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Q & A W I T H I N D I G E N O U S A D V O C AT E & A C T I V I S T
Michelle Chubb PHOTO CREDIT: GIN OUSKUN
As we celebrate Canada’s diversity, what key aspects of Indigenous culture do you think are crucial for others to understand and appreciate? I think it’s important for others to know what Indigenous people of Canada have endured for us to be here. The Indian Act is a key point of why we are still fighting to have our culture and language surviving today. The cultures and languages are slowly dying because of how the Indian Act impacted us. Our resilience should be celebrated today because we’ve been through a lot and we're still here, thriving.
How has your journey as an Indigenous content creator in Canada shaped your perspective on celebrating Indigenous culture? For me, I see it as a tool to help other Indigenous people to become more comfortable of where they come from and to keep seeking who they are by exploring their cultures more and learning their language. Especially the youth who look up to me as their role model, because of the suicidal epidemics that happen within these communities, they need that hope for their futures and to do something to move the community forward, a better future for Indigenous peoples.
Read the full interview with Michelle Chubb at innovating canada.ca
As you reflect on your journey as an influencer, what achievements or moments are you most proud of in terms of promoting and celebrating Indigenous culture in Canada? Im very proud of all the things I’ve been able to achieve like becoming one of the Top 25 Women of Influence of 2021, interviewed by Teen Vogue, Fashion Canada, and model for national campaigns for Sephora, Bonlook, and Summersalt. All this work also created and shaped who I am today. I wouldn't have been able to speak for a TedxTalk if I was 4 years younger. It’s crazy how my work has impacted so many people, for which I'm very, very grateful and humbled.
ADVANCING INCLUSION:
Charting Canada's Journey Toward a Diverse and Sustainable Workforce Brittany Gataveckas
D Brittany Gataveckas Social Sustainability Manager, UN Global Compact Network Canada
iversity is Canada’s strength” is a phrase that widely appears when governments, businesses, nonprofits, and institutions reflect on our economy and labour market. Statistics Canada demographic figures do not lie: according to the 2021 Census, 23 per cent of the population identify as foreign-born immigrants, Indigenous people account for 5 per cent of the total population, there are more than 450 ethnic or cultural origins represented across the country, 41.2 per cent of people in Canada are bilingual, one in 300 people in Canada over 15 years of age identify as transgender or non-binary, and according to a 2017 survey, 22 per cent of Canadians over 15 years of age report having at least one disability. This diversity is reflected across Canada in our workplaces, public spaces, neighbourhoods, and families.
The business case for inclusivity When it comes to diversity in the workplace, the case for inclusion is no longer up for debate as research continuously proves the benefits. To sum up the key evidence, according to Catalyst, organizations with diverse workforces recruit and retain talent at higher rates, they maximize productivity because people feel happier and more comfortable in workplaces with less discrimination, and they foster greater creativity, innovation, and responsiveness to customer and client demands. Collaborators can process information more critically, solve problems faster, and make better decisions, they have fewer instances of corruption and improved risk-management practices, and they have stronger reputations leading to more robust financial and operational performance. While the evidence is overwhelming, a gap exists when it comes to organizations that are actively working to increase representation of diverse groups for two key reasons: setting ambitious, time-bound representation targets can be intimidating; and, it is daunting, especially for small organizations
lacking resources and support, to try to turn a commitment to greater diversity into tangible action with visible results. While these barriers to progress are legitimate and considerable, they shouldn’t lead to inaction. More than ever, we need organizations in Canada to rise to the challenge by demonstrating leadership in the equity, diversity, and inclusion space.
UN Global Compact Network Canada and the 50 – 30 Challenge The UN Global Compact Network Canada has worked with businesses across Canada that are making progress on building more inclusive workplaces, especially those that have made a strong commitment to improving diverse representation via the 50 – 30 Challenge. The Government of Canada launched the 50 – 30 Challenge to encourage organizations across Canada to increase the representation of women and equity-deserving groups on boards and/or in senior management roles in line with the following targets: gender parity (50 per cent women and/or non-binary people); and significant representation (30 per cent) of equity-deserving groups (racialized people, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ2S+ community, and Indigenous peoples). Any organization in Canada can commit to the 50 – 30 Challenge; with this commitment, your organization becomes eligible for support, services, training, etc. being offered by Ecosystem Partners to help Challenge participants to build more inclusive and equitable workplaces.
Practical steps towards workplace inclusion How are organizations succeeding in increasing diverse representation and inclusion? By starting small, working one step at a time, and scaling efforts. Setting a time-bound representation target to guide your organization’s efforts can ensure accountability and enhance capacity for greater diversity, but without a holistic focus on building an inclusive work
environment and culture, efforts to meet a target will fail. Representation is the end goal; a quantifiable metric based on hiring, retention, and promotion. The real measure of an equitable workplace comes from qualitative indicators of inclusion related to employee well-being, respect, comfort, safety, and freedom from discrimination or undignified work. Adapting a framework such as the United Nations Global Compact Management Model, based on a “commit, assess, define, implement, measure, and communicate” structure to provide strategies for your diversity, equity, and inclusion work can help integrate these efforts into your organizational culture and operations, accelerating the likelihood of success.
Diversity as a cornerstone of corporate sustainability Increasing the representation and inclusion of women and equity-deserving groups is not a fad; it is a fundamental principle of corporate sustainability. When done right, improving equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace should cut across your organization’s sustainability priorities and align with recognized frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Global Compact Network Canada is here to support businesses that are working to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion within their corporate sustainability agenda by using the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact in four key areas: human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. Join the UN Global Compact today to demonstrate corporate leadership and contribute to the movement of organizations building a Canadian labour market free from discrimination, inequity, and systemic barriers of oppression.
To learn more, visit 50-30challenge.ca.
Publisher: Elizabeth Ashfield Business Development Manager: Sarah Ferreira Strategic Account Manager: Olivia Delbello Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Production Lead: Michael Taylor Creative Lead: Kylie Armishaw Content Strategy Manager: Nicole Kansakar Web Editor: Christina Morgan Digital Media Coordinator: Kristen Neals Digital Traffic Strategist: Karm Rathod All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve The National Post or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.