Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Goal setting

Question 1

Has your organization set goals (for fiscal year 2023-2024 or future fiscal years) for recruiting and promoting Indigenous peoples and Black and other racialized people?

• My organization has set recruitment goals for:
  • Indigenous peoples
  • Black people
  • Racialized people

Please provide details and/or examples, including what your organization is using to set its goals (e.g., operational priorities, labour market availability [LMA], population data, workforce availability [WFA]), and how these goals are communicated to employees, if applicable. What has been the most helpful in advancing towards the goals you have set? What challenges, if any, have you encountered?

Soon after the Clerk’s Call to Action (CTA), the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) strengthened its Employment Equity Strategy and set new ambitious diversity goals (2% above Workforce Availability [WFA]) for representation for its total population, as well as for the executive cadre.

The letter sent to the Clerk outlining our Action Plan in response to the CTA was communicated to all employees and continues to be prominently displayed on the CRTC’s internal webpages for consultation. Our organizational goals with respect to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) were discussed at a number of staff Town Halls.

Since the initial CTA, progress has been made with the ‘Person with Disabilities’ category, which represented the largest gap in representation at the CRTC. There has also been improvement in representation for Black and racialized employees, Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities in the executive cadre. To help us meet our remaining diversity goals, new representation targets have been set for 2025 to 2027.

The CRTC will focus future efforts on the promotion and retention of Black and racialized employees. This will include mentorship and sponsorship of Black and racialized employees by senior executives, sponsorship of a targeted recruitment process by the Chairperson, and the addition of promotion targets to accompany the 2025 to 2027 representation targets.

The CRTC experienced a high number of retirements among Indigenous employees over the 2021-2024 period, which impacted representation. 

Question 2

Has your organization set goals to foster greater inclusion (for fiscal year 2023-2024 or future fiscal years)?

• Work is underway to set goals.

Please provide details and/or examples, including which metrics or data your organization is using, if applicable (e.g., your Public Service Employee Survey results, pulse surveys, exit interviews, human resources administrative data).

The CRTC is currently updating its EDI Plan for 2024-27. It will include a series of inclusion metrics and targets that seek to measure inclusion at the CRTC. It will leverage existing questions in Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) results that will be followed-up by an internal survey and more targeted pulse surveys.

Consultations are being held with management, the EDI Committee, the Reconciliation Circle and other stakeholders to finalize the CRTC’s inclusion metrics. Action plans will be updated every three years and adapted throughout their lifecycle as required.

The CRTC will have finalized inclusion metrics in 2024. Executive performance agreements outline inclusion objectives, which will be monitored closely during the 2024-2025 fiscal year and will be used to create accountability for progress. 

Measuring progress

Question 3

Has your organization developed an approach for measuring progress towards your established goals? 

How is the approach being implemented within your organization (e.g., how is it communicated to employees? What are the roles of executive team members including the Chief Data Officer and Head of Audit and Evaluation and regional management if applicable? How are you reporting on results and outcomes both internally and externally?)?

The Secretary General, through the Head of Human Resources (HR), is responsible for sharing information and progress within the CRTC. Executive team members are responsible for implementing actions that advance progress toward representation goals and for leading their teams toward inclusion goals. In 2024, the CRTC will be outlining progress on the implementation of its updated EDI plan as well as progress on achieving its goals to all employees through a new initiative entitled “SecGen news”.

Progress toward the CRTC Accessibility Plan is available to all staff and to Canadians on the CRTC website through the 2023 Accessibility Progress Report.

Due to its size, the CRTC currently has no Chief Data Officer, Head of Audit and Evaluation or regional management. 

Consequential accountability

Question 4

How is your organization using performance management and/or talent management processes to establish accountability for results?

• Quantitative goals are part of performance management agreements. 
• Qualitative objectives are in performance management agreements.
• Progress towards representation and inclusion goals is part of the criteria for being considered for talent management.
• A lack of progress towards representation and inclusion goals results in consequences.
• Work is underway to develop approaches to establish accountability for results in either of these processes.

