The Anti-Racism Strategy for IRCC from 2021 to 2024

In response to allegations of racism inside the department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has unveiled an anti-racism strategy for the years 2021 to 2024.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) started delving deeper into the internal environment of the ministries in 2020 using an anti-racism lens.

An employee poll revealed that a sizeable percentage of radicalized workers thought racism was a problem. Focus groups were organized in response to acquire a deeper understanding of the issue. 54 employees in all took part in the focus groups.

The focus groups' conclusions can be summed up as follows:

- Microaggressions, biases in hiring and promotion, as well as biases in the execution of IRCC's programmers, policies, and client interactions are all examples of racism experienced at IRCC.

- With unclear policies or training on how to handle accusations of racism, a history of racism going unchecked, and a significant disparity in racial representation in management, IRCC faces many difficulties at the workplace culture level.

- In reaction to this research, the IRCC unveiled its 2021–2024 Anti-Racism Strategy. Employee input on the Strategy's direction was received from IRCC personnel throughout the first few months of 2022.

- The IRCC's Strategy first offers broad recommendations for the revised Strategy in comparison to its original version. The action plan's conceptual pillars are then presented.

The broad recommendations include:

At all levels, place an emphasis on a comprehensive strategy; combating racism won't merely be a matter of checking boxes.
- Make the plan relatable by promoting dialogue and fresh thinking.
- Continue to press for anti-racist promises, allocating funds to monitor development and ensure the problem is more than just "talk."
- Establish explicit objectives and deadlines for how milestones will be attained, then start with smaller, more definite actions.
- Include background information about Canada's immigration history, particularly the ongoing effects on Indigenous peoples.
- Discuss Canada's responsibility in promoting racial justice around the world: Is IRCC required to promote racial fairness in nations where Canada accepts or rejects immigrants and refugees?
- Pay particular attention to many manifestations of racism, including antisemitism and Islamophobia.
- Give specifics on how anti-racism workers will be institutionally assimilated and who they can turn to for advice.
- Think about assigning owners of anti-racism files to contact various sectors to gather information and assess development.

IRCC also outlines the five pillars that will support the Strategy's action plan. Each pillar, according to IRCC, designates a stream of work that will be addressed as a priority in the near future.

Pillar 1: Ensure accountability for leadership

This pillar focuses on ensuring that formal accountability systems are in place to accomplish anti-racism objectives. The intention is to make sure that senior management will be held accountable for the outcomes and that anti-racism work is ingrained permanently into the IRCC's structure.

Pillar 2: A workplace that is fair

This pillar pertains to people management elements that will aid in producing a workplace where everyone feels appreciated and at home. Eliminating obstacles to career advancement for colored workers and fostering inclusiveness in the workplace are the objectives.

Pillar 3: Creating policies and programmers

This pillar specifically deals with IRCC's systemic racism and bias in programmer and policy formulation. The objective is to better the anti-racist approach to designing new policies and programmer designs by understanding the biases and gaps in the current policy and programmer design.

Fourth pillar: Service provision

This pillar deals with how the IRCC implements policies and programmer with applicants and outside partners while addressing systematic racism and bias.

Understanding racism and bias in programmer delivery operations and IRCC officers' decision-making is the objective, and tools are being developed and integrated to incorporate anti-racism into the service delivery process to address bias.

5th pillar: data and analysis

This pillar deals with the generation of solid evidence to back anti-racism efforts. The objective is to make more information related to government-wide standards available to facilitate anti-racism analysis.

The IRCC is aware that racism exists both outside and inside their organization in Canada. Through the eradication of racism in policies, programmer, service delivery, and personnel management, their mission is to be an equitable and anti-racist organization and to improve the benefits of IRCC programmer to Canadians and newcomers.

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