“Aboriginal” is defined by the Government of Canada as First Nations (S\status, non-status), Métis, or Inuit, and was established by the federal government as an umbrella term for diverse Indigenous peoples in Canada. However, this may not be how individuals identify. Instead, individuals may identify as Cree, Blackfoot, Dene, Inuit, Métis, Mi’kmaq, Mohawk, or Nakota Sioux, etc. All of these identities are part of the umbrella term of Aboriginal Peoples and Indigenous nations. Aboriginal/Indigenous peoples and nations may also include Canada. Statistics Canada. Source
The Employment Equity Act, 1986 (amended in 1995), emerged out of the Royal Commission on Equality in Employment chaired by Judge Rosalie Silberman Abella, who coined the concept and approach as a contrast to affirmative action in the United States. “The purpose of this Act is to achieve equality in the workplace so that no person shall be denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to ability and, in the fulfillment of that goal, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment experienced by women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities by giving effect to the principle that employment equity means more than treating persons in the same way but also requires special measures and the accommodation of differences.” (Employment Equity Act (1995, c.44). Source.
The language of “designated groups” emerged out of the Royal Commission on Equality and Employment (chaired by Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella) in 1984, the Employment Equity Act, 1986, and the Federal Contractor’s Program, 1986. The Canadian Race Relations Foundations defines “designated groups” as follows: “Social groups whose individual members have been historically denied equal access to employment, education, social services, housing, etc. because of membership in the group.” The four “federally designated groups” include: women, Aboriginal peoples (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), persons with disabilities (visible and invisible), and members of visible/racialized minorities (Arab, Black, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Latin American, Korean, South Asian, Southeast Asian, West Asian). Source.
FCP requires that organizations who do business with the Government of Canada implement employment equity in their workplace. This includes ensuring their workforce is representative of Canada’s labour force with respect to the 4 designated groups under the Employment Equity Act. As an organization that receives federal government support we are required to collect and maintain workforce information, including representation of the 4 designated groups conduct a workforce analysis and complete an achievement report establish short-term and long-term numerical goals and begin actions that will identify and remove employment barriers
make reasonable efforts towards having a workforce that is representative of the 4 designated groups. Source
A person with a disability is someone who has a “long-term or recurring physical, mental, sensory, psychiatric or learning impairment(s)” (for the purposes of this questionnaire “long-term” is defined as lasting more than six months). A person considers themselves to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that disability or believes that an employer or potential employer is likely to consider them to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that disability. This also includes persons with disabilities who have been accommodated in their current job or workplace (e.g., by the use of technical aids, changes to equipment or other working arrangements).
Visible minority is defined by the Employment Equity Act as a racialized minority who is non-white in colour, and who is not an Aboriginal/Indigenous person, regardless of birthplace or citizenship. General groupings defined by Statistics Canada for the visible minority variable include: Arab, Black, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Latin American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and West Asian.
We recognize that there may be a preference to instead identify as a “person of colour,” “racialized person” or ethnocultural group. However, for the purposes of this question, please use the definition provided by the Canada Employment Equity Act and Statistics Canada.