Please provide details about how performance management and/or talent management processes are being used to establish accountability for results.

Progress toward representation goals has been positive for all groups within the CRTC overall. The executive cadre has also seen improved diversity in three employment equity groups with gaps remaining for the ‘Women’ category. The CRTC is partnering with Canadian Women in Communications and Technology to create 15 seats in its Women in Communications and Technology Career Accelerators Program.

Both qualitative and quantitative goals toward representation, diversity, inclusion and accessibility have previously been included in performance management agreements. The 2024-2025 performance cycle will strengthen accountability for results with the introduction of representation and inclusion metrics. These metrics will influence performance ratings of executives.  

Specific, tangible actions outlined in the forward direction of the Call to Action

Question 5

Have you, as head of your organization, and/or your executive teams sponsored at least two Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees to prepare them for leadership roles?

• Work is underway to develop an approach to sponsorship.

Please provide details about the nature of sponsorship that you and/or your executive team have provided, along with other programs, such as mentorship or leadership development, if applicable.  

In 2023, the CRTC nominated a candidate for the Mosaic program. This individual is currently completing the requirements of the program.

This year, the CRTC will be launching enhanced sponsorship and mentorship programs that will seek to identify new sponsors and mentors across the CRTC management table.

The 2024-2025 annual performance cycle includes an expectation that all senior executives reporting to the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer sponsor Indigenous employee(s) and Black and other racialized employee(s) to prepare them for leadership roles.

Question 6

Have you, as head of your organization, personally endorsed at least one recruitment campaign for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees?

• Work is underway so that I will personally endorse at least one recruitment campaign for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees.

Please provide details.

In support of this goal, I am actively involved in the development of a recruitment initiative targeting Indigenous, Black and other racialized employees in the field of Communications. Representation gaps for these designated groups have been identified in this area. I will be actively involved in the recruitment process and will work with members of the CRTC’s Reconciliation Circle, its EDI committee and CRTC stakeholders at various stages to ensure the success of this recruitment process. The recruitment campaign will be launched in Fall 2024.

Question 7

Has your organization prioritized official language training for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are ready for advancement?

• My organization has prioritized official language training for:
  • Indigenous employees
  • Black employees
  • Racialized employees

How is your organization prioritizing official language training?

Official language (OL) training has been prioritized for the CRTC with the creation and continued support of an internal Language School with qualified English- and French-language teachers.

The CRTC Action Plan to Address Systemic Racism and Advance Inclusion and Diversity, launched in support of the CTA, identified the need to remove barriers to inclusion at all levels. This means ensuring that OL requirements do not pose barriers in staffing processes and language training is adapted to employment equity (EE) group needs.

The Language School has been very successful in increasing the second language profiles of a large number of employees and has received very positive reviews from participants. While the program is open to all employees, management teams are aware of the need to actively support the leadership development of EE groups, in particular Indigenous employees, Black and other racialized employees, which includes meeting CBC language profiles at all supervisory levels.

Does your organization offer access to Indigenous language training or have plans to offer access? Please provide details. 

Indigenous language training is not currently offered at an organizational level. However, this is an initiative that could be explored in support of organizational initiatives such as consultation and liaison with Indigenous communities. The CRTC is exploring opportunities within its newly created Indigenous Relations Team. 

Question 8

Has your organization provided support and/or invested resources for organizational employee networks and communities?

• Governance structures are in place to support employee networks and communities (e.g., champions, champions/chairs participate at management tables).
• Material supports are provided for employee networks and communities (e.g., dedicated funding, FTE support, allowing time to engage in activities).

Please provide additional detail about how your organization engages with and supports employee networks and communities.

The CRTC has established champion roles and networks for Reconciliation; EDI; and Accessibility.

The CRTC has dedicated funding reserved for champions and EDI community events under the Secretary General and Chief Financial Officer.

