Chapter 1: Diversity and Inclusion in the Security and Intelligence Community — Diversity and employment equity
National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Annual Report 2019

Diversity and employment equity

20. According to the TBS Joint Union/Management Task Force, diversity is the array of identities, abilities and backgrounds of individuals who make up a workforce. ^{Footnote 17} The principle of employment equity, in turn, ensures that individuals identified within the four employment equity groups (women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities) are given fair and equal access to employment opportunities. ^{Footnote 18} This section provides an overview of employment equity requirements and the current state of diversity in the security and intelligence community. It presents the main legislative and policy direction for all departments in the federal public service, as well as their planning and monitoring requirements. It also describes the current representation of designated groups in each organization under review and challenges related to the accuracy of those figures.

Legislative, policy and accountability framework

21. The legislative framework for diversity and inclusion in the security and intelligence community comprises several acts and regulations. ^{Footnote 19} For the purposes of this review, the most important is the Employment Equity Act. ^{Footnote 20} This Act designates four employment equity groups: women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities. ^{Footnote 21} It requires employers to identify and eliminate barriers to employment for these groups, institute positive policies and practices, and make reasonable accommodations to achieve a degree of representation in each occupational category and group. ^{Footnote 22} Beyond legislation, a number of government-wide policies and documents may also contribute to the achievement and maintenance of diversity and inclusion. Three are of particular importance: ministerial mandate letters, priorities and initiatives of the Clerk of the Privy Council, and "gender-based analysis plus" (GBA+).

Ministerial mandate letters

22. Mandate letters are one of the main mechanisms for the Prime Minister to establish key expectations and priorities. For the period under review, the Prime Minister directed all ministers responsible for organizations in the security and intelligence community to "help ensure gender parity and that Indigenous Canadians and minority groups are better reflected in positions of leadership." ^{Footnote 23} Of particular importance to the security and intelligence community, the Prime Minister directed the Minister for Women and Gender Equality to "work with the President of the Treasury Board and the Clerk of the Privy Council to increase the number of women in senior decision-making positions across government, particularly in central agencies and in our security services." ^{Footnote 24} [Emphasis added.]

Priorities and initiatives of the Clerk of the Privy Council

23. As the head of the public service, the Clerk of the Privy Council identified diversity and inclusion as a priority. In 2018, the Clerk established the Clerk's Table on Diversity and Inclusion to serve as a forum for advice on improving diversity and inclusion across the public service. ^{Footnote 25} The Clerk also convenes the Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion and the Deputy Minister Task Team on Harassment. ^{Footnote 26}

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+)

24. In 1995, the government committed to using an analytical process called gender-based analysis (GBA) to advance gender equality in Canada. In 2014-2015, the government expanded this analytical process beyond gender considerations to incorporate intersecting identity factors. ^{Footnote 27} This new process is called GBA+. According to Women and Gender Equality Canada, GBA+ "is an analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and non-binary people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The 'plus' in GBA+ acknowledges that GBA goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences. We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are; GBA+ also considers many other identity factors, like race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability." ^{Footnote 28} GBA+ is used to evaluate specific plans and initiatives and, increasingly, internal organizational practices.

Planning, monitoring and reviewing

25. Under the various legislative, regulatory and policy frameworks, departments and agencies are required to plan, monitor and review their progress on employment equity.

Planning

26. According to the Employment Equity Act, departments and agencies within Canada's federal public service must prepare employment equity plans. ^{Footnote 29} An employment equity plan is a strategic document where departments and agencies identify trends in the representation of designated groups and outline their approach to achieving specific employment equity goals. The plans are to include policies to correct underrepresentation, measures being taken to remove barriers to employment and short-term (one to three years) and long-term (more than three years) numerical goals for the hiring and promotion of designated group members. ^{Footnote 30} All of the organizations under review provided their most recent employment equity plans, which highlighted the importance of a representative workforce and their commitment to fostering an inclusive work environment. ^{Footnote 31}

27. These plans differ in timing and approach. A majority of organizations under review-namely CBSA, CSIS, CSE, GAC and Public Safety Canada -produce employment equity plans every three-years. DND and the RCMP’s last employment equity plans expired in 2017. The CAF's most recent employment equity plan covers a period of five years, from 2015 to 2020. In their approach to numerical goal setting, the CAF and the RCMP established ambitious long-term objectives to increase the overall representation of designated groups. CSIS and GAC, in turn, set short-term targets for representation in specific occupational groups, while others - including CBSA , DND and Public Safety Canada - set the more conservative target of closing representation gaps.

