IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2021: Towards an Inclusive Canada

What does it mean for us?

• IRCC recognizes the importance of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. Tragedies, locally and globally, have highlighted inequities and the need for systemic change.
• Historically speaking, nation building has often come at a high cost to many Indigenous, Black, racialized peoples, newcomers, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2, and religious minorities.
• The importance of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility in Canada’s institutions, organizational culture and the leadership of the public service, has been flagged by the Clerk of the Privy Council as a priority.
• IRCC has dedicated time and space to listening to and amplifying the voices of Black people, Indigenous Peoples and other people of colour as a preliminary step in understanding their lived experiences and the means by which they have been excluded. This work has built upon earlier efforts to address systemic discrimination and barriers faced by LGBTQ2 and persons with disabilities.
• IRCC is also committed to ensuring linguistic duality across Canada. It is part of our core values, enriches our culture and workplaces in immeasurable ways, and is symbolic of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• IRCC is working to ensure the Department is more inclusive for everyone, and to foster a workplace culture that values diversity and creates an environment that is welcoming and rewarding for all.
• The Department is equally committed to administering public-facing policies, programs and services that achieve these goals.

IRCC employees are driving change

Department employees are working to reduce inequality and eliminate the barriers faced by vulnerable Canadians, newcomers and Indigenous Peoples. They bring lived experience to the work and help address barriers in IRCC programs, policies and services.

• Not all Disabilities are visible
• Persons with Disabilities Employee Network and Committee
• Indigenous People’s Circle
• Women’s Network
• Pride@IRCC
• Black Employee Network
• Racialized Employee Network

Areas of Focus

• Beyond the work being driven by IRCC employee networks and Departmental Champions dedicated to advancing inclusion, diversity and accessibility efforts, the Department is focused on four key areas.
  • The Anti-Racism Taskforce (ARTF) leads Department-wide efforts to address systemic racism in people management and IRCC policy and programs and service delivery.
  • Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) informs the design and implementation of policies, programs and other initiatives so that they are inclusive and accessible by considering the impact of different identities, backgrounds and experiences of individuals who interact with IRCC.
  • Reconciliation calls on public servants to better integrate Indigenous history and cultural knowledge into our core business, and build stronger relationships with Indigenous Peoples and organizations.
  • The Accessible Canada Act requires departments to increase the inclusion and participation of Canadians with disabilities or functional limitations, including when designing and delivering programs and services.

Anti-Racism

• The Anti-Racism Taskforce (ARTF) was created in July 2020, with a mandate to combat systemic racism and harmful impacts on Indigenous, Black and Racialized People within the workplace, as well as IRCC’s public-facing policies, programs, and service delivery.
• Anti-racism and equity issues have grown in public awareness in recent years, particularly in the context of COVID-19, which has exacerbated existing inequities.
• This work is core to the organization as IRCC works towards contributing to a strong Canada that is economically, socially, and culturally prosperous.
• The Department’s work, by definition, involves interacting with people from diverse cultures and its policies and programs have a profound impact on their lives. Treating people equitably and with respect, dignity, and fairness is fundamental to this relationship.
• This work supports the Clerk’s Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service issued to all deputy heads in January 2021.
• The Anti-Racism Taskforce’s work is focused on three areas: people management; IRCC policy and programs; and IRCC service delivery.

People Management

Goals

• Reduce inequities in the work force and build anti-racism competencies.

Actions to date

• Published IRCC Value Statement and Anti-Racism Sector Commitments over the next three years.
• Conducted and analyzed Anti-Racism Work Force Survey and Focus Groups.
• Launched Anti-Racism Training Pilot for middle managers and coaching for executives.
• Facilitated trust circles with Indigenous, Black, and Racialized employees.

Next steps

• Continue building on IRCC’s 2021-2023 Anti-Racism Strategy.
• Develop a logic model and key performance indicators to measure our actions and progress against our existing commitments.
• Establish accountability measure across all levels of the organization through performance management agreements, enhanced reporting and behavioral nudges.

Policy and Programs

Goals

• Influence policy areas to assess existing immigration systems and structures through an anti-racism lens, to improve public attitudes toward newcomers and to reduce disparities for racialized clients.

Actions to date

• Developed a prototype of a racial impact assessment tool for policy.
• Integrated Youth Advisory Group recommendations on anti-racism to IRCC strategy.
• Provided introductory presentations to stakeholders (i.e. National Settlement and Integration Council).
• Provided programming and policy recommendations to Strategic and Program Policy Sector management.

Next steps

• Continue building on IRCC’s 2021-2023 Anti-Racism Strategy.
• Develop a logic model and key performance indicators to measure our actions and progress against our existing commitments.
• Establish accountability measure across all levels of the organization through performance management agreements, enhanced reporting and behavioral nudges.

Service Delivery

Goals

• Support business lines to ensure culturally safe and accessible services for racialized clients and to reduce inequities caused by bias in immigration processing.

Actions to date

• Provided support to Operations Sector Integrity Management Authority Workshop exploring bias and GBA+ in immigration processing.
• Provided immigration processing recommendations to Operations Sector management.

Next steps

• Continue building on IRCC’s 2021-2023 Anti-Racism Strategy.
• Develop a logic model and key performance indicators to measure our actions and progress against our existing commitments.
• Establish accountability measure across all levels of the organization through performance management agreements, enhanced reporting and behavioral nudges.

Anti-Racism

Anti-Racism Strategy at a Glance (2021-2023)

A Shared Responsibility

Objective 1

• Equitable Work Culture

Objective 2

• Workforce Reflecting Canada

Objective 3

• Equitable Policy & Operations Practices

Objective 4

• Leadership Accountability at all levels

We need diverse perspectives to create a strategy and action plan that is responsive to our deficiencies, embraced by our employees, & leads to sustainable change & results.

Outcomes

• Anti-Racism Awareness & Cultural Understanding
• Healthy and Supportive Workplace
• Increased Representation at Intermediate & Senior Levels
• Elimination of Barriers in Staffing
• Reduced Racialized Disparities in Client Experience & Outcomes
• Clear Expectations that Drive Change & Results
• Model Equitable Leadership

Gender-Based Analysis Plus

• Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) considers the different needs and experiences of people that are impacted by intersecting parts of their identity and their lived experiences.
• The Department uses GBA+ as an evidence-based analytical tool to ensure that federal government policies, programs and other initiatives are responsive and inclusive of people’s diverse experiences and do not create barriers or further inequality.
• IRCC is required under the Immigration Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) to include a GBA+ assessment of the impact of the Act in its Annual Report to Parliament.

GBA Plus Highlights at IRCC

• Improving outcomes for LGBTQ2 populations
• Creating initiatives to support survivors and those at risk of gender-based violence
• Facilitating resettlement and economic mobility in Canada
• Supporting racialized newcomers
• Advocating for gender and diversity on the international stage

GBA+ and COVID-19: 

• GBA+ has been an indispensable tool during the pandemic. It helped IRCC identify the barriers faced by the most vulnerable clients and develop strategies to mitigate some of the negative impacts they faced as a result of service disruptions. 

Reconciliation

Truth and Reconciliation – Commission of Canada

IRCC has a distinct role to play in Reconciliation given its historical role in settlement and assimilation. IRCC is working to improve understanding, build relationships and expand expectations on Reconciliation.

Calls to Action Implicating IRCC:

17. We call upon all levels of government to enable residential school Survivors and their families to reclaim names changed by the residential school system by waiving administrative costs for a period of five years for the name-change process and the revision of official identity documents, such as birth certificates, passports, driver’s licenses, health cards, status cards, and social insurance numbers.

57. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and Anti-Racism.

93. We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with the national Aboriginal organizations, to revise the information kit for newcomers to Canada and its citizenship test to reflect a more inclusive history of the diverse Aboriginal peoples of Canada, including information about the Treaties and the history of residential schools.

94. We call upon the Government of Canada to replace the Oath of Citizenship with the following:

• I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada including Treaties with Indigenous Peoples, and fulfill my duties as a Canadian citizen.

Reconciliation

What actions has IRCC taken?

#17 Ongoing

• On June 14, 2021 the Department implemented a process that allows Indigenous People, residential school survivors and their families to reclaim their Indigenous names on travel documents, citizenship certificates and permanent resident cards, free of charge. The Department is exploring how to reflect Indigenous names as written on Department-issued documents.

#57 Ongoing

• The Department is working to ensure IRCC employees have access to information, learning opportunities, and training so that employees are presented with an accurate and more comprehensive history of Indigenous Peoples.

#93 Ongoing

• IRCC is responsible for the inclusion of Indigenous content and perspectives into materials for newcomers, including in the citizenship study guide and test. A draft guide and corresponding test questions have been completed, and a release date is to be determined.

#94 Delivered

• Amendments to the Oath of Citizenship were made to include reference to Indigenous and Treaty rights. Bill C-8, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act received Royal Assent on June 21, 2021.

Reconciliation

IRCC is working to better integrate Indigenous Peoples and knowledge into core business lines, and build stronger relationships with Indigenous Peoples and organizations.

What more can the Department do?

There are opportunities to broaden and expand on engagement, partnerships and cross-cultural relations between IRCC and Indigenous Peoples. For example:

• IRCC is working with government partners on Indigenous mobility and border crossing issues (e.g. options to facilitate entry and advice on international and self-government agreement negotiations on border matters).
• IRCC has consulted various national and regional Indigenous organizations in drafting a new citizenship guide.
• IRCC is working to integrate increased Indigenous presence and perspectives into citizenship ceremonies.
• IRCC is working to build a more diverse and inclusive workforce by increasing the representation of Indigenous employees and providing them coaching and support to succeed and advance.

Accessibility

Digital accessibility is not enough, IRCC is working to make services more inclusive for our clients and our employees

What has IRCC been doing?

• Director General Steering Committee on Accessibility to focus on developing the first IRCC Accessibility Plan, as required under the new legislation (touching everything from physical space, services, procurement, etc.)
• IRCC held an Accessibility Challenge to improve the design of our programs and how the Department serves clients and will work towards implementing outcomes.
• Efforts to reduce barriers to clients with higher health needs: IRCC has targeted excessive demand by pre-publishing regulations, which propose to increase the threshold of excessive demand to three times the Canadian average cost per person.
• IRCC has established an Employee Support Office to focus on timely accommodation of employees.

Key Takeaways

Anti-racism, equity, inclusion, reconciliation and accessibility are foundational issues that impact IRCC employees and the clients the Department serves.

Anti-Racism:

• Achieving progress will require sustained focus, cultural change and appropriate supports across the Department.

GBA+:

• Embedding the GBA+ methodology more systematically throughout the program and policy life cycle at IRCC is key to enriching the Department’s understanding of systemic bias and mitigating its impacts.

Reconciliation:

• Parliamentarians have expressed a desire to see changes made to the Citizenship Guide and Test as expressed in Call to Action #93.
• Indigenous partners continue to raise longstanding mobility and border crossing issues. As many issues overlap with the mandates of other departments, interdepartmental collaboration is essential to resolving their concerns.

Accessibility:

• Work has begun towards removing barriers for both clients and staff. However support and collaboration across the Department will be required ensure momentum.

Ensuring that IRCC is more inclusive for everyone, and fostering a workplace culture that values diversity is critical to ensuring that the Department can administer policies, programs and services that reflect Canada’s diversity.