The province of Saskatchewan has a booming economy but projections are that the current workforce will shrink as workers get older. So they are looking for workers. However, merely filling the ranks is not good enough. They must create an inclusive culture. Despite being recognized as one of Canada's top "diversity employers", creating an inclusive culture is... Read More
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6OKbHbhrIk] The business community has been dealing with issues of diversity for many years, with many successes to show for their efforts. What can the public sector learn from business about collaborating with diverse communities, and leveraging the talent, resources and networks of these communities? And in what ways can public policy around diversity support... Read More
Ten years ago a most remarkable thing happened on Toronto radio; Canada's first "urban music" -- read "black" -- radio station was launched. There was a huge party in downtown Toronto with hundreds of jubilant people and thousands more listening to the live broadcast at home (I was among them) as Bob Marley's "Roots, Rock, Reggae”... Read More
Workplaces are fraught with landmines, and an allegation of sexual harassment is one of the big ones. It has the potential to destroy careers and do near-irreparable harm to an organization. The mere mention of a sexual harassment allegation can be the modern day version of the scarlet letter for the victim as well as the... Read More
[caption id="attachment_203" align="alignleft" width="190" caption="Who is missing from the conversation among leaders?"][/caption] A recent report from the DiverseCity project of the Toronto City Summit Alliance has (once again) raised concerns about the lack of racial diversity in the senior leadership ranks in one of the most multicultural and multiracial regions in the world. A report... Read More
Racial profiling is one issue that can ignite emotions and inflame situations; partly because the allegations strike at the very core of our personal beliefs and partly because it is so difficult to prove or disprove. Who knows what runs through a cop’s mind when making split-second decisions to stop and/or detain someone? What role... Read More