Monitoring

28. Departments and agencies are required to monitor the implementation of their plan and periodically review their progress. According to the Employment Equity Act, organizations must provide information on the representation of designated group members overall and within occupational groups, their salary ranges, and information regarding the hiring, promotion and terminations of designated group members to the President of the Treasury Board each fiscal year. ^{Footnote 32} TBS compiles this information and tables an annual report on the status of employment equity in the public service in Parliament. ^{Footnote 33} Organizations have different reporting requirements and have adopted different approaches to monitoring, which complicates efforts to assess and compare progress between employment equity plans.

29. As separate agencies, the CAF, CSIS, CSE and the RCMP are required to submit annual employment equity reports to TBS. ^{Footnote 34} The reports were inconsistent in terms of the type of information included and the degree of analysis conducted. For example, employment equity reports provided by CSE included detailed information and analysis of salary ranges for each designated group, while the employment equity report from CSIS included only the general distribution of designated groups across levels in the organization. ^{Footnote 35} Similarly, a majority of reports focused their workforce analysis on general trends in representation of equity groups with little contextual analysis. ^{Footnote 36} In contrast, the RCMP’s 2017-2018 Employment Equity Report included a comprehensive analysis of the representation of designated groups and highlighted concentrations of designated group members in specific occupational categories. ^{Footnote 37}

30. TBS no longer requires organizations in the core public service, including CBSA, DND, GAC, PCO and Public Safety Canada, to produce annual reports. ^{Footnote 38} These organizations have adopted different approaches to monitoring progress in achieving their employment equity goals. GAC, for example, substituted these reports with detailed monitoring documents tracking the implementation of its employment equity plan. ^{Footnote 39} Public Safety Canada produced regular updates on the status of the implementation of its plan. ^{Footnote 40} CBSA , DND and PCO did not provide the Committee with additional monitoring reports for their employment equity plans.

Review

31. Under Canada's Employment Equity Regulations, when an employer identifies underrepresentation of a designated group, it is required to conduct a review of its employment systems, policies and practices to identify possible employment barriers. ^{Footnote 41} While the regulations do not specify a period during which organizations should conduct this review, the absence of regular reviews means organizations may not have sufficient data to identify problems or identify responsive measures. While all of the organizations under review have identified consistent gaps in representation of one or many designated groups, the frequency of their employment systems reviews differed. CSE, GAC, PCO and Public Safety Canada conducted an employment systems review within the last three years. It has been more than five years since the following organizations conducted their most recent employment systems reviews: CAF (2013), CBSA (2010), CSIS (2011) and DND (2010). ^{Footnote 42}

Representation of designated groups in the security and intelligence community, 2017-2018

32. Most organizations in the security and intelligence community identify representation gaps in their own workforce according to workforce availability (WFA) estimates. The most recent WFA estimates are calculated using data from the 2011 Canadian Household Survey and the 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability related specifically to Canadian citizens' fields of study and previous work experience. This data is used to estimate the availability of designated groups for each occupational category across the Canadian workforce. The RCMP uses labour market availability (LMA) estimates to determine representation gaps by looking at a segment of the workforce, including individuals who are not Canadian citizens, defined by geography, level of education and qualifications. ^{Footnote 44} The CAF also uses LMA estimates, but does not account for geography and includes only Canadian citizens aged 18 to 49 with at least a grade 10 education. ^{Footnote 45} Statistics for LMA are calculated using data from the 2011 Canadian Household Survey and the 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability. WFA and LMA estimates are different for each organization under review, because the skills and experience required for each occupational category and group differ across organizations. Nonetheless, broad comparisons are possible.

