Question Period Note: Culture Change and Reconciliation

What is the Department doing to eliminate systemic racism against Indigenous peoples?

• Reconciliation is a core pillar of our work as is recognizing and respecting Indigenous rights.
• We recognize that there is more work to be done but we are taking practical and sustained actions as the basis for change and culture shift.
• We are implementing strategies to support and promote Indigenous employment and recruitment in our workforce, including learning activities and tools to facilitate ongoing training for all our employees.

• With regards to employee education and training, the Canada School of Public Service has prepared an anti-racism event series to facilitate discussions within the public service around issues of racist practices and systemic barriers that exist for marginalized and racialized groups in Canada.
• Regular events and discussions are facilitated and are open to public servants at all levels, as well as events designed specifically for managers and executives. Other learning products, such as orientation kits and job aids, have also been made available to support this learning series.
• The reconciliation curriculum offered by the Canadian School of Public Service also provides public servants access to resources, self-directed and classroom courses, workshops, and events on the history, culture, rights, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
• At DFO, employees in program areas involved in working with Indigenous partners are encouraged to participate in various opportunities to increase cultural awareness, such as through relationship competency development training, Indigenous perception training, and Blanket Exercise Workshops to ensure its members understand treaty rights and appreciate the perspectives of Indigenous peoples. DFO regularly promotes new learning activities and tools to facilitate ongoing education and training for the Government of Canada workforce.
• The Department all recognizes the importance of making information on rights-based fisheries easily accessible to stakeholders and the general public. DFO launched a public webpage entitled “Fishing in pursuit of a moderate livelihood”, which includes historical information on the Peace and Friendship Treaties in the Maritimes and Gaspé, as well as on the Marshall decisions, which affirmed the rights originating from these treaties.
• In September 2022, DFO also launched a public webpage entitled “Food, social and ceremonial fisheries” detailing the right through which Indigenous harvesters may fish for food, social, and ceremonial purposes as protected under Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. These webpages will be maintained and kept up to-date to inform Canadians and Government of Canada employees of important context related to rights-based fisheries.
• DFO has also completed an employment systems review, which identified systemic and attitudinal barriers to employment opportunities for designated Employment Equity groups, including Indigenous peoples. The Department has begun to address some of the identified barriers with the development of the 2022-2027 Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion action plan.

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