Health Canada

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
• My organization has set promotion goals for:
  • Indigenous employees
  • Black employees
  • Racialized employees
• Work is underway to set goals.

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?

Starting in 2022, Health Canada (HC) set clear, quantitative objectives for representation at the non-executive and executive levels. In setting goals, HC uses Workforce Availability (WFA) and workforce data across occupational groups at the executive and non-executive levels to set goals to meet and exceed workplace representation for Black, Racialized and Indigenous peoples.

As of April 2024, based on dedicated leadership and effort, the department exceeded WFA for all four employment equity groups overall, albeit by a small margin for Indigenous peoples.  While recognizing the progress in closing gaps, efforts continue to ensure that new gaps do not emerge.

The most significant changes over the past four years are observed for Persons with Disabilities and racialized persons—both groups show approximately a 4% increase in representation over time.  HC is committed to its hiring targets and more broadly ensuring that the Public Service increase its representation of Persons with Disabilities by hiring from outside the Public Service, as well as supporting actions on retaining new hires through an employee-centered, co-development approach. 

Setting and clearly communicating concrete targets through a variety of channels, is very effective. HC is also seeing progress by holding executives accountable for improvement and by creating recruitment and promotion services.

In October of 2023, the HC Executive Committee discussed expectations to develop promotional goals for Black, Indigenous and Racialized employees, in addition to existing goals for Persons with Disabilities hiring. As we enter the Talent Management cycle, those efforts will be implemented. We also have a supporting implementation tool to identify targeted actions and progress.

Goals are regularly communicated to Branch Heads through presentations at Executive Management Committees. To increase transparency and demonstrate where progress is being made and where gaps remain, the department launched the Data Hub in fall 2023, as a centralized resource that offers user-friendly access to information about HC Human Resources (HR) data, reports, and analytics including Employment Equity (EE) data, workforce demographics, and results from the 2022-23 Public Service Employee Survey. All employees are now able to view real time information regarding EE representation and progress towards our targets, using Power BI-based reports. For the first time, disaggregated EE data for Indigenous, Black and other racialized employees is also available at the branch, directorate, occupational group, executives (EX), non EX and EX equivalency levels.

Further, HC established specific measures and goals as part of the EX-Performance Management Agreements (PMAs) to support the implementation of the forward direction for the Call to Action.

To support representation, promotion, and career development at senior levels, HC set goals for ensuring participation in executive leadership development programs and learning events (e.g., Mosaic Leadership Development program) and organizational priorities (e.g., Mentorship Plus program). Within our talent management process, we are intentionally supporting the growth, the development and the promotion of Indigenous, Black and racialized people in HC, including at the executive level. We acknowledge there is room for improvement, and we are in progress to strengthen some of our existing processes to identify, nurture, and have dedicated talent management activities at the organizational level, with an EE lens. These actions will support us in meeting promotion goals in alignment with the Forward Direction. For example, the Sponsorship Initiative, which supports the promotion of proteges from equity seeking groups into the EX cadre, was launched and was well received.

HC is currently in the process of calculating promotion goals for all EE groups for 2024-2025. While this work continues, we are making progress on goals to increase representation. At the executive level, for example, as of April 2024, HC meets or exceeds WFA for three out of four employment equity groups in the executive category. Gaps in EX representation persist for Indigenous Peoples and within certain occupational categories. Progress is being made and the department exceeds WFA for other employment equity groups.

In addition to what has already been highlighted, the following activities were key to achieving results:

• Establishing and funding robust employee networks to serve Black, Racialized, Indigenous and religious minority communities, as well as a Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis (SGBA) network.
• Creating pools and inventories of fully and partially qualified candidates to facilitate hiring for managers across the organization.
• In June 2024, in recognition of Indigenous History Month, the Indigenous Recruitment Team at HC launched a new initiative - the Indigenous Qualified and “At Level” Talent Pool - to shine a spotlight on the talent available across Canada.
• Collaborating with the Indigenous Employee Network (IEN), to put in place a Indigenous Career Navigator role that supports Indigenous employees in their career progression in the Public Service.
• Establishing both the Black, Racialized and Equity Deserving Communities (BREDC), and the Indigenous Recruitment Teams to provide one-on-one support and education to candidates and hiring managers to help meet (or exceed) HC’s hiring targets.
• Removing the need for a rating of succeeded + as a precondition from accessing leadership training for employees from an employment equity group who want to access leadership training. The removal of this barrier supports the principle of leadership at all levels.
• The Mentorship Plus program which supports development and promotion of employees in equity seeking groups is fully established and as of June 2024, all 178 mentees are matched with a mentor.