The CRTC has been very active in supporting the events that celebrate diversity and inclusion along with its champions and networks. Some recent examples include:

• Landmark event for Black History Month with Olympic Champion Bruny Surin.
• Event with Andrea Menard, influential lawyer and Métis legal scholar.
• Neurodiversity Awareness event featuring Sancho Angulo, highlighting inclusivity in the workplace.
• Black History Month flagship event with Sarah Onyango.
• Two International Women’s Day panels featuring eight diverse colleagues.
• Presentation by the CRTC’s Reconciliation Circle with Risa Schwartz focused on Indigenous international law.
• Virtual panel discussions for Canadian Jewish Heritage Month with Dany Meloul and Commissioner Bram Abramson.
•  Virtual event for Asian Heritage Month with Daniel Quan-Watson, retired former Federal Deputy Minister.

Question 9

Has anti-racism, equity and inclusion work been embedded in your organization’s integrated business plan and/or mental health plan?

• Anti-racism, equity and inclusion work has been embedded in the organizational plan.
• Work is underway on our integrated business plan and/or mental health plan to embed anti-racism, equity and inclusion work.

Question 10

Does your organization have a calendar to avoid holding major meetings and events during significant religious, spiritual, and cultural periods?

• My organization currently has a calendar for this purpose.

If the calendar already exists, please provide additional details on how this calendar is communicated or promoted within your organization.  

The CRTC has a comprehensive calendar to highlight significant religious, spiritual, and cultural periods. It is in the process of implementing and communicating the calendar to staff to avoid holding major meetings or events on those days.

Additional information about your organization’s ongoing initiatives 

Question 11

What are two or three specific barriers that you have faced in advancing work on the Call to Action?

Please provide two or three examples.

Measuring progress on EDI encompasses a broad range of qualitative and quantitative factors, making it difficult to capture the full scope through metrics alone. Success in EDI often involves cultural shifts and behavioural changes that are not easily quantified. Data collection itself poses a challenge, as employees might be hesitant to disclose personal information due to privacy concerns. In its new EDI plan, the CRTC will be reviewing and updating its outcomes and measures to refine how progress is measured on this front.

Another barrier is how to effectively identify and address unconscious bias as it can subtly influence decision-making and behaviour, undermining EDI efforts. These biases are deeply engrained and can affect hiring, promotions, team dynamics, and the overall inclusivity of workplace culture. The CRTC is continuing to take active steps to address this challenge by raising awareness, educating and promoting inclusive leadership within a culture of accountability. 

Question 12

Recognizing that employees often have multiple identities, what actions is your organization undertaking to support Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are also members of other communities, such as persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and religious minorities who face compounding barriers of discrimination?

Please provide details.

The CRTC regularly organizes educational discussions with key speakers who represent a variety of groups with differing lived experiences. Initiatives from outside the organization are also promoted to increase awareness of diverse and intersectional views and backgrounds. For example, from February 2023 until May 2024, the CRTC organized eight major events that touched on a number of diverse groups and topics (e.g., neurodiversity, Métis and Indigenous international law, Jewish and Asian heritage, etc.) (see response to Question 8, above.)

While most internal events do focus on one particular group (Black, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, Asian heritage, religious minorities), emphasis has been placed on intersectionality, including for two International Women’s Day panels. These panels featured eight diverse colleagues from various backgrounds and teams at the CRTC , who presented in both Official Languages. The events were highly attended, with over 100 participants in each session, demonstrating a strong commitment to gender diversity and inclusion. 

Question 13

In your first year of implementing the forward direction of the Call to Action, what impact has this work had on the culture of your organization?

Please provide the two or three most important impacts. 

The forward direction of the CTA has had a positive impact on the CRTC by renewing EDI commitments; generating new representation and promotion targets; focussing tracking of quantitative progress on a number of fronts; sparking a commitment for increased leadership accountability; and prompting discussions across all levels.