Office of the Intelligence Commissioner

Self-assessment on the forward direction of the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service

Read the full unanswered self-assessment that was sent to deputy heads in April 2024.

Read the message to deputy heads that accompanied this self-assessment.

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?

Work has not yet started on setting 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?

The Office of the Intelligence Commissioner (ICO) is a separate agency with 10 positions, including one executive position. Opportunities to recruit and promote Indigenous, Black and other racialized employees are limited given staffing vacancies.

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 ICO will use pulse surveys.

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?)?

Given the size of the ICO, the organization’s goals will be measured qualitatively.

Consequential accountability

Question 4

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

Work has not yet started 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.

N/A

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?

Neither I nor my executive team have sponsored at least two Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees to prepare them for leadership roles.

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.

The ICO is a separate agency with 10 positions, including one executive position. Opportunities to sponsor Indigenous, Black and other racialized employees to prepare them for leadership roles is limited. In the event of open vacancies, recruitment efforts towards Indigenous, Black and other racialized candidates will be undertaken.

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 not personally endorsed at least one recruitment campaign for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees.

Please provide details.

The ICO is a separate agency with 10 positions, including one executive position. Opportunities to recruit Indigenous, Black and other racialized employees is limited. In the event of open vacancies, recruitment efforts towards Indigenous, Black and other racialized candidates will be undertaken.

Question 7

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

Work is underway to develop an approach to prioritizing official language training for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are ready for advancement.

How is your organization prioritizing official language training?

The ICO is looking to the broader public service for best practices on prioritizing official language training for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are ready for advancement.

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

The ICO plans to offer access to Indigenous language training consistent with professional development goals and organizational needs.

Question 8

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

My organization has not provided support for and/or invested resources in organizational employee networks and communities.

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

Given the size of the ICO, there are no formal employee networks and communities.

Question 9

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

Work is underway to develop this calendar at my organization.

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

N/A

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.

Given the size of the organization, the ability for the ICO to meet the targets for recruitment and promotion of Indigenous, Black and other racialized employees is limited.

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?