Global Affairs Canada
Letter on Implementation of the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion
Summer 2021 update
Dear Clerk,
We, the deputy ministers at Global Affairs Canada (GAC), have benefited from much introspection over the past year concerning the urgency of making the public service and the department more equitable, inclusive and representative organizations, at home and abroad. The department has consulted internally and externally, reflected, and begun to take concrete steps with this objective in mind. GAC will launch a departmental anti-racism strategy and accompanying action plan in the fall that will include key initiatives, such as the Deputy Minister Pilot Sponsorship Program, anti-racism training modules that we expect our staff to complete and the establishment of benchmarks grounded in the Canadian labour market to guide our efforts to ensure representation of targeted groups. The pillars of GAC’s strategy will include increasing representation at all levels of Indigenous peoples and of Black and other racialized groups, focusing on career development, and anti-racism training and engagement. The overarching aim is to create a culture that is anti-racist, sensitive to intersectional dimensions and welcoming to all staff.
Actions
Our first step was to listen. We have conducted outreach via a number of town halls across various branches and missions, round tables with grassroots networks and a series of podcasts. We heard powerful testimony from our staff members on the questions of racism and exclusion in the public service. Shortly thereafter, we created GAC’s Anti-racism Secretariat. The secretariat reports directly to Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Chris MacLennan and supports departmental action on systemic racism and ensuring the meaningful inclusion of Indigenous peoples and of Black and other racialized groups. Soon after establishing the secretariat, GAC hired a consultant to conduct an environmental scan of the current context and challenges related to equity, inclusion and systemic racism. Subsequently, we established a deputy ministers’ advisory committee, endorsed a departmental anti-racism framework and then launched our inaugural annual anti-racism survey. Throughout this period, the Anti-racism Secretariat has worked closely with similar secretariats and task forces in other departments, in particular Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; National Defence; and the Department of Justice Canada, to ensure a consistent approach, share proven practices, develop joint initiatives and support institutionalized change across the public service. Collectively, these initial steps broadened and deepened GAC’s understanding of critical issues pertaining to systemic racism and their impact on the workplace while establishing valuable mechanisms to provide ongoing feedback and advice to deputy ministers.
Another key element is the training we believe will help support our desired culture change. GAC has developed an anti-racism learning pathway that includes a course targeted at the executive cadre, soon-to-be-launched online training for all employees and access to tools, events and additional learning opportunities on anti-racism. The training will look at all forms of racism, including anti-Indigenous, anti-Black and anti-Asian racism, as well as anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Such training is the beginning of a learning journey for many and is an important element in developing a diverse and inclusive culture at GAC.
Most recently, GAC launched the Action Plan on Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples to guide the department’s 2021-to-2025 efforts to advance the rights, perspectives and prosperity of Indigenous peoples in Canada and around the world. Within GAC, our efforts to advance Reconciliation must ensure First Nations, Inuit and Métis employees feel included, respected and equipped to thrive in the department.
After consultations over the course of the past year with grassroots networks within the department, analysis by our human resources staff and extensive discussions among senior management, we have identified numerous priorities. Two come first to mind for many: representation at the senior level and bottlenecks for some groups at more junior levels. There are some positive signs. Self-identification is at 98%, well above the legislative requirement. At an aggregate level, representation is above both workforce availability (WFA) and the more aspirational Canadian Labour Market Availability (LMA) for Indigenous and racialized employees; in all instances, the trend lines over the past few years at GAC have been positive. Incoming recruits are more diverse than the department as a whole, and levels of promotion and acting are relatively proportional to the level of representation for most employment equity (EE) groups.
Status and challenges
We acknowledge, however, that much remains to improve. Access to reliable disaggregated data is critically needed to boldly address gaps for staffing actions, but such data continues to be both difficult to obtain and of poor quality. We know more work needs to be done in our executive ranks and to ensure appropriate rates of representation at our missions abroad, where our employees are the face of Canada. Disaggregated data for Black employees, specifically, suggests improvement is required to ensure better representation, especially at higher levels of the organization. For all EE groups and relevant sub-groups, it is imperative to ensure that change is institutionalized and seen at substantive levels.
Some grassroots networks and managers in the department have voiced dissatisfaction at the pace of change, especially the implementation of measures to increase representation, such as targeted recruitment and promotion and a review of hiring practices. We are sensitive to their expectations and at the same time committed to ensuring we keep in mind the full depth and breadth of consultations as we develop these important policies.