33. Table 1 presents the average representation of designated groups across the public service, and shows, in each of the organizations under review, the representation of these groups overall and at the executive level as of 2017-2018. It is important to note that the numbers represent the designated groups for all staff in the organizations under review. The figures therefore also include individuals who do not work in the field of national security and intelligence. The information in Table 1 is analyzed by organization on the subsequent pages.

Gaps in representation per department or agency

34. As Table 1 demonstrates, representation rates for employment equity groups vary among departments and agencies within the security and intelligence community. This is also true for representation in more specific occupational groups, with different departments and agencies showing different strengths and weaknesses in representation for designated groups.

35. This section provides an overview of gaps in representation of designated groups identified by each department or agency and, where relevant, any concentration of designated group members in particular occupational groups or ranks as of 2017-2018. ^{Footnote 49} The gaps in representation for each department and designated group, highlighted in red in organization-specific tables, range from large to relatively small. Gaps in this section are highlighted regardless of their size because of issues related to the accuracy of workforce availability estimates, which is discussed later in this section. The section also presents each department or agency's employment equity plan objectives and numerical goals.

Canadian Armed Forces

Source: Data retrieved from CAF, Employment Equity Report 2017-2018, undated.

Notes:

• Includes regular force members only
• The CAF is not required to set employment equity goals for persons with disabilities due to operational requirements and the principle of the Universality of Service, which requires that CAF members be "physically fit, employable and deployable for general operational duties." ^{Footnote 50}

• Aboriginal peoples are underrepresented in the CAF in almost all military occupational groups, with the highest representation in officer cadet positions (5.9%).
• The overall representation of women is above LMA among officers in the regular force. Women are represented above LMA in medical and dental (47.5%), and support positions (35.8%). Women are underrepresented in combat arms (4.9%) and air operations pilot (5.1%) positions.
• Representation of designated groups is highest at lower ranks among officers in the regular force, with the highest representation of members of visible minorities at the Second Lieutenant rank (19.1%), and the highest representation of women (24.2%) and Aboriginal peoples (2.7%) at the Lieutenant rank.
• Among the military personnel of the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM), representation of women is 14.4%, of Aboriginal peoples is 3.2% and of members of visible minorities is 7%.
• The representation of women at CFINTCOM is lower than their overall representation in the CAF and has decreased from 17.1% in 2015. ^{Footnote 51}

36. The CAF's Employment Equity Plan 2015-2020 has a timeline of five years and the overarching goal of "achieving a representative military force that Canadians rightly expect from their military leadership." ^{Footnote 52} The plan sets long-term numerical goals to increase the overall representation of each designated group over 10 years, specifically: 25.1% representation of women, 3.5% representation of Aboriginal peoples and 11.8% representation for members of visible minorities by 2026. ^{Footnote 53} To meet this goal, the plan lists several initiatives, including to recruit diverse applicants in the CAF; foster an inclusive and equitable workplace; support career progression for designated group members; provide employment equity and diversity training; and ensure accountability for the implementation of employment equity initiatives. ^{Footnote 54}

Canada Border Services Agency

Source: Data retrieved from CBSA, "Employment Equity Data (April 2015-October 2018)," October 2018.

• Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities are underrepresented at CBSA. Both groups are underrepresented in operational occupations, specifically in border services officer positions.
• Women and Aboriginal peoples are underrepresented in executive positions.

37. CBSA's Employment Equity Action Plan 2016-2019 has a timeline of three years and outlines four broad objectives: to renew the workforce by addressing gaps in representation and skills shortages; to increase awareness and understanding of diversity and inclusion; to create an inclusive culture; and to ensure leaders are accountable for fostering a healthy and inclusive environment. ^{Footnote 55} CBSA's goal is to narrow the representation gaps for designated groups across the organization and within all occupational groups.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Source: Data retrieved from CSIS, "Designated Groups as of 2018-03-31," January 2019.

