Toronto, ON – The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) is calling on the Government of Alberta to withdraw proposed measures in Bill 33, an omnibus bill, that among other things would amend the Alberta Human Rights Act to remove diversity, equity and inclusion considerations from government and public-sector employer hiring decisions.
“Alberta should be building public-sector workplaces that are both rigorous and inclusive. Inclusive hiring practices strengthen workplaces, support a stable workforce and help ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to contribute to a strong economy,” said Howard Sapers, Executive Director of the CCLA. “Rolling back measures designed to address historical and systemic discrimination is an attack on human rights.”
The Alberta Human Rights Act exists to protect people from discrimination. The CCLA is deeply concerned that provisions in Bill 33 would turn this protective legislation into a tool restricting employers from identifying and addressing systemic barriers to equitable employment. The Supreme Court of Canada has consistently recognized that targeted equity measures can advance substantive equality and help address entrenched disadvantage.
“Merit and equality are not competing values. People continue to face barriers to entering, remaining in and advancing in their chosen fields because of Indigenous status, race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender modality, socioeconomic circumstances and other forms of systemic exclusion,” said Harini Sivalingam, Director of Equality at the CCLA. “Equity measures exist so that merit can be assessed fairly. Removing them does not make hiring more merit-based. It makes the barriers harder to see and fix.”
The CCLA urges the Government of Alberta to immediately withdraw the proposed amendments to the Alberta Human Rights Act and consult the Alberta Human Rights Commission, equity-seeking communities, employers, unions and other public sector employers before advancing changes with significant human rights implications.