Many employees have told us that they face compounding challenges resulting from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability and other grounds. The mutually reinforcing nature of intersecting kinds of inequality underscores the importance of having an approach to equity, diversity and inclusion that is broadly consulted, intersectional in its outlook and sufficiently agile to deal with emerging issues as we come to better understand them.
Looking ahead
The results of the anti-racism survey provide valuable data to support the implementation of GAC’s anti-racism strategy and will inform future priorities. Ongoing efforts to sustain momentum on improving representation, in particular the underrepresentation of Indigenous and Black employees at the executive and pathway-to-executive levels, will be supplemented by an emphasis on mentorship and sponsorship. The department is developing the Deputy Minister Pilot Sponsorship Program, to be launched in autumn 2021. The program will provide career-advancement support to Indigenous, Black and other racialized employees and to persons with disabilities as they move into and within the executive cadre.
GAC is taking a progressive approach to representation, working to establish ambitious and achievable benchmarks grounded in LMA for Indigenous peoples and of Black and other racialized groups. These representational benchmarks should apply to all levels and streams, including appointments to senior managerial and head of mission positions. An additional imperative is ensuring the establishment of clear accountabilities and a common set of anti-racism performance expectations for the executive cadre.
Conclusion
The department’s role in promoting inclusion and respect for diversity abroad places a particular onus on our organization to ensure it embodies these values. On the international stage, GAC will continue to be a strong advocate for the full participation of marginalized peoples in matters affecting them. In order to do so credibly and effectively, it is imperative those principles are embedded in our own work culture.
Over the past year, the department has spent a significant amount of time laying the foundation for meaningful and sustainable culture change that will allow concrete progress on these issues. We will continue to listen and to sustain our outreach efforts. We thank those who have worked so tirelessly toward these objectives, those who have helped us understand the challenge by sharing their lived experiences and perspectives and those who have committed to listening and learning more. It is only with the dedication and allyship of all our staff that GAC can fully leverage the anti-racism strategy to address systemic racism, cultivate an anti-racist work culture and make the organization an equitable and inclusive workplace for all.
Marta Morgan
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Global Affairs Canada
John F.G. Hannaford
Deputy Minister of International Trade
Global Affairs Canada
Christopher MacLennan
Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Global Affairs Canada
Annex A: Making Global Affairs Canada an equitable and inclusive organization, at home and abroad, that reflects Canada’s culturally diverse society
Leadership accountability
Leadership accountability is key to achieving tangible results and sustainable change.
Pillars
- Representation at all levels
- A department in Canada’s image
- Global Affairs Canada is representative and inclusive of Canada’s Indigenous peoples, Black people and other racialized groups at its Headquarters and in its diplomatic representation abroad.
- A department in Canada’s image
- Career development
- Equitable career opportunities for all
- Indigenous peoples, Black people and other racialized groups at Global Affairs Canada experience improved merit-based career progression via targeted investments in their professional development.
- Equitable career opportunities for all
- Anti-racism training and engagement
- An inclusive and welcoming department
- Global Affairs Canada’s staff members at Headquarters and abroad have increased ability to ensure an inclusive workplace and address issues related to racism and racial discrimination.
- An inclusive and welcoming department
Tools
- Equity, diversity and inclusion impact assessment
- Ending systemic racism in the department
- An equity, diversity and inclusion impact assessment is applied to improve planning, decision-making, and resource allocation, resulting in more equitable policies and programs, as well as positive outcomes for all.
- Ending systemic racism in the department
- Evidence
- Ambitious and forward-looking goals
- Disaggregated and intersectional data is collected, analyzed and disclosed.
- Progress toward pillars commitments is tracked and communicated.
- Targets and benchmarks are driven by data.
- Ambitious and forward-looking goals
- Governance and partnerships
- Striving together for equity and excellence
- Governance and advisory bodies as well as external entities such as the executive committee, the Deputy Ministers Advisory Committee on Anti-Racism and central agencies play a critical role in advancing equity and inclusion in the department and beyond.
- Striving together for equity and excellence
Annex B: Employment Equity (EE)
Data presented at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Level
Data Sources:
- GAC Representation and Staffing Actions — HRMS as of March 31, 2021
- Workforce availability rates (WFA) — The 2016 Census and the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD).