Question 2

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

• My organization has set goals to foster greater inclusion.
• 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).

HC continues to prioritize strengthening and fostering greater inclusion in the workplace. We do this through leadership, engagement and action at all levels starting with our most senior leaders, as well as through supporting employee engagement and collaboration at the working level. It has been important to formalize our efforts to foster greater inclusion through a range of forums, working groups, and guiding documents.

To continue to foster inclusion, the Deputy Minister (DM) and Associate DM continue to demonstrate commitment as co-chairs of the Leadership Council for Diversity and Inclusion (LCDI). This is a key forum that brings together employee networks and senior management in the development and validation of strategies and actions to eliminate systemic and structural barriers, promote a more diverse workforce and build an inclusive work environment. The LCDI, established in 2020, is comprised of departmental champions, chairs from employee networks, volunteer members and HC partners in equity, diversity and inclusion and human resources.

Additionally, the Department launched the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Employee Networks Collaboration Forum in March 2022. IDEA is a forum to share and generate ideas; have horizontal discussions on issues of mutual interest; and functions as a consultative body for co-development on horizontal strategies, policies, and activities through allyship and intersectionality. Over the last 6 months, the Forum provided the opportunity to discuss strategic initiatives impacting equity-seeking groups including the review of Equitable Access to Language Training Program (EALTP), resources for mental health, and the scope of the Flexible Funding Model.

In support of a diverse and inclusive workplace that is free of discrimination, in March 2023 the department released the “Towards a Culture of Safety: A Guide for Employees at Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada who experience Racism, Discrimination, Harassment and Violence in the Workplace”. This Guide was co-developed with employee networks, and has the dual purpose of outlining the recourse processes and supports in place for those who experience or witness racism, discrimination, harassment, and violence, as well as the practices that support a barrier-free workplace founded on cooperation, belonging, and continuous learning. It further communicates the expectations of employees and managers in advancing this work. The Guide is intended to be an evergreen document that is responsive to the lived realities of our employees and our organizational context.

In Fall 2023, HC also launched the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Branch Collaboration Committee to foster branch-level collaboration, implement solutions and support the proactive identification, removal and prevention of barriers, including barriers in science, policies and programs.

HC is the first department in the federal public service to develop an Anti-Racism in Science Action Plan (ARiS Action Plan) which launched in June 2024. The Action Plan fosters inclusive leadership by focusing on making science-based positions more accessible to employees from equity-seeking groups. The Action Plan also includes opportunities to enhance local leadership through the Scientists Taking Action on Racism in Science (STARS) ambassador initiative, which launched in August 2023.

To help guide Inclusion activities and goals, HC analyses results from the Public Service Employee Survey (PSES), including comparisons with previous years and highlights of main areas for action. In an effort to support an evidence-based approach to measuring inclusion, in the current fiscal year, HC will:

• establish a new outcomes driven, measurable Anti-Racism and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy;
• renew the Multi-Year Employment Equity Plan (MYDEEP);
• continue to raise awareness and deepen organizational understanding through monitoring uptake of mandatory diversity and inclusion training;
• use results from data collected through exit interviews conducted by the Ombuds’ Office to advise the DM of best practices and gaps; 
• analyse and report on employee retention and promotion rates across all EE groups

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?)?

An area of key progress in HC in responding to the Clerk’s Call to Action has been increased accountability and transparency on workforce data and representation. Transparency and accountability has been a key part of our commitment to measuring progress towards our goals to increase equity, diversity and inclusion at HC.

To increase transparency and show progress, all employees have access to real-time data on the distribution and representation of Indigenous peoples, Black and other racialized people at the branch, directorate, occupational group, EX, EX equivalency levels and non EX through the Data Hub. The Data Hub, launched in Fall 2023, uses Power BI to provide HR data in an interactive manner and provides real time data on gaps for each EE group.

HC also publishes quarterly reports to communicate progress on advancing the Call to Action objectives. We also communicate with all staff through messages from the DM and Associate DM, to bring awareness to milestone goals, and information that measures our progress.