• Aboriginal peoples, members of visible minorities and persons with disabilities are underrepresented at CSIS.
• Women remain underrepresented in executive positions.
• Representation of members of visible minorities is below their estimated WFA in executive, middle manager and professional positions. Representation of Aboriginal peoples is below their estimated WFA in executive and administrative positions.
• Representation of persons with disabilities is below their estimated WFA in executive and professional positions.

38. CSIS's Triennial Employment Equity Plan 2017-2020 has a timeline of three years and outlines several initiatives to reduce employment barriers for members of designated groups. The initiatives include: identifying any systemic barriers in the agency's policies and practices; increasing representation of designated group members in senior and middle management; facilitating the hiring, promotion and retention of designated group members; increasing the representation of persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples; raising awareness of the agency's duty to accommodate; and implementing anti-harassment training. ^{Footnote 56}

39. CSIS's short-term objectives are the full representation of women and persons with disabilities in senior manager positions and the full representation of Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities in middle and other management positions by 2020. In the same period, CSIS plans to reduce the gap by 50% for members of visible minorities in middle and other manager positions; reduce the gap by 50% for persons with disabilities in professional positions; and reduce the gap by 30% for members of visible minorities in professional positions. ^{Footnote 57}

Communications Security Establishment

Source: Data retrieved from CSE, "Representation, Availability and Gaps of Designated Groups by Occupational Groups," 2018.

• Members of visible minorities and persons with disabilities are underrepresented at CSE.
• Representation of members of visible minorities is below their estimated WFA in senior and middle management positions, and in professional positions.
• Representation of persons with disabilities is below their estimated WFA in management, professional and supervisor positions.
• Of the 37.3% of women at CSE, approximately half work in a corporate function. ^{Footnote 58}
• It is also noteworthy that the representation of women is below WFA estimates in middle manager and supervisor positions.

40. CSE's Employment Equity Action Plan 2017-2020 has a timeline of three years and outlines a number of initiatives based on recommendations from an employment systems review conducted in 2016. ^{Footnote 59} One of the initiatives listed is to "develop an employment equity plan in compliance with the Employment Equity Act requirements." ^{Footnote 60} In its 2017-2020 plan, CSE does not establish short-term or long-term numerical goals for representation of designated groups overall or within each occupational category and group.

Department of National Defence

Source: Data retrieved from DND, "Employment Equity Workforce Analysis / Analyse de l'effectif liée à l'équité en matière," March 2018.

• Visible minorities are underrepresented at DND. Per occupational group, members of visible minorities are underrepresented in management, professional and scientific, technical, and operational positions.
• For the civilian intelligence personnel of CFINTCOM, the representation of women is 37.1%, of Aboriginal peoples is 2.4%, of members of visible minorities is 9% and of persons with disabilities is 6.9%.
• Within CFINTCOM, women are represented below their WFA of 44.9%. Women are underrepresented in management, scientific and professional, administrative and foreign service, technical, and administrative support positions.

41. DND's Civilian Employment Equity Plan 2014-2017 has a time line of three years and lays out the four main pillars of its employment equity goals and initiatives: a representative workforce; an inclusive workplace; leadership and accountability; and meaningful communication and consultation. ^{Footnote 61} The objectives associated with each pillar include: increasing representation of designated groups through recruitment; eliminating barriers within staffing processes; supporting the career advancement of designated group members; sensitizing managers, supervisors and employees to the importance of a diverse and inclusive workplace; and helping senior management foster a respectful and inclusive workplace culture.

42. DND's goal is to close the representation gap for designated groups across the organization and within the operational categories. ^{Footnote 62} DND's Civilian Employment Equity Plan 2014-2017 expired in 2017 and the department has not finalized its updated plan.

Global Affairs Canada

Source: Data retrieved from GAC, "Employment Equity Workforce Analysis by occupational category, group and level as of September 30, 2017," 2018.

