helped develop relationships with communities and work on a verb conjugator for Kanyen’kéha (the Mohawk language) in particular. This technology is now an application available to the public for download and can be used on any phone (Android, Windows, or iOS) or desktop. Once downloaded, the app can also be used offline, making it adaptable to more remote community settings. They are currently working on similar software, not yet released, for Michif (the ancestral language of the Métis people) and Algonquin.
Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada offers its pamphlet in thirteen languages in addition to English and French. These languages were selected on the basis of statistics provided by Statistics Canada. The pamphlet in PDF format contains information about the history and role of the Supreme Court of Canada, as well as other general information.
Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) The PPSC continues to review its Statements of Merit Criteria. Managers, with the assistance of their HR Advisor, critically look at the qualifications required to determine whether or not they are limiting to a particular equity-deserving group. Looking at essential criteria has been one way the organization has made their recruitment efforts more inclusive. Whether it is an experience, recency of experience, education requirement, language or knowledge, the organization has taken steps to ensure the qualifications reflect the positions that are being staffed. In addition to their Statements of Merit Criteria, the PPSC has made a practice of identifying a broad range of religious holidays to ensure that when posting job advertisements and completing assessments, they do not conflict with religious holidays that would prevent candidates from applying or participating in the assessments. The PPSC has a practice of ensuring, where possible, that assessment boards are comprised of at least two equity-deserving groups.
Public Safety Canada Public Safety Canada’s National Office for Victims acts as a central resource working to improve victims’ experience with the federal corrections and conditional release system. To do this, it develops information products for dissemination to victims and the public aimed at increasing awareness so that victims can better understand and navigate federal corrections and conditional release. The “Staying Informed: Victims of Crime” booklet contains information on the mandate of federal departments and agencies that provide services to victims, as well as information on how to make a complaint. This pocket-sized booklet is available in 20 languages including, English, French, Arabic, Cantonese, Denesuline, Innu, Inuktitut, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Mi’kmaq, Ojibway, Oji-cree, Persian, Plains Cree, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Urdu. Providing this information in multiple languages helps reach a broader audience to ensure victims understand how to access information about the offender who harmed them.
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) PSPC has implemented a Second Language Scholarship as a positive measure to eliminate barriers to career advancement for members of designated employment equity groups. This initiative offers second language scholarships for up to 250 hours of individual language training. Eligibility is restricted to indeterminate employees identifying as members of one of three designated employment equity groups (Indigenous, Visible Minority and/or a Person with a disability). In 2020-21, 10 recipients received this scholarship. PSPC is looking to increase funding for this program in 2021-22.
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) SSHRC has committed to undertake sustained and meaningful engagement with Black scholars, students and researchers, and to take concrete action to better understand and address specific issues and barriers that they face in participation in SSHRC’s programs. The agency has created an external Advisory Committee to Address Anti-Black Racism to help SSHRC identify and remove barriers to equitable participation in SSHRC programs. Initiatives underway include an analysis of funding data to understand patterns of applications and awards to Black scholars/students, as well as an analysis of peer review committee composition data, including the proportion of Black merit reviewers. SSHRC is also working to give greater prominence to SSHRC supported research on issues of anti-Black racism.
Transport Canada Transport Canada’s Community Participation Funding Program (CPFP) helps eligible Indigenous groups and local communities to take part in developing and improving Canada’s marine transportation system. The CPFP gives recipients the opportunity to contribute their knowledge towards tailoring marine transportation systems to local conditions and the environment. Recipients are also encouraged to help Transport Canada develop and implement federal marine transportation strategies and policies that may impact their daily activities.

Annex B

List of participating federal institutions

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (2022)
Catalogue No. CH31-1E
ISSN 1497-7400

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