Affirmative Action in Canadian Politics
In Canadian politics, affirmative action is not talked about compared to other countries like in the United States. The issue is very controversial and since it has polarizing opinions, it is a very interesting topic to be discussed. The fundamental objective of affirmative action is to promote an equal representation of identifiable groups in Canada that have been oppressed throughout centuries. Although its objective is to promote egalitarianism, the way the policies of affirmative action are implemented is controversial because it allows “reverse discrimination” and promotes judgment on the basis on people’s physical and cultural characteristics.
I find this topic very interesting because of the diverse opinions it has, ranging from people saying that these policies encourage inclusivity to people saying that these policies are purely racist and sexist. Although both sides are not objectively wrong, it is a contentious issue that should be in the interest in people to study the topic because there is no clear evidence that shows whether it is beneficial to certain groups.
Even with affirmative action in Canada, it’s easy to see that not all groups are represented equally throughout education, employment, and political power. This poses the question: To what extent does affirmative action promote egalitarianism in Canada? The policy of affirmative action that I will be focusing on is the Employment Equity Act that became federal law in 1986. The fundamental basis of this policy focuses on incorporating and removing barriers to disadvantaged groups to influence diversity in employment. Initially, opposers of this act predicted that the act will significantly affect the economy because people will be judged on identity rather than merit; therefore, productivity will not be maximized. However, supporters suggested that it was necessary for a functioning egalitarian society.
To approach and answer the question of whether affirmative action promotes egalitarianism, it is first important to define what egalitarianism means. I define egalitarianism as a society that focuses their policies on giving equal access and opportunity for every single person. Although the definition for egalitarianism is disputed, one way of looking at it is by examining whether certain occupations are becoming more diverse ever since the law was implemented in 1986. Examining studies throughout the decades and identifying if there is a higher percentage of minorities and women in certain jobs that were initially dominated by mostly Caucasian men could help determine if this policy is functioning as it was intended to. Although this may be a great solution to determining the effects of the Employment Equity Act, there could be third variables that affect the results. It may be difficult to determine to what degree did the Employment Equity Act play a role in the increasing diversity in employment throughout the decades. In order to determine that, I would need to research and identify studies that have been conducted in the late 80s and early 90s that show the demographics of people in each job and look at each year to figure out whether the increase of minorities and women in jobs is a direct consequence of the Employment Equity Act.