Each Branch Head received an update on their progress against their branch targets in fall 2023. Targets for 2024-2025 will be shared with the Executive Committee table for discussion, approval, dissemination and action. 

We also have an implementation tool to identify targeted actions and progress on the components of the Call to Action Forward Direction.

To support further improvement, the Department’s Office of Audit and Evaluation examines organization-wide issues (e.g. governance) and EDI activities such as a review of the employee network funding model is set to begin in Quarter 2 of 2024-25 to assess its impact on advancing network initiatives and the overall Department’s efforts in equity, diversity and inclusion.

An Anti-Racism and EDI Strategy and Performance Measurement Framework (PMF) are under development. The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Metrics Action Committee (EDIMAC) was launched in September 2023. The EDIMAC will enable the organization to tap into relevant expertise and lived experiences of employees. It will help remove barriers to collaboration across branches and divisions in reporting on EDI metrics.  Most recently EDIMAC members served as technical advisors on the Call to Action progress reports and helped identify PSES survey questions that were aligned with Call to Action report topics.  Members also discuss examples and practices from other departments and provide this feedback to inform EDI metrics. This includes providing input on the planned approach to setting EE recruitment targets for the Department. Finally, EDIMAC members also provide feedback on results from data analysis to ensure they account for the lived experiences of employees from EE groups across HC. For the current fiscal year, EDIMAC will focus on improvements in tracking progress on EDI priorities and creating actionable recommendations from employee feedback.  

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.

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

To improve accountability within HC about the progress of our EDI objectives, we make use of performance management and talent management processes.

The Department establishes specific measures and goals in Executive PMAs to support the implementation of government-wide priorities by:

• establishing requirements related to anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility;
• implementing hiring targets with a view to closing gaps and surpassing WFA ;
• promoting and monitoring participation in development programs, including mentoring and sponsoring Black, Indigenous and racialized employees and employees with disabilities; and
• an ongoing commitment to increasing awareness by promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and anti-discrimination learning events.

Consequential accountability for lack of contribution towards representation and inclusion goals include:

• Impact on performance evaluations – lack of contribution to the objectives of the Call to Action may negatively affect an executive’s overall performance rating;  
• Professional development opportunities – executives who fail to contribute to the objectives of the Call to Action may be required to undergo additional training or development programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion to enhance their understanding and commitment to these initiatives; and
• Accountability measures – performance improvement plans, or coaching are implemented if objectives of the Call to Action are not being met.

We support the vital role our employee networks play in advancing our equity, diversity and inclusion priorities, we also encourage employees to recognize and celebrate their contributions to employee networks in their Performance Management Agreements, as well as learning and talent management plans. Senior leaders also play an important role as Champions of employee networks, providing support, engagement, leadership and commitment. Leadership, commitment and direction begin at the most senior levels of the organization, from the DM, Associate DM, Assistant Deputy Ministers (ADM), our Executive Committee and LCDI. With all stakeholders engaged and committed to results, and working in close and effective collaboration with our employee networks and Champions, we demonstrate and ensure accountability across the organization and all branches.

Specific ADM and HR accountabilities include:

• ensuring hiring managers sign the Employment Equity Attestation form for EX hiring and the Attestation of Impartiality and Diversity Form (AIDF) in support of diversity and inclusion
• monitoring and increasing branch completion rates for mandatory training on anti-racism, discrimination and mental health
• integrating anti-racism action plan in the branch’s business plan and engaging employees and acting on PSES results on discrimination and harassment and communicate on progress
• identifying talent to support aspiring leaders from equity seeking groups to access leadership development training

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?

• I have sponsored at least two Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees to prepare them for leadership roles.
• My executive team has 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.  

By actively investing in, sponsoring and championing diverse talent at all levels, we are supporting career development and talent management for Indigenous, Black and racialized employees individuals and contributing to Public Service talent management and stewardship.

We demonstrate our personal commitment as senior leaders to sponsoring and mentoring individuals. The DM and Associate DM each individually dedicate time to maintain regular and long-standing mentoring relationships with many diverse executives. We also have an open-door policy for individuals at EX and non-EX levels who request informal mentoring conversations with us as ad hoc opportunities arise. This mentoring and coaching support to prepare employees for leadership roles has consistently been with a lens to openly supporting and growing the talent of Black, racialized, and Indigenous employees in both HC as well as across the public service.

