HUMA Committee Report

CONCLUSION

The Committee is optimistic about the prospect of greater equality in tomorrow’s workplace and encourages employers, employees, employees’ representatives, and representatives of designated groups to continue to build on the progress made to date. In the Committee’s opinion, as well as the opinions of many of those who presented their views to us, special action is needed to improve the employment situation of persons with disabilities and Aboriginal peoples. We propose the development of workplace strategies to help achieve this objective. We also believe that the pursuit of a representative workplace requires the government to focus more attention on the supply side of the labour market. Moreover, this focus should be incorporated in the development of the government’s National Skills and Learning Agenda, respecting, of course, provincial constitutional jurisdiction in this area.

As we noted at the outset of this report, the job of building a more equitable workplace has just begun and there is a great deal of work to be done to enhance fairness in the workplace. It is the Committee’s hope that the recommendations contained in this report help to serve this cause and contribute to even more success in the years to come.

Members of the Committee appreciate and thank all the individuals and organizations who shared their time, experience and views with us during our review of the Employment Equity Act. We also express our gratitude to the Minister of Labour, Ms. Claudette Bradshaw, and the Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, Ms. Michelle Falardeau-Ramsay, for their reports and contributions to the Committee’s work. Without all of this input and support, especially from our witnesses, we would not have been able to prepare this report.