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By Shari Narine
Windspeaker Contributor
EDMONTON
Native Counselling Services of Alberta has about 200 Indigenous people employed, representing about 85 per cent of its staff.
“Any one of those people could step into advancements in government and industry and anywhere. I’m glad they’re staying with us,” said CEO Allen Benson.
“All you have to do is look around our community and we’ve got such a richness of highly skilled people, and I don’t think they’re getting that chance.”
Education Minister David Eggen said affirmative action could make a difference?
It’s a “very important tool” and he’s willing to put in his tool box as his government turns to Albertans for solutions to combat racism in the province.
“I won’t presuppose my report, but I will have (affirmative action) as a theme in my recommendations,” said Eggen on the steps of the Legislature on Aug. 28.
He was surrounded by representatives from a variety of ethnic groups from Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton, including the Creating Hope Society and Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, as he announced the launch of a survey that asks all Albertans for input.
Eggen pointed out that as the largest employer in the province, the government had to “better reflect the composition of who we are as a population here in the province.” He said a review of public work procedures was underway.
Benson is hesitant to embrace the term “affirmative action,” which refers to government policies that provide education and employment opportunities for minority groups and women.
He notes that in the past those words have been met with heavy criticism and backlash that has hurt the Indigenous community.
But he admits it is “a fair concept. It just has to be clearly defined as to what the expectations are. I think it’s also more about fair treatment.”
Benson says that many Indigenous people remain in the project officer or community liaison positions, overlooked for management and executive committees despite being highly skilled and educated.
“It just frustrates me, because for years and years the Elders said years ago to a lot of these young leaders … go out and look for that moose and bring it back and you’ll know if you’ve got the moose.
“And what they were talking about was go out and get educated in all of your areas of interest to help our people… and come back. When they came back they said, ‘Now, now our people are going to have a chance to take on these leadership roles.’ And that was in the early ‘70s and look where we are now? We’re still struggling to get there,” said Benson.
In July, Eggen was tasked by Premier Rachel Notley to gather community input on steps the government can take to help combat racism and to promote diversity and inclusion. The move was made in response to blatant racism seen around the world, in Canada and in Alberta.
Eggen pointed to a scuffle that took place outside Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School in Red Deer that involved Syrian and Canadian students. The incident resulted in a protest in the school parking lot that attracted an anti-Muslim group.
“That’s not our Alberta and it does not reflect the vast majority of Albertans or the opinions of our governments,” said Eggen.
Along with gathering input from Albertans, Eggen has a team of researchers looking at best practises implemented by other jurisdictions. He will also be continuing his travels to meet with organizations.
Albertans have until Sept. 22 to respond to the online survey, which comprises three questions that require written responses on diversity and inclusion programming.
Eggen said his department has been swamped with calls regarding his work and he expects a high response from the survey.
“I’ve been given a fair bit of latitude to build this report and the tools we have available to us, both legislative and regulation through each of the ministries that would be affected by this and to put some resources behind it as well. We don’t want a report that just sits on a shelf. We will take immediate action to set direction and precedence to building a more inclusive society,” he said.
Action is also what Benson wants.
“Consultation is only good if we can put some resources and a policy commitment behind it,” he said.