Provincial Diversity Efforts Increase

A new employment-equity policy, an improved fair-hiring policy and additional diversity training for employees, have made the provincial government a more diverse and inclusive workplace over the past year.

The developments are outlined in the province's 2007-08 annual progress report, Moving Toward Equity: Employment Equity and Diversity in the Nova Scotia Public Service, which was tabled today, Nov. 25, by Human Resources Minister Carolyn Bolivar-Getson.

"A diverse workforce that is reflective of our population is a crucial part of providing quality service to Nova Scotians," said Ms. Bolivar-Getson. "We must make every effort to create a discrimination-free public service workplace where diversity is valued and differences are embraced."

To help improve workplace culture and diversity representation, the Public Service Commission has established a number of policy improvements, employment opportunities, training, and awareness initiatives throughout government, which include:

• an improved Fair Hiring Policy that reaffirms government's commitment to fair hiring practices

• a new Respectful Workplace Policy that replaces and expands the scope of the previous No Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policy to include personal harassment

• the replacement of the Affirmative Action Policy with a new Employment Equity Policy, which reaffirms government's commitment to being a workplace that is free of discrimination

"Through these policy improvements, as well as our educational programs and diversity employment activities, we are building a work environment of fairness, equity, mutual respect, understanding and cultural competence," said Ms. Bolivar-Getson.

Other corporate and departmental activities outlined in the report include:

• internationally known teacher, lecturer and diversity activist Jane Elliot's visit to Halifax

• eighteen summer-employment opportunities for students through the Summer Diversity and the Summer Female Mentorship programs

• continued support of champions that participate on the Diversity Round Table and work collaboratively to develop ways to support the achievement of our corporate diversity objectives

• building additional diversity education opportunities for public servants to increase skills and competencies in the area of diversity.