CEC Publications From 1992

Last updated March 2008

Children / Youth

A Handbook on Anti-Racism Parenting - Illustrated handbook, Summer 1997, 30 pages.
 
The handbook is for parents of young children who are concerned about racism and want to do something about it. It can be adapted by anyone who works with children such as teachers and caregivers.
 
The handbook discusses how we learn racism and how we can recognize, reduce and eliminate it. It also suggests actions parents can take to help children respond to racism.
 

Child Abuse in Minority Ethnocultural Communities An Exploratory Study, Study submitted to Multiculturalism Program, Canadian Heritage and Family Violence Prevention Division, Health Canada, 1995, 35 pages.
 
This study explores the complexity of issues and suggested strategies to help service providers assist and prevent child abuse (physical, emotional and psychological) in minority ethnocultural communities in Canada. It has two distinct sections; the first, a result of consultations amongst key people from different communities; and the second, involving literature review and in-depth interviews with community informants.

An extensive bibliography of various international and Canadian literature on this subject is appended, as is a summary of issues from a review of the same literature. Also as an appendix, can be found the final report from the initial consultation and the key informant interview schedule. The document concludes with a review of the issues, some suggestions for prevention and identifies directions for further research.

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Constitution / Future of Canada
 
Canadian Unity and Identity: The Advantages of Diversity, October 1997, 24 pages, in English and French.
 
This paper was prepared by the CEC to contribute positively and creatively to the current debate on the future of a united Canada. It is the product of national extensive consultations with 187 individuals representing 38 ethnocultural communities.

One definite result of these consultations was a stated belief among ethnocultural minority Canadians that Canada remain united and that Quebec be treated as a distinct but equal member of the federation. The participants also believed that respect for diversity, including linguistics, cultural, ethnic, regional, religious, is vital to ensuring good relations at all levels of Canadian society.

The paper elaborates on the discussion at the consultations and includes suggestions of initiatives that government, individuals and ethnocultural groups can take to strengthen Canadian identity and a sense of Canadian nationhood.
 

In Support of the Aspirations of Aboriginal Peoples, Brief submitted to The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, August 1993, 40 pages.
 
This succinct submission prepared for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples by the CEC begins with a list of recommendations based on the project. The project itself comprised of consultations with CEC member organizations and a literature search on the issues of aboriginal peoples and possible solutions for these concerns.

A good document if you are looking for information on the background of the First Nations Peoples or their current circumstances. Their experiences are specifically highlighted in the areas of land rights, education, discrimination, women's issues, economy, employment inequity, language and culture, health and social services, justice, housing and others.

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Canada for all Canadians: Building a Strong Canada Through Respect for Diversity, Brief submitted to the House of Commons and Senate Special Joint Committee on a Renewed Canada, February 1992, 12 pages.
 
This is a more substantive and detailed follow up to a preliminary brief presented by the CEC to the Special Joint Committee on a Renewed Canada in October 1991. Based on an ongoing series of consultations amongst its member organizations, this report examines various clauses contained in the body of the proposed amendments to the Canadian Constitution starting from a Canada Clause, to Senate Reform, the Council of the Federation, House of Commons Reform, the Social Charter, Aboriginal Rights etc.

The main purpose of this project has been to try and ensure that the interests of all Canadians are responded to and safe-guarded within the proposed amendments to the Constitution.

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Culture

Cultural Policy Initiatives for A Multicultural Canada, Submission to Minister’s Forum on Diversity and Culture,  March 2003

The State of the Canadian Broadcasting terms of Reference, Submission to The House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage,  September 2001  

Health Aging in Caring Communities: A Cross-Cultural Approach, May 1998, 45 pages.

The report addresses the need for improved social support networks and the education of health workers and community leaders on the elements of culture as a health determinant. It deals with training and dialogue sessions conducted in Vancouver, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, St. John's and Toronto using the recently developed "Our Nations' Elders Speak" training model to enhance the skills of a hundred community health workers, community leaders and seniors working with ethnocultural and aboriginal seniors.

The report includes valuable directions for the future and the list of trainers and organizations that participated in each of the five centres.
 
