2022/2023 Deputy Minister Commitments on Diversity and Inclusion

The Federal Public Service is strongest and most effective when we reflect the diversity of Canada’s populations we serve. While progress has been made in recent years to increase the representation of Black people, other racialized groups, Indigenous people, and persons with disabilities, transition from awareness to action in addressing systemic inequities must accelerate across the public service.

In keeping with the Treasury Board Directive on Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Performance Management Program’s Corporate Priorities, Deputy Ministers must select three measures from the list below that go beyond what is currently being done in their organizations, to enable their leadership teams to advance measurable change. In reporting on these commitments, departmental management teams will need to provide clear and measurable results on what has been accomplished to build a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

Changing the Public Service Culture

Establish a culture of inclusiveness that values diversity and will combat racism, antisemitism and islamophobia, and address systemic barriers

• Fostering inclusive leadership by:
  • Engaging senior management tables on anti-racism and religious discrimination via facilitated group discussions on unconscious bias and systemic racism to start the de-stigmatization of discussions on racism and particularly anti-Black racism, as well as on antisemitism and islamophobia.
• Providing adequate support by:
  • Ensuring that employee mental health and well-being supports are culturally sensitive and adequately tailored to address issues of racism, discrimination and hate in the workplace; or
  • Ensuring departmental Ombud’s Offices are trained and equipped to create safe spaces for employees facing racism or experiencing discrimination in addition to providing concrete tools for employees to respond to micro-aggressions in the workplace.
• Engaging in dialogue that will de-stigmatize discussions on racism, religious discrimination, and systemic barriers by:
  • Hosting regular organizational fireside chats where subject matter experts deliver relevant presentations on racism, ableism or other discrimination-related topics, including religious discrimination; or
  • Developing a value statement on anti-racism, ableism as well as religious discrimination, and proactively seeking opportunities to talk about the value of diversity and inclusion; or
  • Promoting and supporting the planning of organizational initiatives, celebrations and respectful incorporation of diverse histories and cultures into the workplace; or
  • Frequently meeting with departmental employee equity committees and/or networks and inviting representatives of these committees and/or networks to attend meetings of the senior executive level on a regular basis in order for a diversity of perspectives to be considered.

Reflecting Diversity and Promoting Inclusion

Increase the representation of Black, other racialized and Indigenous People as well as persons with disabilities within all levels of the organization

• Actively supporting the recruitment and retention of Black people and other racialized groups, Indigenous People, and persons with disabilities by:
  • Establishing clear targets to increase the representation of Black people and other racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities within all levels of the organization through recruitment, with particular attention to key organizational communities such as human resources and communications; or
  • Partnering with equity-seeking communities to attract and retain new talent that reflects Canada’s diversity; or
  • Reviewing and ensuring hiring processes are culturally sensitive and driven to remove barriers to appointment for Black people and other racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities, as well as for employees with multiple or intersectional diversity characteristics; or
  • Supporting non-imperative staffing and language training for managerial positions where Black people and other racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities are being considered for appointment.
• Actively supporting the sponsorship and career development and advancement of Black people and other racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities by:
  • Establishing clear targets to increase the representation of Black employees and other racialized employees, Indigenous employees, and employees with disabilities within all levels of the organization through promotions, with particular attention to key business lines, including human resources and communications; or
  • ADM or DM-level sponsoring of Black employees and other racialized employees, Indigenous employees, and employees with disabilities who are identified by their managers as high-potential for executive roles or to advance to the ADM level; or
  • Reviewing and ensuring that talent and performance management processes are culturally sensitive and driven to remove systemic barriers to Black employees and other racialized employees, Indigenous employees, employees with disabilities, as well as employees with multiple or intersectional diversity characteristics; or
  • Supporting language training for career development of Black employees and other racialized employees, Indigenous employees, and employees with disabilities; or
  • Adopting the Aboriginal Leadership Development Initiative (ALDI) operating at Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada / Indigenous Services Canada to identify and cultivate Indigenous talent; or
  • Implementing a mentoring program for Black employees and other racialized employees, Indigenous employees, and employees with disabilities within the organization and requiring that all DMs and ADMs shadow mentees that belong to one of the aforementioned equity-seeking groups.

Updating Policy and Programs: Our Future Workplace

Ensure that internal and external policies and programs are inclusive and free of systemic racism and barriers

• Reviewing and adapting all external public oriented policies and programs to ensure they meet the government requirements for accessibility, equity and transparency by:
  • Identifying and addressing systemic racism and barriers to accessibility and disability inclusion within those policies; or
  • Ensuring transparency and accessibility of departmental Grants and Contributions’ programs with specific initiatives targeted at equity-deserving groups and individuals; or
  • Reporting on the year over year incremental departmental measures in place to support the intent of s. 10.1, 10.2 and 11 of the Indigenous Languages Act if applicable.
• Establishing and overseeing a review of all internal systems, policies, programs and initiatives by:
  • Setting up panels to hear how existing programs and policies are being experienced by equity-deserving groups and what they think needs to be addressed; or
  • Reviewing HR, Procurement, Communications policies, programs and initiatives using Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) and considering various identity factors including race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identification and expression as well as and mental or physical disability to identify systemic racism and barriers to accessibility and disability inclusion; or
  • Ensuring Black employees, other racialized employees, Indigenous employees and employees with disabilities have membership and their view represented at executive tables, advisory councils, occupational health committees and other horizontal committees to foster diverse perspectives on internal policies, programs and operations.
• Increasing accessibility internally by:
  • Ensuring new systems, including internally developed or procured hardware and software, meet modern accessibility standards; or
  • Requiring that any documentation distributed across the organization (e.g. presentations, videos, briefing notes and papers, publications) be accessible and ensuring staff have the necessary training to achieve this goal; or
  • Addressing systemic discrimination and barriers to accessibility and disability inclusion within all internal operational policies, programs and initiatives; or
  • Developing and communicating proactive, streamlined workplace accommodation processes and practices in the organization, including for those working from home, as well as putting in place the necessary supports for employees and their managers.