Friday, June 8, 2007
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. EDT
Playback: Tuesday, June 12, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. EDT

Pamela Chapman

Arbitrator/Mediator

Kim Bernhardt

Counsel
Grant & Bernhardt

Jacquie de Aguayo

Coordinator of Representation
Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)

Jack Braithwaite

Employer Counsel
Weaver Simmons

ISSUES:

Despite human rights legislation and various employment equity and equal opportunity initiatives enacted in previous decades, a 2005 report entitled A Canada For All: Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism confirmed that visible minorities and aboriginal peoples across Canada continue to experience racial discrimination and harassment in the workplace. As part of this plan, the federal government is implementing a Racism-Free Workplace Strategy, which builds on existing legislation, policies and programs, but also proposes a series of new measures which will include a $13 million workplace program administered through the HRSDC (Labour Program).

To enhance delivery of that program, Lancaster House, in partnership with HRSDC-Labour, has developed an audio conference which will provide expert advice to unions and employers on how to detect, prevent and eliminate racial discrimination in the workplace.  Understanding the new federal recommendations and how to develop and implement your own racism-free strategy is important not only for federally regulated employers and provincial employers who bid on federal government contracts, but also for all employers seeking to build and maintain a healthy workplace in an increasingly diverse Canadian society. And unions will want to ensure that they are well-equipped to develop and bargain for anti-racism provisions that will meet current standards.

Topics to be addressed will include:

• What are the legal requirements? (federal and provincial human rights legislation, the Employment Equity Act)
• Review of important concepts (direct, adverse effect and systemic discrimination, the duty to accommodate, undue hardship, stereotyping, prejudice, racial profiling, racial harassment, poisoned work environment)
• What are the objectives of the Canadian Racism-Free Workplace Strategy?
• How does it apply in federal and provincial workplaces?
• What recent cases provide guidance in identifying and responding to racial discrimination and harassment in the workplace? 
• What pro-active strategies do the experts recommend? (policies, education and training, hiring and advancement goals, complaint and investigation processes, monitoring and measuring compliance)

$195, plus GST (Registrations must be paid in advance of the audio conference). Registration costs are per listening site/telephone, so you can have any number of people listening at your location for one low price. Click here for registration information.