 

The 78% Factor: Multiculturalism Enriches Canadian Culture, Brief submitted to the Standing Committee on Culture and Communications on The Implication of Culture for Canadian Unity, January 1992, 7 pages
 
This brief specifically addresses the cultural aspects of multiculturalism as separate from its social, economic and political aspects. It talks about how the Multiculturalism Policy builds understanding and tolerance amongst Canadians and enriches society and arts and literature.

The brief lists examples from some agencies that have included and implemented multiculturalism in their mandate. It highlights the role of various ethnocultural organizations in building linkages and actually strengthening the sense of unity among Canadians and comments upon the achievements of official and heritage languages and other diversities amongst Canadians.

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Economy

Ethnocultural Diversity: A Source of Competitive Advantage Conference (Summary Report),Presented by CEC, The Conference Board of Canada, and Canadian Heritage, February 1996, 23 pages in English and French

This conference is part of an ongoing process undertaken to explore how businesses, government and ethnocultural communities can work together to create jobs, develop new markets for Canadian products and services both in Canada and abroad, and enhance Canada's competitiveness in the world.

The report reflects comments and views of the Conference participants on specific potential business opportunities that arise from Canada's ethnoculturally diverse population, provides a networking forum and presents a valuable feedback on CEC's background discussion paper. It concludes by recognizing that ethnocultural diversity has a significant economic dimension which if properly addressed can suggest specifics on how to create a culture that values this diversity, cross cultural negotiations and international human resources management to assist business.
 

Ethnocultural Diversity: A Source of Competitive Advantage (Background discussion paper) , Presented at the Conference Jointly sponsored by CEC, The Conference Board of Canada, and Canadian Heritage, December 1995, 36 pages in English and French
 
In consultation with key stakeholders from government, ethnocultural communities, bilateral trade groups and business, the CEC talks about the potential of Canada's ethnoculturally diverse population. It proposes concrete initiatives designed to help Canadian business identify and tap into the cultural and linguistic skills and expertise of this diverse population.

These initiatives range from a national inventory/database of resources, to a series of regional workshops, to the importance of networking and development of a standardized presentation kit designed to help companies enhance their international trade, domestic marketing and human resource management activities. The two appendices at the end of the paper are a rich source of titles and brief outlines of related initiatives and documentation on the same subject.

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Economic Renewal and the Ethnocultural Communities, A conference report by the CEC submitted to the Multiculturalism Programs, Canadian Heritage, November 1993, 23 pages.
 
As the Federal Government focuses on improving the economy of Canada, a proper understanding of how to develop partnerships within the ethnocultural communities and how to prepare the nation to meet the challenge of globalization can go a long way in facilitating collective work between business, government and Canada's culturally diverse population.

This report contains the main highlights of a CEC Conference covering key speeches and workshop sessions. These sessions addressed a wide range of issues from trying to define what makes a successful business enterprise, to how new models and partnerships can be created, and how a heritage languages program, the employment of women and effective networking can all help in building the economy.
 

Untapped Resources, A report submitted to the Steering Group on Prosperity, Government of Canada, July 1992, 29 pages.
 
To enhance and ensure the prosperity of Canada, businesses need to learn to target the ethnocultural minorities within Canada who can help them expand their share in domestic and international markets. This Report is the result of four workshops on how to eliminate barriers to employment, how to improve Canada‚s education and training system, how to maximize use of international skills and training of immigrants and how to best enhance the role of ethnocultural communities in trade.

The report has detailed observations and a list of key issues addressed at each of the workshops, and it concludes by making recommendations regarding accreditations, employment equity, education and language programs and so on.
 

Challenge Paper for the CEC Forum on Multiculturalism and Canada's Prosperity, May 1992, 10 pages.
 
This paper is a backgrounder for a Forum that aims to identify strategies and opportunities for action to ensure that Canada can optimize the achievements of its multicultural workforce.

Canada is a highly diverse nation, and by going international in the complete sense of the term, Canadian business can take advantage of the varied cross cultural skills, languages and knowledge offered by its ethnocultural minorities. A thought provoking paper that is a must read along with the report 'Untapped Resources' in the context of the immense potential of Canada's ethnoculturally diverse population.

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Education
 
Equality of Access and Equality of Outcome, Brief to the Ontario Royal Commission on Learning, January 1994, 13 pages.
 
