A background paper on employment equity : gaining acceptance : Alberta advisory council on women's issues

182 Pages·1991·19.7 MB·English

by  Le Gras, Julie Anne

MAR 2 6 1991
ALBERTA
ADVISORY
COUNCIL
ON
WOMEN’S
ISSUES
\
A BACKGROUND PAPER ON
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY:
GAINING ACCEPTANCE
MARCH 1991
J

A BACKGROUND PAPER ON
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY:
GAINING ACCEPTANCE
MARCH 1991
COMPILED AND EDITED BY:
JULIE ANNE LE GRAS
LAURIE BLAKEMAN
MICHELE EMSLIE
PEGGIE GRAHAM
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2016
https://archive.org/details/backgroundpapero00legr_0
The Alberta Advisory Council on Women's Issues would like to thank the
following individuals and organizations for their contribution to this paper:
Patricia J. Cooper
Christine Macken, Julie Polle and the Alberta Women's Secretariat
Wendy Koenig and the Canadian Human Rights Commission
and
members of the Alberta Advisory Council on Women's Issues
Economic Committee:
Lauraine Howatt (Grande Prairie), Chair
Donna Graham (Vulcan)
Brigit Hawkins (Spruce Grove)
Amal Umar (Calgary)
Deriyn Yeomans (Red Deer)
ISBN 0-7732-0542-X
2
AAC-WI March 1991
.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
5 - 7
Employment Equity Recommendations
8 - 17
Executive Summary
A B ackground Paper on 18
Employment Equity: Gaining Acceptance - March 1991
Introduction 19 - 21
The Evolution of Human Rights in Canada:
22 - 30
An Historical Perspective
Affirmative Action: The Canadian Experience 30 - 32
Mandatory Programs 32 - 33
Voluntary Programs 33 - 35
The Employment Equity Era 35 - 38
The Employment Equity Act 38 - 40
The Compliance Mechanism 40 - 42
The Federal Contractors Program 42 - 44
The Results of the Federal Employment Equity Initiative 44 - 47
Employment Equity in the Federal Public Service 47 - 48
From There to Here: An Overview of Some Provincial
Initiatives in Employment Equity 49 - 50
* BRITISH COLUMBIA 50 - 51
* MANITOBA 52 - 53
* NEW BRUNSWICK 54 - 55
* NEWFOUNDLAND & L ABRADOR 55 - 56
* NORTHWEST TERRITORIES 56 - 57
* NOVA SCOTIA 57 - 58
* ONTARIO 58 - 61
* PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
61
* QUEBEC 62 - 63
* SASKATCHEWAN 64 - 65
* YUKON TERRITORY 65 - 66
* ALBERTA 66 - 69
3
AACWI March 1991
The Demographic Engine 70-71
Planning for the 90s: Trends, Implications, Responses
Forecasting Human Resource Requirements 72-73
The Labour Market of the 90s 73-74
Prognosis for the 90s 75-76
Implications for Work Relationships in the 90s 76-78
Current Myths and Misconceptions of Employment Equity 78-80
Employment Equity: The Vision 81-87
Selected References 88 - 90
APPENDICES
Appendix I The Employment Equity Act
Appendix II Federal Contractors Program
Discussion Paper on Issues Related
to Employment Equity
Appendix III Alberta Labour Requirements in the 90s
Appendix IV Demographic Information
4
AACWI March 1991
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY RECOMMENDATIONS
The Alberta Advisory Council on Women's Issues
believes that if Alberta is to successfully compete in the global
marketplace, it is essential that the creativity and diversity of ALL
human resources be utilized in an equitable manner.
ALBERTA
The Council believes that employment equity legislation
ADVISORY
is a means by which the full and equitable participation in the life of
COUNCIL the province can be achieved by women. Aboriginal peoples,
persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities.
ON
WOMEN’S The Alberta Advisory Council on Women's Issues defines
ISSUES employment equity as follows: A comprehensive and active process
adopted by an employer to provide for appropriate representation
of designated groups within the Alberta workforce. Employment
equity involves not only identifying and eliminating employment
barriers and discriminatory practices; but also applying special
measures and accommodating differences to ensure equality of
opportunity and the amelioration of conditions which restrict
equality.
The four designated groups referred to in these
recommendations are women. Aboriginal peoples, persons with
disabilities, and members of visible minorities.
Whereas;
ELVA MERTICK
CHAIRPERSON
The world of work is changing rapidly and Alberta's labour market
is being transformed as a result, such that:
LAURIE BLAKEMAN
Women now comprise 45% of the Alberta labour force
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
a2n0d0 0 ;a re expected to make up more than 50% by the year
77% of women with children in school ; 68% of women
with children aged 3-5 years and 55% of women with
children under three years of age work outside the home.
One in six Albertans was bom outside this country;
60% of immigrants from 1980-1987 did not speak
English;
*1004. 10010- 106 STREET The entire post-war 'baby boom’ is now of working age;
EDMONTON, ALBERTA Technology has raised the skill requirements for most jobs;
T5J 3L8
(403) 422-0668
FAX [phone]
5
AACWI March 1991
Some 70% of new workforce entrants are from the four
designated groups and by the year 2000 they will be 80% of
new entrants;
Whereas;
The Government of Alberta, having ratified the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms, is committed along with the Government of Canada and other
Canadian provinces to promoting equal opportunities for the well-being of
Albertans and to furthering economic development to reduce disparity in
opportunities;
Whereas;
The Government of Alberta has amended the Individual Rights Protection
Act, Sec. II. i to allow for employment equity initiatives;
Whereas;
Both direct and systemic discrimination exist in the workplace;
Recommendation 1
THE ALBERTA ADVISORY COUNCIL ON WOMEN'S ISSUES RECOMMENDS
THAT;
The Government of Alberta enact legislation requiring
the implementation of employment equity in all
provincial government departments, agencies. Crown
corporations and commissions and those institutions
regulated by the Alberta Government.
Recommendation 2
THE ALBERTA ADVISORY COUNCIL ON WOMEN'S ISSUES RECOMMENDS
THAT:
The Province of Alberta establish an Alberta
Employment Equity Commission. Duties of the
Commission shall include the following:
1. Assisting in the implementation of employment
equity.
2. Education of employers and the four designated
groups.
3. Monitoring and assessing the progress of
employment equity implementation.
The Commission must be empowered to enforce
compliance.
6
AACWI March 1991