Assessing Diversity Policy at Service Ontario

Abstract

Canada’s official Multicultural policy is often perceived as a leader for its commitment to equality and diversity. The Canadian government has commitments to promoting diversity and fostering inclusive environments in public service, but personal experiences of discrimination continue. The purpose of this study is to interrogate the disjuncture between intended policy goals and lived manifestations of inequality. The existing literature demonstrates that racism persists in Canadian society. However, the scholars in this field have not adequately addressed the efficacy of such policies and their substantive impact. It is integral to interrogate this gap in knowledge because of its impact on the lived experience of minority populations. This study intends to see when and why some policy initiatives work and others do not. A genealogical analysis of Canada’s multiculturalism policy will be implemented to understand the context of diversity policy. This historical view will be contrasted with multiculturalism in practice with Service Ontario as a case study, using interviews with current staff and quantitative data from the 2014 Service Ontario employee survey. Furthermore, perspectives from the emerging field of the sociology of emotions will be employed, as emotion is a fundamental dimension of discrimination. It is argued that the existence of diversity policy and departments can paradoxically lead to oppression by hiding more covert manifestations of racism. The language of diversity is often injected into policy, which provides a veneer of commitment to diversity issues without achieving substantive change.