To sponsor Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees to prepare them for leadership roles, the DM and Associate DM demonstrate support employees through advocacy for promotional, acting, or growth opportunities, and for ensuring that high potential candidates are given equal consideration for high priority projects, developmental opportunities and advancement.

HC’s Mentorship Plus program pairs employees of underrepresented groups who aspire to leadership and executive positions with executive mentors and sponsors to help navigate the system for upward career mobility; facilitate increased visibility in informal networks; and provide access to developmental opportunities to build skills necessary for the executive cadre. Executive leaders at HC are expected to demonstrate dedication to sponsoring and supporting Indigenous, Black, and other racialized employees. Mentoring or sponsoring EE employees is an ongoing commitment measured in performance agreements.

Through Mentorship Plus, senior executive sponsors provide support to their protégés, helping them acquire the skills and competencies for progression to the executive cadre and championing these high potential candidates for development opportunities and advancement. As of June 2024, 178 mentees and 188 mentors are registered with the program and all mentees are matched with mentors. The program has positive feedback from mentees and mentors; the majority of participants believe their career progression is better supported by the program. We will continue to collaborate with partners to improve the program and ultimately, outcomes for participants.

We support, endorse and prioritize participation of Indigenous, Black and racialized employees in leadership development programs and training, including:

• Executive Leadership Development Program
• Mosaic Leadership Development Program: HC sponsors one participant per cohort
• Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) Indigenous Career Management for Employees program: three employees in the 2023-24 cohort
• ISC Indigenous Management Development Program will be promoted by HC Indigenous Employee Network as an opportunity for development and potential advancement
• Other external leadership programs and leadership development opportunities

HC’s Indigenous Human Resources Action Plan, launched during Indigenous Awareness Week, provides a path to achieve a representative and inclusive workforce for Indigenous peoples within HC. Through the action plan, the Department will continue to address and reduce systemic barriers and persistent gaps in the representation of Indigenous employees in leadership positions.

To foster inclusive leadership, HC is the first department in the federal public service to develop an Anti-Racism in Science Action Plan (ARiS Action Plan) launched in June 2024. The Action Plan focuses on making science-based positions more accessible to employees from equity-seeking groups and includes opportunities to enhance local leadership through the STARS ambassador initiative, launched in August 2023.

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?

• I have personally endorsed at least one recruitment campaign for:
  • Indigenous employees
  • Black employees
  • Racialized employees

Please provide details.

At HC, at the DM and Associate DM level, we sponsored and supported a number of recruitment campaigns (inventories) targeted at Indigenous employees as well as Black and other racialized employees. 

The Department uses a candidate-focused approach to help match candidates based on career advancement needs while educating managers on inclusive leadership in hiring practices.

• In 2021, HC established the Indigenous Recruitment Team, who work in collaboration with chairs of the IEN to design and implement recruitment strategies tailored for Indigenous candidates using culturally competent and candidate centric approaches.
• In early 2023, HC established the BREDC recruitment team to increase recruitment and career advancement of Black and other racialized employees.
• Both teams work to foster collaboration between executives, other government departments and employee networks for the successful implementation of a career advancement strategy for Person with Disabilities, Indigenous employees, and Black and other racialized employees.

In late 2023-24, HC developed and implemented an Indigenous Human Resources Action Plan that provides a path to achieve a representative and inclusive workforce for Indigenous peoples within the Department. Through the action plan, the Department will continue to address and reduce systemic barriers and persistent gaps in the representation of Indigenous employees in leadership positions. HC celebrated the launch of its Indigenous Human Resources Action Plan at an all-staff event during Indigenous Awareness Week.

HC created an Indigenous Recruitment Inventory, curating matches to staffing needs. The team also laid the groundwork to launch an Indigenous Talent Pool for Indigenous peoples Living in Canada who previously qualified in a Government of Canada pool or who are at level and seeking new career opportunities. The initiative was launched early in fiscal year 2024-25. Further, HC will also launch two to three advertised processes open to Indigenous peoples in fiscal year 2024-25. The Indigenous Recruitment Team is developing relevant assessment tools in collaboration with the IEN to launch the first of these processes, focused on the EC group.

