Clerk Report to PM: Less Emphasis of Employment Equity

Quite a shift from the previous Clerk and government. The annex A extensive data on public service representation and diversity have been replaced by Public Service Employee Survey Responses centred around the Clerk’s priorities of focus, simplify, accountability and Inclusion and values-based culture.

Given a shrinking public service and concerns among advocates that this may affect representation (no sign of it yet), an odd decision rather than just adding an annex.

While the report makes the standard references to inclusion, the “How we work” Annex B limits inclusion to regional aspects: “A values-based, inclusive public service where all public servants from all regions feel valued, supported and empowered to contribute.”

Was it a conscious decision not to include “all backgrounds” or an oversight? Hard to know but it does suggest an overall decreased interest in employment equity at a time when the public service is shrinking. We will see if TBS continues its detailed annual reporting or simplifies.

32nd Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada

33rd Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada