On January 22, 2021, then- Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, Ian Shugart, issued a Call to Action to all public service leaders. This Call to Action concerned Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service.
On March 9, 2021, Shuggart stepped down from his position in order to take treatment for cancer. Janice Charette became the Interim Clerk.
In the summer of 2021, Charette required all Canadian federal public service leaders to publish an open letter in support of Shugart’s Call to Action. These leaders include the presidents of SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR (Canada’s research funding agencies).
You’ll find relevant links and more detail about this series of events in my post entitled, “Ian Shugart’s Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion In the Federal Public Service. And SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR’s answers.”
As of May 28, 2022, Charette became Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet.
Recall the my focus of my blog is on EDI in Canadian Universities. And, in this context, I worry about the following:
In a Global Government Forum article of August 23, 2022, Mia Hunt reports,
“Though [Charette] said most government organisations are “taking concrete action to do better”, she added that “much more is needed”, including recommitting to “listening to diverse voices” and celebrating those who are leading and embracing change while “tackling mindsets” that are hesitant or resistant to [stamping out ‘racism and discrimination of all types in our workplaces.’]”
I’d like some examples of the kinds of mindsets Charette thinks need tackling, what this tackling entails, and what is meant by hesitant or resistant.
Do critics of EDI and/or Anti-racism initiatives hold the mindsets that Charette worries are “hesitant or resistant” to her [Shugart’s] Call to Action
If so, can scholars who are critical of these initiatives expect to hold Canadian Research Chairs?
Resources
- Mia Hunt, “‘Much more needed’ to combat racism and improve diversity in Canadian public service, says chief,” Home>News, Global Government Forum,” 23/08/22, https://keepinganeyeonedi.ca/2022/08/18/ian-shugarts-call-to-action-on-anti-racism-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-federal-public-service-and-sshrc-nserc-and-cihrs-answers/, accessed August 25, 2022.
- Clerk and Deputy Clerk, Privy Council Office, Government of Canada, Date modified: 2022-05-28, https://www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/corporate/clerk/role.html, accessed August 24, 2022.
Keeping An Eye On EDI 
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