• Women and persons with disabilities are underrepresented at GAC.
• Women are underrepresented in executive, administrative and especially foreign service positions, as well as in technical, operational and administrative support positions.
• Persons with disabilities are underrepresented in administrative and foreign service and in scientific and professional positions.

43. GAC's Employment Equity Action Plan 2018-2021 has a time line of three years and establishes two primary objectives: to develop a corporate culture that promotes inclusion and addresses systemic or attitudinal barriers to employment for designated group members; and to eliminate gaps in representation for designated group members overall and within occupational categories and groups. ^{Footnote 63}

44. The department's long-term goal is to achieve full representation and equitable distribution of designated group members across the organization. Its short-term numerical goals are to close representation gaps for designated group members by occupational category. Specific recruitment goals are set at 65% for women in foreign service positions and 40% for women in computer science positions by 2021.

Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre

Source: Data retrieved from ITAC, "ITAC - Designated Groups as of 2018-03-31 (Excl. Students)," April 8, 2019.

• Aboriginal peoples, members of visible minorities and persons with disabilities are underrepresented in ITAC's permanent complement, particularly at executive levels.

45. It is important to note that 40% of ITAC employees are secondments from other organizations in the security and intelligence community. The percentages listed in the above chart include permanent ITAC and seconded CSIS employees only. The inclusion of other seconded employees would show a higher representation of women and visible minorities across the organization and in executive positions. ^{Footnote 64} In addition, ITAC falls under CSIS's human resources management framework. CSIS provides ITAC with corporate support and ITAC employees are hired as CSIS employees. ^{Footnote 65} For the purposes of this review, all CSIS policies and initiatives on diversity and inclusion apply to ITAC staff.

Privy Council Office

Source: Data retrieved from PCO, "PCO Stats 1," 2018.

• Persons with disabilities are underrepresented in scientific and professional, technical, and administrative support positions at PCO.
• Members of visible minorities are underrepresented in executive positions, and in certain scientific and professional and certain technical positions at PCO.
• In PCO's National Security and Intelligence Advisor branch, the representation of women is 45.0%, of Aboriginal peoples is 2.7%, of members of visible minorities is 16.2% and of persons with disabilities is 5.4%.

46. PCO's Employment Equity and Diversity Plan 2016-2019 focuses on five guiding principles: improving the representation of designated groups where underrepresentation exists; increasing accountability through leadership; supporting accommodation needs of all employees; sustaining an organizational culture that embraces diversity; and respecting statutory requirements. ^{Footnote 66} In its 2016 - 2019 plan, PCO does not establish short-term or long-term numerical goals for representation of designated groups overall or within each occupational category and group.

Public Safety Canada

Source: Data retrieved from Public Safety Canada, "Workforce Representation and Workforce Availability for Employment Equity Groups by Classification Group, Public Safety Canada, September 30, 2017," 2018.

• Over the past five years, Public Safety Canada has closed representation gaps for women, Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities in almost all occupational groups. ^{Footnote 67}
• Members of visible minorities are underrepresented in executive, scientific and professional, and administrative and foreign service positions at Public Safety Canada.

47. Public Safety Canada's 2016-2019 Diversity and Employment Equity Action Plan has a timeline of three years and lists three overarching objectives: to ensure management promotes an organizational culture that values diversity and inclusion; to increase recruitment of members of designated groups, specifically members of visible minorities; and to establish and maintain a respectful and inclusive workplace. ^{Footnote 68} The department's goal is to close the representation gap for members of visible minorities across the organization and within occupational groups. Public Safety Canada is currently finalizing its employment equity plan for 2019-2022.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Source: Data retrieved from RCMP, RCMP Employment Equity Annual Report 2017-2018, undated.

