Mandate to address racism, promote equity and inclusion in workplaces, public institutions
A new provincial development is likely to tighten expectations around equity, anti-racism and systemic barriers in hiring, promotion and workplace culture, increasing both compliance and reputational risks for organisations that do not keep pace.
Recently, the New Brunswick government has announced a plan to address racism in the province, including the creation of a new anti-racism office within the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour and a formal response to the commissioner on systemic racism’s final report.
“Racism has no place in New Brunswick,” said Post-Secondary Education and Training Minister Jean-Claude D’Amours in a statement. “We all have a role to play in creating a province that is inclusive, welcoming and free of hate. Dismantling all forms of racism will take a sustained, multi-generational effort, and we are proud to present how government intends to lead this change across the province.”
The office’s mandate will focus on addressing racism and promoting equity and inclusion across the province, including in workplaces and public institutions.
According to the government, the new office will “work to dismantle systemic racism and remove barriers through policy change, challenging practices, and partnering with communities and affected parties.” It will also be responsible for monitoring and reporting on progress related to the recommendations made by the commissioner on systemic racism.
Recently, the federal government opened a new $16.5‑million funding round to support projects aimed at making federally regulated private‑sector organizations more diverse, inclusive and safe.
Progress on systemic racism recommendations
In its formal response, the New Brunswick government said work has begun or been completed on 59 per cent of the commissioner’s 86 recommendations. Another 19 per cent of the recommendations have been identified as “to be initiated.” A new website is being launched to improve transparency and allow the public to follow progress on implementation.
“We’re proud to be fulfilling our commitment to respond to this report and of the progress being made,” said D’Amours. “We know more work lies ahead. We recognize that not all recommendations can be addressed immediately, but we will continue collaborating with partners like the New Brunswick Multicultural Council and the cultural community to identify opportunities for further improvements.”
The anti-racism office will work with partners to continue and monitor progress on the recommendations and will provide status updates online, the government said.
The New Brunswick Multicultural Council welcomed the announcement. “The establishment of an anti-racism office is a significant step for New Brunswick,” said executive director Ben McNamara. “As the report of the commissioner on systemic racism made clear, we need leadership at a senior level with the power to oversee the dismantling of systemic racism. We stand ready to work alongside this office and the government of New Brunswick to ensure the recommendations from the report translate into meaningful action for all New Brunswickers.”
The government noted that further dialogue with First Nations leadership will be required to ensure the experiences and concerns of Indigenous peoples are addressed as part of the anti-racism effort.
Previously, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) — the world’s largest HR association — was hit with a US$11.5-million jury verdict in a racial discrimination and retaliation case brought by a former employee in a U.S. federal court in Colorado.
