Canada's Public Service hiring practices betrays racist exclusionary practices of a social clique

by Dr. John Stokes

The decline of visible minorities in Canada's public service, appears to be the result of the cultural xenophobia by a clique of Quebec francophones, that oversee federal Human Resources, with the support of a similarly racist management across departments. This combined fraternity is determined to limit the hiring of any visible minorities to largely junior secretarial and clerical areas.

The great majority of Quebec francophones embrace cultural diversity, and indeed are mixed race, with aboriginal and other ancestries. The racist exclusion in the federal Public Service, stems from a elitist faction in Quebec, which refers to themselves as "pure laines" or "racially pure" "true white" francophones, that work together with Anglo-Saxon inspired "social cliques".

These cliques, in turn, report to a political clique on Parliament Hill that want to "contain" multicultural policy to funding "social and dance", and that seek to systematically exclude qualified visible minorities from hiring (and equitable considerations for any promotion). Indeed, the amount of visible minorities in management levels of the private sector, is also relatively low. But, most Canadians would be probably surprised to know that these numbers are higher than in the apartheid inspired Public Service.

The federal government, has become an apparent haven for bigots who do not have to worry about reprisal from a Civil Rights Code, such as the one that is in place to protect visible minorities in the United States.

The Canadian Human Rights Commission operates as the equivalent of "wolves watching the sheep". It is apparent that Human rights investigation by this Commission are systematically rubber-stamped to side with racist Public Service managers, backed with Commission issued form letters that claim an investigation has been made with no findings of racism. Complainants of racism in the Public Service can expect to be further harassed, or otherwise fired for any allegations of racism, which operates to further the exclusion of qualified visible minorities for considerations of employment.

The Canadian Court system is made up of judges also appointed by the same clique of racists, that are also pledged to frustrate any judicial review of racist hiring practices in the federal Public Service.

Last year, the Public Service Commission admitted that the recruitment rate of visible minorities was falling, even though overall hiring in the departments increased. Despite the hiring spree, recruitment of visible minorities dropped from 9.8 per cent to 8.7 per cent of all hires.

That drop-off bedevilled race relations activists, especially since visible minorities are more educated than most applicants -- half have bachelor degrees or higher.

Commission president Maria Barrados, launched a series of surveys and reviews to determine why visible minorities aren't landing jobs in the public service at a rate proportional to the numbers that apply. She also asked Statistics Canada, to determine how many visible minorities will have to be recruited "within a reasonable amount of time" so the federal workforce reflects Canada's labour force.

What's worrisome is that the gap between those who apply and those who are hired comes when the number of visible minorities in the labour market continues to climb.

Ms. Barrados alleges that the Commission is still reworking the numbers on how to close the gap, as well as how long it may take to ensure the visible minority population in government represents that of the country at large.

However, Canadians should not expect any change is the entrenched apparent unofficial apartheid policies of federal government departments, as long as this practices also continues among Canada's major political parties, that also seek to limit visible minority candidates.

Make Comments about this article in The Canadian Blog.

Editorial Reference:

"PS ordered to hire more minorities: Privy council clerk tells deputy ministers to 'close the gap' during recruitment drive", by Kathryn May, in the Ottawa Citizen, Saturday, August 16, 2008.

Participate in LIVE CHAT discussing this subject

Subscribe to RSS feeds

Become a Member:

Would you like to see other similar articles and critical commentaries in The Canadian National Newspaper? Then, show your support. Make a member-pledge donation, in support of the Membership Drive of the Pro-Democracy Media Foundation.

The Canadian can only continue to publish investigative articles in such areas, with the donations from members of the public in Canada, the U.S., and abroad. Consider making a donation of $50.00, $75.00, $100.00, $200.00 or more. Donors are eligible to receive our first collector's print edition in mail. Alternatively, you can send us a note to be placed on our special email list of members. Member-donors can also suggest articles or commentaries to be published in The Canadian.

The Canadian is a socially progressive and not-for-profit national newspaper, with an international readership. We provide an alternative to the for-profit commercial focused media, which often censors vital information and perspective of potential interest to the diverse Canadian public, and other peoples internationally.

Become a member of The Canadian, with your donation-pledge. Help support independent, progressive, and not-for-profit journalism.