A federal program launched to increase hiring of black employees has failed to deliver, according to a Treasury Board report. Blacklock's Reporter says The Centre on Diversity and Inclusion, established in response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, has made little progress in four years, despite employee efforts.“Under pressure to produce outcomes with insufficient time and resources, the Centre on Diversity and Inclusion has experienced challenges in meeting its immediate outcomes despite employees’ efforts and commitment,” said a Treasury Board report.The report cites insufficient time and resources, a lack of consensus on innovation, and failure to increase career opportunities for equity-seeking groups. Data shows most federal employees are white women, and the Centre has relied on existing programs instead of innovating and challenging systemic barriers.The program's shortcomings are a missed opportunity, auditors say. The Canadian Human Rights Commission, which apologized for mistreating its own black employees, was censured by the Treasury Board for discriminatory treatment. Nine black employees documented cases of discrimination, tokenization, and denied promotions.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 2020 Throne Speech promised an action plan to hire more black employees, but the Centre's implementation has been ineffective.
