Employment Equity Act Review

A Report to the Standing Committee on
Human Resources Development and the
Status of Persons with Disabilities

December 2001

Table of Contents

1.  Executive Summary
1.1  Context
1.2  Layout of this Report

2.  Historical & Contemporary Context

3.  Other Jurisdictions
3.1  International
3.2  Provincial and Territorial

4.  Key Roles and Responsibilities Under the Act
4.1  Types of Employers Covered by the Act
4.1.1  Federally Regulated Employers
4.1.2  Public Sector
4.1.3  Separate Employers
4.1.4  Federal Contractors
4.2  Responsibilities of Employers Covered by the Act
4.3  Minister of Labour
4.4  President of Treasury Board
4.5  Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC)

5.  Social and Economic Impact of Employment Equity
5.1  Equity and Inclusion
5.2  Globalisation and the Workplace
5.3  The Knowledge Based Economy
5.4  The Shortage of Skills
5.5  The Cost of Under-Employment
5.6  The Business Case
5.7  Linkage to Poverty and Homelessness

6.  Designated Groups
6.1  The Federally Regulated Private Sector and the Public Service
6.2  An Overview
6.2.1  Women:
6.2.2  Aboriginal Peoples:
6.2.3  Persons with Disabilities:
6.2.4  Visible Minorities:
6.3  Women
6.3.1  Federally Regulated Private Sector
6.3.2  Public Sector
6.3.3  Main Barriers
6.4  Aboriginal Peoples
6.4.1  Federally Regulated Private Sector
6.4.2  Public Sector
6.4.3  Main Barriers
6.5  Persons with Disabilities
6.5.1  Federally Regulated Private Sector
6.5.2  Public Sector
6.5.3  Main Barriers
6.6  Visible Minorities
6.6.1  Federally Regulated Private Sector
6.6.2  Public Sector
6.6.3  Main Barriers
6.7  Data-related Issues:
6.7.1  Aboriginal Peoples Self-identification
6.7.2  Visible Minorities Self-identification
6.7.3  Persons with Disabilities Definition
6.7.4  Visible Minorities Definition

7.  Consultations
7.1  Continued Need for the Act
7.2  The Business Case
7.3  Education and Training
7.4  Employer Obligations
7.4.1  Employer’s Obligations: The Reporting Obligation
7.5  Unions and Employee Involvement
7.6  Women
7.7  Aboriginal Peoples
7.8  Persons with Disabilities
7.9  Visible Minorities
7.10  Possible New Designated Groups
7.11  The Federal Public Service
7.12  Separate Employers
7.13  Self Identification
7.14  Enforcement
7.15  Data Issues
7.16  Provincial Jurisdiction
7.17  Federal Contractors Program

8.  Postscript

9.  Appendices

A.  Discussion paper
B.  List of participating stakeholders
C.  Fact sheet on members of designated groups
D.  Views of some witnesses
E.  Annotated act
F.  Data highlights
G.  Employment equity in Canada: Women and minority groups in the Canadian labour market
H.  The workplace of the future
I.a)  List of separate employers
I.b)  Legislated Employment Equity Program Employers
I.c)  Public Service Staff Relations Act – Schedule 1

10.  Endnotes