adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

News

Order of Canada appointees far less diverse than the population, analysis shows

Published

2 years ago

 on

The 2022 list of appointees to the Order of Canada is far less diverse than the Canadian population and even less diverse than it was in 2021, a new analysis shows.

The Governor General made 184 appointments to the order in 2022. It’s considered one of the country’s highest civilian honours, one which recognizes “people who make extraordinary contributions to the nation,” according to Rideau Hall. Over 7,600 Canadians have joined the order’s ranks since its creation in 1967.

But analysis by retired public servant Andrew Griffith, who served as Canada’s director general of citizenship and multiculturalism, found that last year’s appointees were not representative of the Canadian population.

Women make up about 51 per cent of the population, according to 2021 census data. Griffith’s analysis reported that just 28.7 per cent of the 2022 Order of Canada appointees were women.

And while the 2021 census reported that about 26 per cent of people in Canada come from a racialized group, just 7.4 per cent of 2022 Order of Canada appointees could say the same, according to Griffith’s report.

Griffith’s analysis of the 2021 appointees found that 40.7 per cent were women and 12.6 per cent were “visible minorities.”

Griffith, who has done the analysis every year for a decade, said representation of people of colour in the order has improved broadly over time — but the same can’t be said for women.

“If I look at visible minorities, it’s slow progress, but overall it has increased over the last 10 years,” he told CBC News.

“Women are the ones that seem to vary the most, depending on the year … You can’t say that women are really making progress.”

Indigenous people made up 8.5 per cent of appointees in 2022 and accounted for 5 per cent of the Canadian population in the 2021 census.

“They’re the one group — along with white men — who are basically more than represented in relation to the size of their population,” Griffith said.

A bar graph shows the gender and ethnic makeup of Order of Canada appointees.
Order of Canada appointees have become slightly more ethnically diverse over the past decade, but representation of women has been inconsistent, says Andrew Griffith, a retired public servant who researches Order of Canada appointments. (Andrew Griffith/Supplied)

The Governor General makes appointments based on recommendations from the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada. The council advises her based on nomination suggestions from the general public.

Griffith said this process makes it difficult for Rideau Hall to choose a more diverse list of inductees.

“This is a program that depends on nominations from the outside public, and so there’s less control, if any control, over who gets nominated,” he said.

Other award programs may have incentives to highlight and promote young up-and-comers, Griffith added, but the Order of Canada prizes accomplishment over the course of a lifetime — meaning its appointees are often older and less diverse than Canada’s population.

“The Order of Canada, by its very nature, it’s a slower process to effect change,” he said. “In one sense it’s more backward-looking in the sense of, what has this person done in the last 20, 30, 40 years in terms of contributing to Canada?”

In a statement sent to CBC, a spokesperson for Rideau Hall said it’s working to make Order of Canada appointments more diverse.

“Reflecting Canada’s diversity is a priority when appointments are made to the Order of Canada,” the spokesperson said.

“The Order of Canada relies on public nominations which may mirror challenges in representation that exist in Canada. As a result, the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General is working to identify and address barriers to Canadian honours experienced by equity-deserving groups, so that the Order of Canada reflects all of Canadian society.”

Order of Canada must change, professor says

Sarah Kaplan, director of the Institute for Gender and the Economy at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, said that while the Order of Canada appointment process may limit Rideau Hall’s ability to boost representation of women and people of colour in Canada, it could change that process.

“It’s completely unacceptable to not have the full representation of Canada in the people who are appointed to the Order of Canada,” Kaplan said.

“It means that we’re amplifying, through these appointments, the inequalities that already exist in society.”

Kaplan said Rideau Hall should require the advisory council to present a more balanced list of nominations.

“[The Order of Canada] opens doors for a lots of people who receive these awards,” Kaplan said.

“If those recognitions are being predominantly awarded to men, it’s going to just amplify the advantages that men have or that women and people of diverse genders do not have.”

Sarah Kaplan, director of the Insitute for Gender and the Economy at the University of Toronto, said Rideau Hall should consider changing the Order of Canada appointment process. (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto)

Erin Tolley, Canada Research Chair in gender, race, and inclusive politics at Carleton University, agreed that the appointment process should change. She also said Rideau Hall should change how it promotes the honour.

“I think Rideau Hall needs to rethink how it goes about publicizing the Order of Canada, talking to a wider range of Canadians about how one becomes an Order of Canada recipient,” Tolley said.

Tolley said Rideau Hall could change its achievement criteria.

“The Order of Canada is a rather elite definition of service, and I think that understanding of what constitutes excellence or contribution may also contribute to underrepresentation in appointments and nominations,” she said.

“So I think more needs to be done about thinking through what constitutes meritorious service and maybe adopting a broader definition of excellence,”

728x90x4

Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

News

Quick Quotes: What Liberal MPs have to say as the caucus debates Trudeau’s future

Published

5 hours ago

 on

October 23, 2024

By

OTTAWA – Here are some notable quotes from Liberal members of Parliament as they headed into a caucus meeting Wednesday where they are set to debate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership.

Comments made after the caucus meeting:

“The Liberal party is strong and united.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

———

“Justin Trudeau is reflecting and he’s standing strong and we’re standing strong as a Liberal party.”