EE Data: All Employees who are Indeterminate or Term>3 months employees, including Mobile, Rotational and Traditional, who are Active or on Paid Leave.
Legend: WOMEN / Aboriginal Peoples = ABO / Persons with Disabilities = PWD / Visible Minorities = VM
Produced by HSF - HR Demographics, Employment Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and HR Special Project Division
Distribution by Work Location
Percent of employees who self-ID: 98%
GAC |
Women |
ABO |
PWD |
VM |
|
Headquarters (HQ) |
80% |
82% |
87% |
87% |
83% |
Mission |
18% |
16% |
12% |
12% |
15% |
Region |
2% |
2% |
1% |
1% |
2% |
Gaps*
Women |
ABO |
PWD |
VM |
-3 |
196 |
-375 |
614 |
* Gaps calculations are based on Workforce Availability (WFA)
Representation
Women |
ABO |
PWD |
VM |
|
LMA |
48.2% |
4.0% |
9.1% |
21.3% |
WFA |
56.2% |
3.5% |
9.1% |
15.8% |
Rep. |
56.2% |
6.5% |
3.3% |
25.3% |
Legend: LMA = Labour Market Availability / WFA = Workforce Availability / Rep. = Representation
Distribution by Employee Class
GAC |
Women |
ABO |
PWD |
VM |
|
Indeterminate |
92% |
91% |
82% |
93% |
88% |
Term |
8% |
9% |
18% |
7% |
12% |
Distribution by Employee Level
GAC |
Women |
ABO |
PWD |
VM |
|
Executive |
7% |
6% |
3% |
5% |
4% |
Senior Level |
20% |
18% |
11% |
14% |
15% |
Intermediate Level |
50% |
49% |
51% |
54% |
53% |
Junior Level |
23% |
27% |
35% |
27% |
28% |
EE Representation in Staffing actions
Fiscal Year |
WOMEN |
ABO |
PWD |
VM |
|
Recruitment |
2018-19 |
57% |
6% |
2% |
17% |
2019-20 |
63% |
9% |
2% |
21% |
|
2020-21 |
62% |
7% |
2% |
23% |
|
Promotions |
2018-19 |
63% |
5% |
3% |
19% |
2019-20 |
62% |
4% |
3% |
22% |
|
2020-21 |
63% |
8% |
3% |
29% |
|
Actings |
2018-19 |
56% |
5% |
3% |
20% |
2019-20 |
56% |
5% |
3% |
22% |
|
2020-21 |
59% |
6% |
3% |
25% |
|
Departures |
2018-19 |
63% |
6% |
3% |
14% |
2019-20 |
60% |
8% |
4% |
16% |
|
2020-21 |
58% |
9% |
5% |
17% |
Distribution of Black People by Work Location
Black Representation at GAC: 4.4%
Black |
|
HQ |
86% |
Mission |
12% |
Region |
2% |
Distribution of Black People by Employee class
Black |
|
Indeterminate |
84% |
Term |
16% |
Distribution of Black People by Employee Level
Black |
|
Executive |
1% |
Senior Level |
10% |
Intermediate Level |
50% |
Junior Level |
39% |
Black Representation in Staffing actions
Fiscal Year |
Black |
|
Recruitment |
2018-19 |
3% |
2019-20 |
5% |
|
2020-21 |
4% |
|
Promotions |
2018-19 |
3% |
2019-20 |
5% |
|
2020-21 |
6% |
|
Actings |
2018-19 |
3% |
2019-20 |
4% |
|
2020-21 |
5% |
|
Departures |
2018-19 |
3% |
2019-20 |
3% |
|
2020-21 |
2% |
Annex C: Employment Equity (EE) – Staffing Actions
Employment Equity (EE) - Recruitment Information
Data presented at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Level
Data Sources: HRMS as of March 31, 2021
EE Data: All Employees who are Indeterminate or Term>3 months employees, including Mobile, Rotational and Traditional, who are Active or on Paid Leave.