Ethnocultural minorities represent a substantial proportion of Ontario's population and it is necessary that this reality be reflected in every aspect of the education system of the province. The CEC believes that the education system must provide working models to ensure equity of access to education in terms of physical and intellectual environments; social, emotional, cultural and moral experiences and opportunities so that all Ontarians have the same opportunity to succeed in life as their fellow graduates, irrespective of their ethnocultural and racial backgrounds.

This brief makes some specific recommendations for the Government of Ontario, the Ministry of Education and the Immigration Minister to follow such as amending the curriculum to ensure it has an international orientation, focusing on heritage language programs, ensuring access to telecommunications and new technology for all educational institutions alike, improving immigrant and refugee settlement services and continuing to include English as Second Language and French as Second Language programs for the province.

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Equality Rights

Factum of the Intervener and Fact Sheet: The Legal Argument, February 1998.

This deals with the Supreme Court Intervention on Denial of Charitable Status as a Charter Challenge by the Canadian Ethnocultural Council, the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations and the Minority Advocacy and Rights Council. The Vancouver Society of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women was denied charitable status because its activities were not deemed charitable under Revenue Canada's definition of charity.
 
Taking Stock: The Jurisprudence on the Charter and Minority Rights (An analysis of the application of the Equality Rights & Multiculturalism sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms), Submitted to the Equality Rights Committee, CEC, Summer 1992, 186 pages
 
The Equality Rights Committee came into being to complement CEC's various advocacy activities, specifically covering the legal aspects. This report examines judicial decisions under Section 15 (the Equality Rights Clause) and Section 27 (the Multiculturalism Clause) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

In an attempt to involve citizens from all sectors of Canadian life in judicial processes, to promote public information and information sharing, this report has two detailed and seemingly technical papers that examine each Section of the Charter and the case law to date on each of these Sections.

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Health

Physical Activity and Type 2 Diabetes: A Guide for Older Adults from Asian, Black and Hispanic Populations, 2002

This is a culturally appropriate and educational guide published by the CEC in 2002. The document provides definitions of type 2 diabetes and physical activity and explains who is at risk of developing the disease, the treatment most prescribed, and the benefits of regular physical activity. It is a multilingual publication available in 12 languages, produced with financial assistance from the Prevention and Promotion Contribution Program of Health Canada.

Type 2 Diabetes in Asian, Black and Hispanic Populations, 2002

The CEC has published a culturally appropriate educational and promotional brochure “Type 2 Diabetes in Asian, Black and Hispanic Populations”. The publication was completed in 2002 as part of a 3-year project, “Diabetes in Older Adults from Asian, Black and Hispanic Populations: Community-based Prevention Model”, sponsored by the CEC and funded by Health Canada. The brochure is available in 13 languages and includes a definition of type 2 diabetes. It also outlines who is at risk of developing the disease, its signs and symptoms, when to be tested, normal, high and low blood sugar levels, complications and treatment, and how to prevent the disease and its complications.

Diabetes in Older Adults from Asian, Black, and Hispanic Populations: Opinions and Needs of Health Care Professionals, 2002

Ethnic Seniors and Health Aging: Perceptions, Practices and Needs, 2002

Health Care Agencies Providing Service Programs for Seniors from Diverse Cultural Backgrounds, A National Directory, 2002

Culturally Appropriate Best Practices for Health Aging, National Focus Group Meetings, 2001

Knowledge is the Best Medicine, Booklet, 2000 (multilingual, in 8 languages)

Patient Participation and Ethnic Differences: A Canadian Perspective, Article in The Patient’s Network, 2000

Use and Misuse of Drugs by Seniors: A Cross-Cultural Education Model, Resource and Training Manual, 2000

Achievements and Contributions of Seniors of Diverse Cultural Backgrounds, Brochure, 1999

A Feasibility Study on Multicultural Community Care, Review of the Literature, 1998

Our Nations’ Elders Speak, A Resource Manual, 1997  

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Immigration

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Submission to the Minister of Citizenship and immigration on Canada's New Immigration Policy, August 1994, 11 pages.
 
In this submission the CEC commends the efforts of the Office of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration to include the Canadian public in the democratic process of policy development and at the same time, cautions against the current public backlash to immigration policies.

The submission begins with an expansive list of specific recommendations that are a result of ongoing CEC consultations and CEC's past and present position on immigration issues. Each of these recommendations are examined in the latter half of the submission and pertain to a vision of Canada, public education, Canada's international obligations, access to information, integrity of the Immigration Program itself and so on.
 