In the Fall of 2023, the DM and the Associate DM endorsed the Black and Racialized Career Advancement Strategy, including a relaunch of the candidate inventory originally launched in early 2023. In 2024-25, the Department is launching advertised processes open specifically to Black and racialized candidates. Each process will use a candidate-focused approach that includes education and awareness sessions for hiring managers and candidates. The first process, currently under way, is at the AS-04 and PM-04 groups and levels. Subsequent processes will integrate lessons learned.

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?

Access to second language training is long viewed as a barrier to career advancement and leadership for Indigenous peoples, Black and other racialized persons. HC implemented the Equitable Access to Language Training Program (EALTP) in 2021 to help to address systemic barriers to second language training encountered by Black, Racialized, Indigenous employees and employees with disabilities by focusing on the decision-making process at the branch head level and imposing an EE lens on the prioritization of requests.

To address employee and network feedback, HC took action to increase access and improve outcomes of programs. In the Summer and Fall of 2023, the Department led a series of consultations with employee networks and conducted a survey of all employment equity group employees to identify solutions to improve the implementation of EALTP.  EALTP 2.0 updates mean greater transparency and consistency in program implementation and clarification of process and accountabilities. It also increases the intake application periods to three times per year.

Following the launch of EALTP 2.0, HC received 161 new applications in February 2024. The total number of applications received since the program’s inception in 2021 is 387. 

In a continued effort to ensure co-development, HC established a working group involving EE employee networks to explore program impacts, ensure continued accountability and guide future improvements to the program.

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

We do not offer specific Indigenous language training. However, Indigenous employees are also eligible for prioritized language training through the HC EALTP program.

HC’s working group, with employee networks, is exploring future improvements to the program, including a focus on tailored training for Indigenous employees, and Indigenous specific consideration related to indigenous languages and culturally appropriate ways of learning a second colonial language.

Question 8

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

• Engagement with employees and employee networks in my organization’s decision-making is meaningful and regular.
• 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.

At HC, we support the vital role our employee networks play in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion. HC’s robust employee networks help lead the way by providing input, advice, and guidance as we continue to reshape our organizational culture. Networks at HC include:

• Black Employees Matter Network (BEM);
• Gender and Sexual Diversity Network (GSDN);
• Indigenous Employees Network (IEN);
• Jewish Employees Network (JEN);
• Managers Network (MN);
• Persons with Disabilities Network (PWDN);
• Visible Minorities Network (VMN); and
• Young Professionals Network (YPN).

HC leadership engages with and supports employee networks and communities through formal and informal collaboration forums as well as dedicated meetings between Deputy Heads, network chairs and network executive committees. ADM level Champions support network engagement at senior management tables and special events.

The Leadership Council for Diversity and Inclusion (LCDI) is a key Deputy-led forum where employee networks bring forward proposals and provide input on plans, strategies and programs to eliminate systemic and structural barriers and promote an inclusive work environment. The LCDI meets every six to eight weeks and is chaired by the DM and Associate DM. It is comprised of departmental EE champions, employee network chairs, volunteer members and corporate partners in equity, diversity and inclusion. Since its inception in 2020, the LCDI has developed and matured as a key forum for positive, open and safe space discussions on how to advance objectives and achieve results through collaboration and co-development.

In addition to regular meetings between Networks and ADM champions, the DM and Associate DM holds meetings with network chairs and executive committees on a biannual basis, and as issues arise. This engagement with each employee network was particularly important during the fall 2023 engagement to start a broad dialogue on Values and Ethics in the Public Service, to hear the perspectives of our employee networks.

Stable funding is provided for network administrative tasks and Department-wide activities: 

• In addition to network support provided by the EDI office’s Network Secretariat, since 2021, HC invests in our employee networks through a Flexible Funding Model to provide funding for network chair or co-chairs as well as junior resource positions. The funding helps reduce the burden of chairs and co-chairs' workload related to network activities and priorities of their substantive positions. HC has eight networks representing equity seeking groups.
• In fiscal year 2023-2024, HC invested over $800,000 to support 15 paid positions across employee networks, including networks representing equity-seeking groups. In addition to funded positions for networks, HC continues to be committed to enabling network executive committee members to dedicate up to five hours weekly to support network activities.

To communicate support at the highest levels for network involvement and leadership on EDI, the DM and Associate DM provide individualized letters of support for the fiscal year to network chairs and executive committee members and their managers. This communicates that we fully support employees’ involvement and that we expect managers will support employees’ decisions and time commitment to do this important work. This commitment to supporting our employee networks was also shared to all staff by the Deputies in December 2023.

