In Conversation With The Mental Health Commission of Canada
The mental health of employees is foundational to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) organizational culture because psychological well-being enables individuals—especially those from marginalized or underrepresented groups—to engage fully and safely at work. Likewise, strong DEI programs can positively influence mental health by addressing systemic stressors and creating conditions for all employees to thrive.
Off the Bookshelf: Conflict is not Abuse
Sarah Schulman’s Conflict is not Abuse urges individuals and communities to distinguish between conflict and abuse, advocating for accountability, direct communication, and repair rather than punitive or avoidant responses. She critiques the overuse of victimhood narratives, warning against binary thinking that leads to unnecessary escalations in personal relationships, social dynamics, and state violence.
Associate Spotlight: Q&A with Adam Benn
What actions do you take to create inclusive environments in your own life?
In my life, I focus on making inclusion a daily practice, and living these values day to day. That means being intentional about making space at the table, understanding the environmental impact of my actions, aligning with businesses and organizations that share my values, and focusing on supporting my communities. For me, it is about taking actions to create a world that I would like to see when I am teaching about inclusion. It also means actively listening, learning, and being willing to change — whether that’s rethinking a decision, acknowledging my own biases, or creating opportunities for others to lead. I also try to build relationships across differences…
Faith on the Margins: Christianity’s Evolving Role in a Diverse and Inclusive Canada
Her name was Debbie. I cannot recall her last name, and I have only the vaguest recollection of what she looked like. But I still recall vividly how she was the one person who stepped out of the classroom every morning while the rest of us recited the Lord’s Prayer.
DEI Backlash and Canadian Organizations
How Canadian Organizations Should Respond to the Backlash Against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
For many years, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become a cornerstone of workplace culture in Canada. Many organizations recognize that these initiatives contribute to creativity, talent recruitment, and growth. But recent court decisions in the United States, actions taken by the Trump administration, and political misinformation about DEI in the US and Canada have all added to increasing resistance to diversity, equity and inclusion. Even some organizations that prioritized these initiatives a mere five years ago (after a White police officer killed Black American George Floyd, which led to widespread protests) have pulled back or softened their approach.
In Conversation With the Stratford Festival
“We’re getting to a place where we’re thinking across the whole experience: How do we welcome people in? And there’s something really joyful about that. So it’s not just the spreadsheet of it being a good business decision. It is the experience of the festival being enriched.”
– Anita Gaffney, Executive Director, The Stratford Festival
Recognizing Outstanding Canadians
Receiving the phone call from the Governor General’s office was a mind-blowing
experience. When it came two years ago, I was in disbelief and at a loss for words. I
was being appointed to the Order of Canada – our country’s highest civilian honour – for
my work in diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice.
Off the Bookshelf: Revenge of the Tipping Point
More than 25 years ago Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference had a profound societal impact, influencing a wide range of fields and sparking conversations about how ideas, trends, and behaviours spread. The book’s central thesis – that small, seemingly insignificant actions or events can trigger large-scale social change once they reach a “tipping point” – resonated across industries and cultural discussions. Gladwell became a celebrity…
A Challenging Year for DEI, But a Hopeful One Ahead
The diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) sector had a challenging year, here in Canada but especially in the United States. It was a combination of social, economic, political, and organizational pressures.
The Reality of IDEA Must Include Accessibility
Nominated for the fourth consecutive year as Canadian Lawyer Magazine’s Top 25 Most Influential in the Human Rights category, Lorin MacDonald is one of Canada’s leading voices on disability issues. Over the last 30 years, Lorin has demonstrated her leadership, passion, and commitment to accessibility and inclusion in various volunteer and professional activities, all informed by her lived experience as a woman born with profound hearing loss.