Diversity+Inclusion

On April 20, 2022, Justice Canada and the Canada School of Public Service held a panel discussion with First Nations, Inuit and Métis experts as well as senior federal government officials. Over 2,000 participants attended the event.

Building a career can be challenging for anyone. Feeling as though you’re ready for advancement and more responsibility is one thing but moving toward that goal and potentially to a new level can be daunting.

If you’re part of an equity-seeking group in the Government of Canada, it can be even more difficult.

In 2020, George Floyd’s death and other incidents marked a turning point for many individuals and organizations. Anger and frustration were common reactions, and the events opened the eyes of many to the existence and prevalence of systemic racism in North America.

Sharing stories and lived experiences is not a one-sided exercise. The connection and conversation that comes from sharing is extremely powerful, even in a virtual setting.

Are you familiar with the expression, “building the plane as you fly it”? It’s an analogy used when we are implementing something new while still making improvements and additions. If that sounds bold and brave, that’s because it is.

Have you ever been unsure about who you are? Or felt as though you didn’t really belong in any one community? For public servant Les Escobar, growing up with a mixed cultural background involved a lot of racism that has followed him throughout his life.

Think about the last time you went searching for specific information on the public service. Maybe you were writing a report and needed statistics on the make-up of the workforce or the experiences of public servants, for example. Well now you can have the complete picture.

You’re going about your day, doing your work, and then someone notifies you that your language levels expire soon and it’s time to schedule some tests. Cue the panic!

Have you ever been given a glimpse into someone else’s experiences? Maybe their stories resonated with you, and you realized you aren’t alone. Or perhaps their shared experiences allowed you to learn, giving you a better understanding of the impact of exclusion on someone.