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Integration / Employment
 
Remedy for Employment Inequity for Visible Minorities in the Federal Public Service: CEC Recommendations, August 1997, 4 pages.
 
The federal Public Service has not been effective in improving its employment equity record related to visible minorities and therefore this position paper was submitted to various Federal Cabinet members and Government officials.

Some of the measures proposed by the CEC are to involve the Privy Council Office and Treasury Board to mandate improved visible minority representation in the Public Service, to include employment equity records in the performance evaluations of managers, to urge the Prime Minister's Officer to be a role model, and to provide sufficient resources to the Canadian Human Rights Commission in order to perform equity audits.
 

Governor-in-Council Appointments: Ensuring Participation, June 25, 1997, 6 pages.
 
This paper was prepared by the CEC and sent to the Prime Minister of Canada with a view of increasing the number of Governor-in-Council appointments. The paper includes: the result of a CEC survey of current appointments and other observations; information about the importance of ethnocultural minority appointments; and recommendations to make the appointment process more transparent and to assist the Government in ensuring that future appointments are more representative of the diversity of Canada's population.

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Response to the Mackenzie Report to the Legal Education Committee of Upper Canada on the Accreditation of Lawyers with Foreign Training and Experience, January 1997, 5 pages
 
This brief to the Law Society of Upper Canada is a response to the issues raised and recommendations made in the May 1996 Mackenzie Report on the Accreditation of Lawyers with Foreign Training and Experience.

The mandate of the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) is to ensure that Canadians are well served by accredited lawyers with an appropriate level of skill and knowledge. This Brief addresses some clauses of the Mackenzie Report that may result in systemic barriers reducing access to the Canadian legal profession for some ethnic and racial minorities. It stresses on the importance of cultural awareness and understanding, and comparative perspectives that members of the ethnocultural community may bring to the legal profession.
 

Response to the Consultation Paper on Racial Equality by the Canadian Bar Association Working Group on Racial Equality, January 1997, 14 pages.
 
Respect for the justice system comes when justice is seen to be done. This brief to the Canadian Bar Association Working Group on racial Equality in the legal profession looks specifically at four areas within the profession (i.e. access to justice, entry into the profession, practice issues and the judiciary as a whole).

The CEC stresses the need to provide legal access to minority ethnocultural and racialized communities, to make efforts to recruit minorities into law schools, to diversify the demographic make-up of the legal profession to include minority representation and to improve cultural awareness training for members of the judiciary.

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Regulations and Compliance Mechanisms Under the New Employment Equity Act, Comments submitted to Human Resource Development Canada and Canadian Human Rights Commission, July 1996, 4 pages.
 
These comments on regulations and compliance mechanisms for Bill C-64 were presented to the Canadian Human Rights Commission and Human Resources development Canada in a letter form.

This letter begins by recognizing the achievements to date of the Employment Equity Act and goes on to suggest further measures to help extend its coverage and optimize its efficacy. It stresses the need for sufficient resources to be provided to the CHRC to manage compliance audits, public education, a standardized questionnaire for collecting data, validity time-spans for this data.

The concluding note of this letter is the suggestion that a formalized, ongoing consultation process be initiated to monitor the implementation and achievements of the Employment Equity Act.
 

Presentation on Bill C-64 (Employment Equity Bill) to the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Status of Disabled Persons, February 1995, 6 pages.
 
This presentation to the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Status of Disabled Persons about Bill C-64 (Employment Equity Bill) addresses key aspects of the Bill and its application, followed by an expansive list of very specific recommendations.

The CEC highlights the need for extending the coverage of Bill C-64 to more federal and private employers and to clarify and tighten reporting requirements. It urges for open access to an Employment Equity Review Tribunal and the enforcing of financial penalties for non-compliance. It also stresses that all four designated groups according to the Bill (i.e. women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minorities), should be adequately represented on an Employment Equity Tribunal.

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Integration from the Ethnocultural Communities' Perspective: A study of the main indicators of integration into Canadian society, Brief submitted to Multiculturalism Program, Canadian Heritage, June 1994, 57 pages.
 
This study identifies integration into Canadian Society from the perspective of ethnocultural communities as an on-going, multidimensional process. According to representatives of CEC member organizations and ethnic community members, there are various indicators of this integration and several challenges to this process of integration. Research on this issue is relevant because it attempts to clearly define integration and discuss its specific aspects such as psychology, language, economy, social/cultural, education and politics.