“We as a party recognize that the real threat here is Pierre Poilievre and that’s what we’re fighting for.”

“Trudeau has made very clear that he feels he’s the right choice but he appreciates all of what is being said because he’s reflecting on what is being done across Canada. I respect his decision, whatever that may be.”

Charles Sousa, MP for Mississauga—Lakeshore

———

“We had some open and frank discussions. People are relentlessly focused on serving Canadians and win the next election. This was really a rallying call to win the next election.”

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, MP for Saint Maurice—Champlain

———

“I don’t know how many people spoke, well over 50 I’m sure. They came at this from all angles and now (we’ve) got to go back and process this.

“We’re on a good path.

“It was very respectful. You know, caucus has always had the ability to get into some tough conversations. We did it again today and it went extremely well. Where we land? Who knows? You know we have to go and really process this stuff. But one thing that is absolutely, you know, fundamental is that we are united in the fact that we cannot let that creature from the Conservative party run the country. He would ruin things that people greatly value.”

Ken Hardie, MP for Fleetwood—Port Kells

———

Comments from before the caucus meeting:

“There’s a — what would you call it? Some palace drama going on right now. And that takes us away from the number 1 job, which is focusing on Canadians and focusing on the important policies but also on showing the really clear contrast between our government, our party and Pierre Poilievre.”

Randy Boissonnault, Employment Minister, MP for Edmonton Centre

———

“We’re going to go in there and we’re going to have an excellent discussion and we are going to emerge united.”

Treasury Board President and Transport Minister Anita Anand, MP for Oakville

———

“I think caucus is nervous because of the polling that has been constantly going down in favour of Liberals, and there’s a lot of people who do want to run again. I’m not running again, although I already told the prime minister that. But there are people there that want to run again and they’re nervous because of what polls are saying.”

“He has to start listening.”

Ken McDonald, MP for Avalon

———

“We’re going to have a good caucus meeting. MPs should be free to air their perspectives, I’m sure they will, and we’ll come out of it united.”

Peter Fragiskatos, MP for London North Centre

———

“I have to read the room. There’s all sorts of wheels within wheels turning right now. I’m just going to go in there, I’m going to make my mind a blank and just soak it all in.”

“I’m not going to say anything about (the prime minister) until I have my say in there.”

Ken Hardie, MP for Fleetwood—Port Kells

———

“I wish there was a mechanism for it, yes,” he said, responding to whether he wanted a secret ballot vote in caucus to determine Trudeau’s leadership.

Sean Casey, MP for Charlottetown

———

“The prime minister will always be on my posters and he is welcome in Winnipeg North any time.”

Kevin Lamoureux, MP for Winnipeg North

———

“Absolutely I support the prime minister.”

Yvonne Jones, MP for Labrador

———

“When you look divided, you look weak.”

Judy Sgro, MP for Humber River—Black Creek

———

“I think Pierre Poilievre is absolutely beatable, he’s ripe for the picking with the right vision, the right leadership and the right direction for our party. The Liberal party is an institution in this country. It’s bigger than one person, one leader, and it’s incumbent on us as elected officials to make sure we put the best foot forward.”

Wayne Long, MP for Saint John—Rothesay

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.



Source link

Continue Reading

News

With Liberal election win, First Nations in N.B. look forward to improved relations

Published

6 hours ago

 on

October 23, 2024

By

FREDERICTON – Chief Allan Polchies says he is excited about New Brunswick’s new Liberal provincial government.

Polchies, of St. Mary’s First Nation, says he looks forward to meaningful dialogue with premier-designate Susan Holt after years of tense relations with the outgoing Progressive Conservatives under Blaine Higgs.

He is one of six Wolastoqey Nation chiefs who have filed a land claim for a significant part of the province, arguing treaty rights have not been respected by corporations and governments, both of which have exploited the land for hundreds of years.

The December 2021 court challenge has been a sore point between Indigenous Peoples and the Higgs’s government.

Eight Mi’kmaw communities are also asserting Aboriginal title to land in the province, and they say they hope to work with Holt and her team on “advancing issues that are important to our communities.”

Holt’s campaign didn’t give details on the Liberal government’s position on the Indigenous claims, but she has said she wants to rebuild trust between the province and First Nations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

News

Abdelrazik tells of despair when Ottawa denied him passport to return home from Sudan

Published

6 hours ago

 on

October 23, 2024

By

OTTAWA – Abousfian Abdelrazik told a court today about the roller-coaster of emotions he experienced during the tense days of early 2009 when he awaited the green light to return to Canada from Sudan.

The Sudanese-born Abdelrazik settled in Montreal as a refugee and became a Canadian citizen in 1995.

During a 2003 visit to his native country to see his ailing mother, he was arrested, imprisoned and questioned about suspected terrorist connections.

Abdelrazik says he was tortured during two periods of detention by the Sudanese intelligence agency.

He is suing the federal government, claiming officials arranged for his arbitrary imprisonment, encouraged his detention by Sudanese authorities and actively obstructed his repatriation to Canada for several years.

In March 2009, he made arrangements to fly home to Canada and asked Ottawa to issue him an emergency passport, but his hopes were dashed — at least temporarily — when the request was turned down.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending