Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
PROMPT Policy Roundtable Mobilizing
Professions and Trades
‘Recasting Equity’Presented by Nikhat Rasheed
National Metropolis ConferenceVancouver, March 23 - 26 2006
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
PROMPT
PROMPT is the collective voice of Internationally Educated Persons (IEPs) represented by associations of immigrant professionals and community organizations.
Funded by Canadian Heritage, Multiculturalism Program, Voluntary Sector Initiative
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Key Objectives To develop policy alternatives and
recommendations to increase access to professions and trades for IEPs such that they can maximize their contributions to Canada
To develop the concept of equity and eliminate systemic inequities and the assumed deficiency of IEPs
To promote the role of immigrants in creating innovation
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Traditional Framework of Equity in Canada
Background to equity legislation Focus on Equal opportunity/ Access for
employment opportunities Employment equity 1984: “a strategy to
obliterate the present and residual effects of discrimination…. Open equitably the competition for employment opportunities to those arbitrarily excluded.”
Legislation to increased access for women, visible minorities, the disabled and aboriginals
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Legislation affecting IEPs Constitution of Canada – BNA ‘immigration:
provincial’; provinces gave responsibility to FG
Charter of rights did not include discrimination against “place of education or training” as included in UN Charters – thus did not protect skilled immigrants (1982)
Federal government instituted employment equity (1984-86)
Province of Ontario (receiving most immigrants) repealed employment equity after just two years (1993-1995) retaining only pay equity for women
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Immigration & Globalization 1986 points system ensured skilled immigrants
were highly qualified for transition into the “knowledge economy”
Skilled immigrants from non-traditional source countries, in particular racialized communities
Employment equity legislation had paradoxical effect of removing skilled immigrants out of the mainstream by terming them “visible minority”
Legislation to protect access might have contributed to reducing it “an applicant is an applicant”
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Problems faced by IEPs De-legitimization of experience, skills and
education Denial or delays of licensure to practice Under-selling qualifications recommended Issue of Canadian experience vs. Relevant
experience vs. International experience
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Why are these problems occurring? Current system: poor flow of principle of
equality from federal to provincial to local Assumption of deficiency: Lack of
knowledge, historical inequities result in constructing difference as negative
Equivalency vs. Complementarity This lens informs our policy and
programming e.g. bridge training
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Governance Governance is capital focused not
human focused Institutional rigidity – lack of
capacity of institutions to recognize and acknowledge social, intellectual and experiential knowledge different from theirs
Need to “think outside the box” and focus on “innovation”
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Canada today Canada, through its experiment in diversity
through immigration, has arrived at a new plateau of development.
To takes its place of pride on the global stage, it needs to take into account new international realities
Realities that have arrived through immigrants, seeking their place of equality within a human-centred governance for the globalized world.
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Recasting equity Our definition of equity is a vigilant, on-
going, dynamic process that recognizes: Diversity of peoples, their common
humanity, intrinsic worth and dignity, and; Differential relations of power and material
circumstances between groups in society whether through historical, present or evolving circumstances that require interventions to rebalance.
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Recasting equity – practically?
IEPs are Canadians; we must restore equality for all through continuing mainstreaming IEPs in all processes
We must focus on institutional change and move towards human-centred governance; the protection of the human being must reign supreme
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
If anyone in the world can achieve this new vision…
………Canada can!
Recasting Equity Presentation for National Metropolis 2006
Contact
Nikhat RasheedPROMPT Coordinator820 – 2 Carlton StreetToronto, ON M5B [email protected] (416) 979-8611 ext. 4310
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