Attached as appendices are the list of participants who formed the sample, the detailed interview schedule used for data collection, and the main issues as discovered in a review of relevant literature. The study lays down a framework for proposed further in-depth research on integration from the ethnocultural perspective.
 

Towards Equity: Review of the Canadian Judicial Process, Brief submitted to the Department of Justice on the Review of Federal Judicial Appointments, October 1993, 4 pages.
 
This brief represents the position of the CEC on federal judicial appointments which have a gender and ethnic bias, thereby resulting in an under-representation of women and visible minorities as federally appointed judges.

The CEC recommends that such nominations should reflect the composition of Canadian society (i.e. they should include women, ethnic and visible minorities, aboriginal peoples, groups of different sexual orientation and so on).

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Limited Visibility: The Representation of Visible Minorities in Federally-Regulated Corporations from 1988 to 1990, CEC study released in April 1992, 41 pages, in English and French.
 
This bilingual report and its appendices are a treasure trove of data and graphs on the representation of visible minorities in federally-regulated corporations. The statistical figures that are examined and compared in the report are from 1988-1990 and serve as a marker for charting the achievements of the Employment Equity Act in its fourth year.

The various sectors covered under this study are banking, communications and media, and transportation. The study of each individual sector covers an overall analysis, specific sample analysis, data on minority representation in managerial and professional positions and its hiring and promoting trends.

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Employment Inequity: The Representation of Visible Minorities in the Federal Public Service 1988-1991, April 1992, 47 pages in English and French.
 
This bilingual report evaluates the achievement of the Canadian Government's Employment Equity Act four years after it came into effect. A detailed analysis of data on visible minority representation within various departments reveals wide disparities with respect to their employment status in various sections.

The CEC recommends certain amendments to the Employment Equity Act to extend its coverage to all federal departments and to create an Employment Equity Commission to enforce the Act. It also requests for an annual report to help monitor achievements, provide for management accountability and public education campaigns to help support and enforce employment equity. The entire report, and specially its appendices are an excellent compilation of data sourced from documents of the Treasury Board and the Public Service Commission.
 

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Multiculturalism

The 42 Percent Solution: Making Equality a Reality: A Response to the Strategic Review of the Multiculturalism Programs of the Department of Canadian Heritage, November 1995, 18 pages.
 
This report is a good source for information and issues pertaining to multiculturalism and the related programs of the Department of Canadian Heritage in light of a growing myth that multiculturalism is divisive.

Based on an extended consultation process with its member organizations, the CEC suggests various means to ensure involvement of ethnocultural communities at the policy level in the workings of the Canadian Government.

This report recommends a framework of action for mainstreaming multiculturalism through the implementation of the multiculturalism policy and the equality provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
 

Brief on Bill C-53: An Act to establish the Department of Canadian Heritage and to amend and repeal certain other Acts Submitted to the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, March 1995, 8 pages.

This brief on Bill C-53 focuses mainly on the most important aspect of the proposed Department of Canadian Heritage's mandate - the multiculturalism policy, and its benefits. For example, the influence on public opinion, economic benefits of diversity, and special interest group funding provisions.

The CEC has suggested some amendments to the text of the Bill to ensure that the Department of Canadian Heritage can fully take on the responsibilities and mandate of the former Department of Multiculturalism and Citizenship. CEC believes that multiculturalism is about practicing democracy and ensuring that Canada remains one of the best countries in the world to live in.

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Brief to the House of Commons' Standing Committee on Multiculturalism and Citizenship on the Implementation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, April 1992, 35 pages, available in English and French.
 
The CEC believes that the Canadian Multiculturalism Act requires all federal institutions to take specific action to implement the Multiculturalism Policy. The report begins by listing priorities for effectively implementing the Act and the recommendations are listed specifically under various categories such as cross-government implementation, cultural affairs and national identity, economic affairs, health and social policy, international trade, foreign and defence policy, justice and legal affairs and so on.

The second half of this report closely examines the achievements of 27 federal departments in their efforts to implement the Act and accurately represent the multicultural reality of Canada. The report has detailed lists of the multicultural initiatives of each of theses 27 departments from 1989-1991 that are very informative.
 

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