Note: Due to operational requirements, the RCMP is not required to set employment equity goals for persons with disabilities for the RM category. ^{Footnote 70}

• Regular Members (RM) represent 62% of the RCMP's total workforce and constitute the organization's sworn police officer cadre. ^{Footnote 71}
  • Women and members of visible minorities are underrepresented among Regular Members, particularly in senior leadership positions.
• Civilian members (CM) of the RCMP are recognized under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act and represent 12% of the total workforce. ^{Footnote 72} In May 2020, civilian members not appointed to a rank will be deemed employees under the Public Service Employment Act.
  • Members of visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities are underrepresented among civilian members.
• Public service employees (PSE) at the RCMP are recognized under the Public Service Employment Act and represent 26% of the total workforce. ^{Footnote 63}
  • Members of visible minorities and persons with disabilities are underrepresented among public service employees. Representation of both groups is below their estimated WFA in economics and social sciences positions and financial administration positions.
  • Although the representation of women is above WFA estimates, it is noteworthy that women make up a large proportion of the workforce in administrative (80.6%) and clerical (88.4%) positions.
  • The highest representation of Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities are also in administrative and clerical positions.

48. The RCMP's 2013 Gender and Respect: The RCMP Action Plan had a timeline of three years and focused key actions and targets on the organization's Regular Members (police officers). For Regular Members, the RCMP set long-term numerical goals to increase the overall representation of women to 30%, of Aboriginal peoples to 10% and of members of visible minorities to 20% by 2025. ^{Footnote 74} The action plan did not set representation targets for the organization's civilian or public service employee workforce.

49. The plan outlined several objectives related to improving workplace culture and representation. The objectives include addressing harassment; ensuring transparency and objectivity in promotions; increasing recruitment of women and members of other designated groups; improving the application process; ensuring a representative officer cadre; and retaining Regular Members. ^{Footnote 75}

50. The RCMP's Gender and Respect Action Plan concluded in 2016-2017 and the agency is currently preparing a new version of its employment equity plan. ^{Footnote 76}

Comparisons

51. This section provides a broader context by explaining how representation of designated groups in the security and intelligence community compares with the public service average, and highlighting the strengths and weaknesses in representation across the organizations under review.

Comparison with the public service average

52. The representation of members of designated groups is lower than the federal public service average in a majority of the organizations in the security and intelligence community. ^{Footnote 77}

Comparison of underrepresented groups within the security and intelligence community

53. In general, organizations across the security and intelligence community show steady or slightly increasing representation of members of designated groups over the past three years. ^{Footnote 78} Current figures show that:

• the representation of women and Aboriginal peoples is higher than their estimated availability in a majority of the organizations under review; and
• the representation of members of visible minorities and persons with disabilities is lower than their estimated availability in a majority of the organizations under review.

Comparison of designated groups at executive levels

54. A useful point of comparison for representation of designated groups is at the executive level, as the skills and experience required are transferable. Current figures show that:

• the representation of women and members of visible minorities is lower than their estimated availability at executive levels in a majority of the organizations under review; ^{Footnote 79}
• the representation of persons with disabilities is higher than their estimated availability at executive levels in a majority of the organizations under review; and
• there is currently not enough information on the representation of Aboriginal peoples at executive levels within the security and intelligence community to assess their representation.

Challenges

55. The data behind the representation gaps presented in the preceding charts has limitations that potentially affect its reliability. This section describes two challenges, voluntary self-identification, and the accuracy of WFA and LMA estimates, as well as a possible limitation in data collection.

Self-identification

56. Self-identification is a necessary and important step in creating an inclusive workforce. Under the Employment Equity Act, persons must self-identify to be counted as part of a designated group. However, identifying as a visible minority, an Aboriginal person or a person with a disability is voluntary. The Canadian Human Rights Commission auditing criteria requires an 80% rate of return for self identification forms for departments and agencies in the federal public service. ^{Footnote 80} Importantly, the return rate represents the percentage of employees who have returned the form, not necessarily those who have responded to the voluntary portion of the form in which employees self-identify. ^{Footnote 81} Departments use self-identification information primarily to assess the representation of designated groups across the organization. ^{Footnote 82} The information ensures that employers have the necessary data to prepare an employment equity plan or address those barriers faced by people in designated groups. Self-identification information is confidential and does not appear on personnel files. The issue of self-identification may affect any organization in the government. Of the organizations under review, the CAF, CSIS, ITAC, CSE, GAC, PCO and the RCMP have return rates above the 80% requirements. Falling below this threshold are CBSA with 64.9%, DND with 78.1% and Public Safety Canada with 73%. Nonetheless, the data in this report illustrate trends in representation of designated groups across the organizations under review.