As well, the Department launched the IDEA Employee Networks Collaboration Forum in March 2022 to support employee engagement and collaboration at the working-level. Over the last 6 months, the Forum has discussed strategic initiatives impacting equity-seeking groups including the review of EALTP, resources for mental health, and the current funding model for employee networks.

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.
• Anti-racism, equity and inclusion work has been embedded in regional and/or branch plans.

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.  

Yes, HC developed a calendar that was shared with all employees. The calendar is also accessible to employee networks through a MS Teams channel. We also use the commemoration calendar developed by Canadian Heritage. DM, Associate DM and Network Champions regularly send email messages to all-staff celebrating and noting important cultural days, weeks, months and events. This not only highlights the importance for specific communities but also raises awareness for all employees so that they can be respectful when scheduling key meetings and deliverable timelines. These efforts helps us to avoid holding major meetings and events during significant religious and cultural periods, and also increases awareness and demonstrates inclusion.

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.

HC faced the following key barriers in advancing work on the Call to Action:

• Calibrating capacity building, accountability and driving outcomes: Over the last two years, the department developed supports and processes for employees, managers, and executives to help them understand the importance EDI, the notion of unconscious bias and the importance of inclusive hiring and talent management processes. The work is done in collaboration with Employee Networks and we are diligent about holding leaders accountable, which has the impact of increasing demand for activities. The calibration between accountability and capacity building continues to be a priority as the organization matures from setting foundations (e.g. achieving representation) to driving to outcomes (e.g. inclusive leadership and cultural competence by design).
• Meeting hiring targets at the executive level: Post-pandemic key efforts were focused on stabilizing the executive workforce. There were a number of divisions merged and others were reorganized. This resulted in reduced hiring at Executive levels. Reduced hiring will continue to impact the Department’s ability to meet intentional Executive hiring targets. As we stabilize the organization and its structures, dedicated efforts will be deployed when hiring opportunities present themselves to recruit candidates from diverse communities and to leverage leadership development programs and enable talent management and succession strategies.
• Restoring Indigenous representation and cultural competency: Following the transfer of our former First Nations and Inuit Health Branch to ISC a number of years ago, the department continues to make efforts with respect to both Indigenous representation and cultural competencies in the department. This transfer marked a significant transformation in the composition of the department’s workforce and our overarching organizational culture. Areas of the department have needed to relearn how to build relationships with Indigenous communities, attract and retain Indigenous employees, and create environments that are culturally safe and competent. We are committed to this important reconciliation work and are on a continuous improvement journey.
• To support Indigenous employees in a culturally competent way and to promote the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge, the Iskotew Lodge, located in HC’s Brooke Claxton Building, offers a safe space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees to learn, understand, appreciate and share Indigenous traditional knowledge and culture. Additionally, in January 2024, HC established a new team to lead initiatives toward the advancement of Indigenous Cultural Competency across the Department. The team is responsible for developing and implementing Indigenous Cultural Competency policies and protocols, as well as creating training materials, toolkits and other relevant resources.

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.

HC recognizes that employees often have multiple identities and continues to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, and employee networks, to develop and implement actions 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.

The LCDI, chaired by the DM and Associate DM, brings together employee networks representing these varied communities, and brings light to both common aspects across communities, and the intersectionality that shapes the experience of employees identifying with multiple communities, and the unique challenges and barriers they face.

The Specialized Recruitment Team model considers the intersectionality of multiple identities of Persons with Disabilities, Indigenous peoples and Black and other racialized persons when matching candidates with hiring opportunities.

In January 2024, HC established a new team to lead initiatives toward the advancement of Indigenous Cultural Competency across the Department. The team is responsible for developing and implementing Indigenous Cultural Competency policies and protocols, as well as creating training materials, toolkits and other relevant resources.

We are also ensuring that our actions to increase equity, diversity and inclusion address the issues faced by groups such as persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

HC has made important strides in responding to the Public Service Pride Network's Call for DMs' support for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in the public service, including recruiting and supporting development of 2SLGBTQIA+ employees, ensuring the availability of inclusive gender-neutral washrooms, offering employees more flexibility in choosing names and gender markers in our technologies, and participating in Pride and 2SLGBTQIA+ activities. For the fiscal year 2024-2025, HC is working with the GSDN to develop inclusion metrics for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

HC first published its Accessibility Plan in December 2022, outlining our commitment to advancing accessibility across the organization. HC also launched an Accessibility Hub which employees can use to access accessibility resources, learn about best practices, and submit accessibility feedback. The Accessibility Hub will be highlighted as an excellent accessibility initiative in the Office of Public Service Accessibility’s analysis of progress reports.

HC’s Workplace Wellness Service Centre (WWSC) provides single window access on services related to Disability Management and Duty to Accommodate. The WWSC enables employees to have the tools they require to be productive and to fully contribute to their job including during staffing, learning, and second-language testing activities. We continue to collaborate with Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada (TBS) as a recognized leader in accessibility and accommodations, and as a point of reference for its workplace accessibility standards and case management approach.

At HC we continue to support employees’ mental health, with a focus on wellness, reducing stigma and increasing awareness of supports. HC aims to offer mental health counselling that considers employees’ multiple identities. The Department’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which HC delivers to support across Public Service, provides anti-racism training to their staff. The Department continues to increase access to counsellors with diverse lived experiences including Indigenous and Black and other racialized peoples who are also members of other communities, such as persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ and religious communities. For example, EAP can match employees from Black communities with counsellors with lived experiences using a Black-centric approach. This is possible because the Department has increased the recruitment of Black counsellors to provide culturally competent and trauma-informed mental health support to public servants and their immediate family members.

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. 

In the first year of implementing the forward direction to the Call to Action at HC, our efforts have impacted the organization’s culture in several key areas.

HC’s implementation of the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service since its launch in 2021, and the Forward Direction in 2023, has helped reinforce our commitment and increase accountability, and transparency on our progress. The Clerk’s Call to Action and Forward Direction has helped to bring focus to our efforts at HC, and to drive progress that we have made in recent years, building on past efforts and bringing a renewed energy. This applied to the specific actions outlined in the Forward Direction, and was also relevant to keep momentum on progress on other key inclusion initiatives in support of equity deserving group.

The Call to Action has cultivated a heightened awareness and sensitivity towards diversity and inclusion across all levels of the organization. Leadership has taken a proactive role in the promotion of inclusion, setting a precedent for the entire organization. Through comprehensive training programs and targeted open discussion forums, employees have become more cognizant of the various dimensions and nuances of diversity, including race, age, gender and disability. We have been challenged to thoughtfully reflect on our own normative biases at all levels of leadership. The focus on inclusivity at HC has also contributed to a deepened awareness of the experience of others, and in particular the experience of equity deserving groups. From a cultural perspective, this has fostered a greater sense of compassion within the organization.

This cultural shift has created an environment where open diversity of thoughts and perspectives are valued and respected. The employee networks add to this culture of diversity and inclusion, helping lead the way by providing input, advice and co-development. They also help to bring to light the systemic barriers or biases, and collaborative and innovative solutions to best support our employees. Beyond our employee networks, we have fostered an environment where we count on employees to demonstrate leadership at all levels, recognizing shared responsibility as we advance toward a more equitable organization and inclusive workplace. At HC, this includes a clear policy on zero tolerance for racism, harassment and discrimination.

In the first year of implementing the forward direction of the Call to Action, we also acknowledge that it requires diligence to achieve results. We worked and continue to work to mobilize a collective effort in HC among senior executives, champions, managers and employee networks. The Call to Action has encouraged a renewed focus and even deeper reflection on this critically important work, and has motivated sustained effort across HC that is achieving an enduring culture that prioritizes equity, diversity, and inclusion.

We also see an EDI lens is woven into our core work at HC. For example, as a scientific department, we have integrated EDI into our guiding policies such as the ARiS Action Plan, a first for a federal department in fostering inclusive leadership and addressing racism. Additionally, we work with provinces and territories to advance antiracism strategies in the health care system.

The tensions that can arise in the process of fostering an inclusive culture are aspects that we aim to view as opportunities for growth, rather than setbacks in our advancement to a more diverse workplace. By embracing these challenges with an open attitude of continuous learning, HC is well positioned to innovate and evolve, ensuring that the workplace is not only inclusive but also dynamic and forward thinking. Our thoughtful approach to implementing the Call to Action’s Forward Direction has helped build a culture of resilience and adaptability within the organization, ultimately leading a stronger and more representative workforce and inclusive workplace.