Legend: WOMEN / Aboriginal Peoples = ABO / Persons with Disabilities = PWD / Visible Minorities = VM
Produced by HSF - HR Demographics, Employment Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and HR Special Project Division
Table 1.1: Number of employees who joined Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total recruitment at GAC: |
599 |
100% |
668 |
100% |
344 |
100% |
Women |
339 |
57% |
424 |
63% |
212 |
62% |
Aboriginal Peoples |
34 |
6% |
57 |
9% |
24 |
7% |
Persons with Disability |
14 |
2% |
16 |
2% |
8 |
2% |
Visible Minority |
103 |
17% |
143 |
21% |
80 |
23% |
Table 1.2: Number of employees (who have self-ID as a Black Visible Minority) who joined Global Affairs
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total recruitment at GAC: |
599 |
100% |
668 |
100% |
344 |
100% |
Visible Minority (Black) |
18 |
3% |
33 |
5% |
14 |
4% |
Table 1.3: Number of employees (Substantive EX vs Substantive Non-EX) who joined Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total recruitment of Executives (EX) at GAC: |
16 |
3% |
9 |
1% |
6 |
2% |
Women (EX) |
10 |
63% |
5 |
56% |
6 |
100% |
Aboriginal Peoples (EX) |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
Persons with Disability (EX) |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
0 |
0% |
Visible Minority (EX) |
0 |
0% |
2 |
22% |
3 |
50% |
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||||
Total recruitment of Non-EX at GAC: |
583 |
97% |
659 |
99% |
338 |
98% |
||
Women (Non-EX) |
329 |
56% |
419 |
64% |
206 |
61% |
||
Aboriginal Peoples (Non-EX) |
34 |
6% |
57 |
9% |
24 |
7% |
||
Persons with Disability (Non-EX) |
14 |
2% |
16 |
2% |
8 |
2% |
||
Visible Minority (Non-EX) |
103 |
18% |
141 |
21% |
77 |
23% |
||
Employment Equity (EE) - Promotion Information
Data presented at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Level
Data Sources: HRMS as of March 31, 2021
EE Data: All Employees who are Indeterminate or Term>3 months employees, including Mobile, Rotational and Traditional, who are Active or on Paid Leave.
Legend: WOMEN / Aboriginal Peoples = ABO / Persons with Disabilities = PWD / Visible Minorities = VM
Produced by HSF - HR Demographics, Employment Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and HR Special Project Division
Table 2.1: Number of employees who got a Promotion at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total promotions at GAC: |
507 |
100% |
679 |
100% |
503 |
100% |
Women |
320 |
63% |
422 |
62% |
316 |
63% |
Aboriginal Peoples |
27 |
5% |
30 |
4% |
40 |
8% |
Persons with Disability |
13 |
3% |
18 |
3% |
16 |
3% |
Visible Minority |
95 |
19% |
150 |
22% |
147 |
29% |
Table 2.2: Number of employees (who have self-ID as a Black Visible Minority) who got a Promotion at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total promotions at GAC: |
507 |
100% |
679 |
100% |
503 |
100% |
Visible Minority (Black) |
16 |
3% |
32 |
5% |
29 |
6% |
Table 2.3: Number of employees (Substantive EX vs Substantive Non-EX) who got a Promotion at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total promotions of EX at GAC: |
24 |
5% |
78 |
11% |
34 |
7% |
Women (EX) |
13 |
54% |
37 |
47% |
21 |
62% |
Aboriginal Peoples (EX) |
3 |
13% |
3 |
4% |
1 |
3% |
Persons with Disability (EX) |
0 |
0% |
1 |
1% |
0 |
0% |
Visible Minority (EX) |
2 |
8% |
12 |
15% |
7 |
21% |
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
|||||
Total promotions of Non-EX at GAC: |
483 |
95% |
601 |
89% |
469 |
93% |
|
Women (Non-EX) |
307 |
64% |
385 |
64% |
295 |
63% |
|
Aboriginal Peoples (Non-EX) |
24 |
5% |
27 |
4% |
39 |
8% |
|
Persons with Disability (Non-EX) |
13 |
3% |
17 |
3% |
16 |
3% |
|
Visible Minority (Non-EX) |
93 |
19% |
138 |
23% |
140 |
30% |
|
Employment Equity (EE) – Acting Information
Data presented at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Level
Data Sources: HRMS as of March 31, 2021
EE Data: All Employees who are Indeterminate or Term>3 months employees, including Mobile, Rotational and Traditional, who are Active or on Paid Leave.
Legend: WOMEN / Aboriginal Peoples = ABO / Persons with Disabilities = PWD / Visible Minorities = VM
Produced by HSF - HR Demographics, Employment Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and HR Special Project Division
Table 3.1: Number of employees who got an Acting at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total actings at GAC: |
5094 |
100% |
5567 |
100% |
4096 |
100% |
Women |
2849 |
56% |
3131 |
56% |
2418 |
59% |
Aboriginal Peoples |
270 |
5% |
271 |
5% |
252 |
6% |
Persons with Disability |
135 |
3% |
166 |
3% |
133 |
3% |
Visible Minority |
994 |
20% |
1225 |
22% |
1037 |
25% |
Table 3.2: Number of employees (who have self-ID as a Black Visible Minority) who got an Acting at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total actings at GAC: |
5094 |
100% |
5567 |
100% |
4096 |
100% |
Visible Minority (Black) |
140 |
3% |
234 |
4% |
197 |
5% |
Table 3.3: Number of employees (Substantive EX vs Substantive Non-EX) who got an Acting at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total actings of EX at GAC: |
93 |
2% |
113 |
2% |
65 |
2% |
Women (EX) |
32 |
34% |
42 |
37% |
27 |
42% |
Aboriginal Peoples (EX) |
5 |
5% |
3 |
3% |
2 |
3% |
Persons with Disability (EX) |
1 |
1% |
7 |
6% |
1 |
2% |
Visible Minority (EX) |
9 |
10% |
14 |
12% |
4 |
6% |
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total actings of Non-EX at GAC: |
5001 |
98% |
5454 |
98% |
4031 |
98% |
Women (Non-EX) |
2817 |
56% |
3089 |
57% |
2391 |
59% |
Aboriginal Peoples (Non-EX) |
265 |
5% |
268 |
5% |
250 |
6% |
Persons with Disability (Non-EX) |
134 |
3% |
159 |
3% |
132 |
3% |
Visible Minority (Non-EX) |
985 |
20% |
1211 |
22% |
1033 |
26% |
Employment Equity (EE) - Departure Information
Data presented at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Level
Data Sources: HRMS as of March 31, 2021
EE Data: All Employees who are Indeterminate or Term>3 months employees, including Mobile, Rotational and Traditional, who are Active or on Paid Leave.
Legend: WOMEN / Aboriginal Peoples = ABO / Persons with Disabilities = PWD / Visible Minorities = VM
Produced by HSF - HR Demographics, Employment Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and HR Special Project Division
Table 4.1: Number of employees who have left Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total departures at GAC: |
632 |
100% |
493 |
100% |
397 |
100% |
Women |
395 |
63% |
298 |
60% |
231 |
58% |
Aboriginal Peoples |
37 |
6% |
39 |
8% |
36 |
9% |
Persons with Disability |
19 |
3% |
20 |
4% |
21 |
5% |
Visible Minority |
90 |
14% |
79 |
16% |
67 |
17% |
Table 4.2: Number of employees (who have self-ID as a Black Visible Minority) who have left Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total departures at GAC: |
632 |
100% |
493 |
100% |
397 |
100% |
Visible Minority (Black) |
21 |
3% |
14 |
3% |
8 |
2% |
Table 4.3: Number of employees (Substantive EX vs Substantive Non-EX) who have left Global Affairs Canada (GAC) between 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total departures of EX at GAC: |
34 |
5% |
38 |
8% |
34 |
9% |
Women (EX) |
13 |
38% |
15 |
39% |
18 |
53% |
Aboriginal Peoples (EX) |
1 |
3% |
7 |
18% |
2 |
6% |
Persons with Disability (EX) |
1 |
3% |
2 |
5% |
2 |
6% |
Visible Minority (EX) |
2 |
6% |
7 |
18% |
2 |
6% |
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
2020-2021 |
||||
Total departures of Non-EX at GAC: |
598 |
95% |
455 |
92% |
363 |
91% |
Women (Non-EX) |
382 |
64% |
283 |
62% |
213 |
59% |
Aboriginal Peoples (Non-EX) |
36 |
6% |
32 |
7% |
34 |
9% |
Persons with Disability (Non-EX) |
18 |
3% |
18 |
4% |
19 |
5% |
Visible Minority (Non-EX) |
88 |
15% |
72 |
16% |
65 |
18% |
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