57. CBSA, CSE, DND, GAC, PCO and Public Safety Canada have identified individuals' reluctance to self-identify as a member of a designated group as an obstacle to assessing the composition of their workforce and their recruiting pool. For example, GAC found that persons with disabilities often do not self-identify due to the "fear of being labeled as a person with disabilities and not being recognized for actual competencies." ^{Footnote 83} Similarly, DND's 2010 employment systems review found that employees were concerned about "personal repercussions associated with self-identification." ^{Footnote 84} From a recruitment perspective, employment systems reviews for PCO and CSE found that managers did not receive self-identification information for qualified candidates, which hindered their ability to close representation gaps. ^{Footnote 85}

58. Self-identification campaigns and internal communications are ways organizations try to increase awareness on these issues. CBSA, CSIS, CSE and DND conducted campaigns to demystify the self-identification process and encourage employees to self-identify. ^{Footnote 86} In 2016, CSIS began publishing a newsletter entitled "Our Diversity Climate," which aims to communicate to employees the value of diversity. CSE's initiatives include the "Inside Cover" and "Humans of CSE" that seeks to highlight the diversity inside the organization. While departments and agencies have made efforts to encourage employees to self-identify, employees' reluctance to do so may be indicative of larger systemic and attitudinal barriers faced by designated group members in the security and intelligence community. ^{Footnote 87}

Workforce availability and labour market availability

59. WFA and LMA estimates are the benchmarks organizations use to determine whether designated groups are underrepresented in their workforce. TBS, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Statistics Canada determine WFA and LMA estimates for occupational groups in departments across the public service. TBS provides job category definitions to ESDC; this organization uses data from the most recent census and the Canadian Survey on Disability related to individuals' field of study and previous work experience to calculate the estimated availability of designated groups for each occupational group in the Canadian workforce. ^{Footnote 88}

60. The 2017 report of the Joint Union/Management Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion identified several issues with WFA estimates that also apply to LMA estimates. Two are of particular importance. The first issue is that current representation rates are calculated using data from the 2011 census. Organizations use those calculations to determine their employment equity objectives, recruitment strategies and hiring decisions. However, that data always reflects a point in time: it does not account for the historically consistent rates of growth among some designated groups as a share of Canada's population, notably members of visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples. ^{Footnote 89} In short, calculations of availability and goals for hiring quickly become outdated. This problem is compounded by the second issue, which is that most government organizations use availability estimates as a 'ceiling' and not as a 'floor' (i.e., as a goal to achieve rather than to surpass). ^{Footnote 90} This is true of the majority of the security and intelligence organizations under review, which have set as their employment equity goals the closing of gaps in representation of various designated groups. Together, these two issues result in a public service, and a security and intelligence community, where the representation of designated groups continually lags behind actual population demographics.

61. The Committee's review of WFA and LMA estimates across the organizations under review also raised questions about the methodology for determining availability. Specifically, CBSA and DND have WFA estimates of 0% for several designated groups in certain occupational categories. With a WFA estimate of 0%, the department or agency may not consider the absence of representation as a gap they need to address. In the case of DND, for example, at least 20 out of 50 different positions in the operational occupational category have a WFA of 0% for women, members of visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples.

Data collection

62. The Employment Equity Act does not require organizations to collect data disaggregated by sex for each designated group. That said, the information provided by the CAF disaggregated its employment equity data by sex, which revealed low representation of visible minority and Aboriginal women compared with men in those designated groups in almost all occupational categories. ^{Footnote 91} The CAF's more granular breakdown provided a clearer picture of the representation of women across the organization and informed the organization's employment equity planning. ^{Footnote 92}

63. This limitation will soon be addressed for all government organizations. In May 2019, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development announced the launch of Statistics Canada's Centre for Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics. The government: