Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility - Progress Report 2023

ISSN: 2818-1026
Catalogue Number: J76-11E-PDF

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Attorney General of Canada, 2024.

Important to Note: While we have considered the current rules surrounding inclusive writing, we want to acknowledge at the outset that this version is not entirely perfect. The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) is a member of the Interdepartmental Terminology Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), whose mandate is to co-develop and publish a terminology guide on EDI terms and concepts. Inclusive writing is constantly evolving, and we are committed to reviewing the PPSC Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Action Plan to incorporate recommended practices proposed in the guide.

Deepen authentic, respectful, transparent, and accountable relationships

Strengthen PPSC’s EDIA Governance

Focused Activities

• Establish a new PPSC Advancement Centre for EDIA
• Establish National Councils for Employees (e.g., Indigenous, Black, Racialized, Employees Living with a Disability, 2SLGBTQIA+ and women) and support their work
• Establish regional or divisional Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility committees (REDIACs) and support their work
• Finalize and communicate PPSC‘s new EDIA governance structure

Accomplished

• Launched the Advancement Centre for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) in December 2021 and is funded until March 2024.
• Established five (5) National Council for Employees (NCEs):
  • Employees Living with Disabilities;
  • Indigenous Employees;
  • Black Employees;
  • 2SLGBTQIA+ Employees; and,
  • Racialized Employees.
• The ACEDIA hosted meetings with NCEs co-leads to help build a community of practice.
• All eleven (11) regional offices have established EDIA Committees (REDIACs).
• The ACEDIA hosted meetings with REDIAC co-leads to help build a community of practice.

Under development and advancing

• An EDIA Governance Structure was drafted outlining accountabilities.
• Corporate Services Branch is exploring how to establish its own EDIA Committee equivalent to a regional committee.

Promote EDIA learning initiatives

Focused Activities

• Promote religious, secular, and spiritual inclusivity and provide training to Senior Management
• Promote the use of Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) partnership
• Require EDIA training for all new employees to be completed in the first year of employment
• Review and strengthen PPSC’s EDIA learning curriculum including mandatory and optional training for all employees

Accomplished

• Promoted religious, secular and spiritual inclusivity in the following ways:
  • Advancement Centre for EDIA attended CCDI’s “Religious inclusion, a starting point for the workplace”;
  • Five (5) employees were sponsored to attend Encounter World Religions’ (EWR) “Make the Case for Religious Literacy at Work”;
  • Promoted EWR “Demystifying Islam: How to be an Ally to your Muslim Colleagues” within the regions and employees attended;
  • Hosted an EWR customized learning event called “ Religiously Literate Leader” for PPSC’s Senior Management Team and the Supervisors’ Network; and,
  • Marked multiple religious holidays through national emails.
• Annual membership was renewed with CCDI and below are some examples of our usage since 2021:
  • 232 employees registered for webinars;
  • 18 employees attended annual conferences;
  • 21 employees attended Community of Practice meetings;
  • 117 logins to CCDI’s Knowledge Repository;
  • Promotion of CCDI’s Diversity Calendar; and
  • REDIACs have utilised CCDI partnership for office-wide training.
• Supported and promoted PPSC’s new EDIA ebook collection on cloudLibrary in June 2022.
• The number of employees, including new employees, who completed the following mandatory EDIA-related Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) training, since 2021, are:
  • Moving from Bias to Inclusion: 31
  • Overcoming Your Own Unconscious Bias: 780

Under development and advancing

• A review of PPSC’s EDIA learning curriculum is an ongoing activity in collaboration with Human Resources and key stakeholders.

Strengthen resources for an inclusive workplace

Focused Activities

• Explore an in-house Ombuds service
• Promote Healthy Workplace Services
• Promote and provide training on vicarious trauma
• Develop an Accessibility Plan as required by the Accessible Canada Act by December 31, 2022
• Provide disability/accessibility awareness etiquette information to all employees
• Consult and involve a focus group of employees from across the country, as well as the established NCEs, in the creation of a new set of core values for the PPSC
• Provide tools to support the application of GBA Plus Analysis in decision-making
• Explore stay interviews

Accomplished

• Explored an in-house Ombuds service by:
  • Working collaboratively with Human Resources and had three (3) information gathering meetings with Ombuds service providers; and,
  • Explored ways to adjust current Healthy Workplace Services provided by Health Canada.
• Promoted Healthy Workplace Services by:
  • Offering six (6) information sessions opened to all employees since 2021; and,
  • Maintaining an Intranet site of resources.
• Ongoing national messages sent to all employees on mental health from PPSC’s Mental Health and Wellness Committee and Human Resources.
• Promoted and provided training on vicarious trauma by:
  • Offering seven (7) learning opportunities on vicarious trauma since 2021; and,
  • One (1) session was held specifically for employees supporting the EDIA Governance.
• Developed a National Accessibility Plan 2022-2025 and published it internally and externally.
• Provided disability/accessibility awareness etiquette information to all employees in some of the following ways and in collaboration with the National Council for Employees (NCE) living with disabilities:
  • Hosted a national panel discussion in December 2021;
  • In collaboration with the Ontario Regional Office REDIAC, hosted a national event titled ‘Is Justice Really Blind’, led by Richard Bernstein, a Michigan Supreme Court Justice who identifies as being blind, in June 2022;
  • Hosted a national bilingual event, led by two employees living with a disability, to promote the use of the GC Accessibility Passport, in November 2022;
  • Created and shared daily communiques and activities during National AccessAbility Week 2022; and,
  • Launched a first-ever Accessibility Survey and published results.
• New PPSC values, influenced by NCEs and our National Indigenous Council of Employees (N.I.C.E), were approved, published, and promoted.

Under development and advancing

• A new guide to assist employees, managers and supervisors in incorporating GBA Plus Analysis in their projects and decision-making practices.
• Mini workshops on how to support integration of GBA Plus consideration in policies, processes and decision-making.
• A review of exit interviews to explore possible approaches to stay interviews.

Strengthen EDIA Communications

Focused Activities

• Continue to commemorate important events, dates, and persons nationally and support regional communiques
• Support the implementation of inclusive language guidelines
• Continue to embed EDIA vision and tone into organizational messages
• Create an EDIA communications plan

Accomplished

• Commemorated and acknowledged important events, dates and persons and supported and shared regional communiques. Some examples are:
  • Asian Heritage Month
  • Autism Awareness Month
  • Black History Month
  • Buffalo Mass Shooting
  • Colorado Springs 2SLGBTQIA+ Shootings
  • Emancipation Day
  • Every Child Matters
  • Holocaust Memorial Day
  • Indigenous History Month
  • International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
  • International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination
  • International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
  • International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  • International Holocaust Remembrance Day
  • Jewish Heritage Month
  • Juneteenth
  • Lebret Indian Residential School Announcements
  • Linguistic Duality Day
  • London, Ontario’s Muslim Family Tragedy
  • Lunar New year
  • National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
  • National AccessAbility Week
  • National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack
  • National Ribbon Skirt Day
  • Nunavut Day
  • Mental Health Month
  • Polytechnique Massacre
  • Pride Season
  • Public Service Pride Week
  • Queen Elizabeth’s Passing and its Impact on our Indigenous employees
  • Red Dress Day
  • Transgender Day of Remembrance
  • Women’s History Month
• Supported the use of inclusive language in some of the following ways:
  • Contributed to the development of a new Government of Canada “Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology”;
  • Promoted the new guide now available through the Language Portal of Canada;
  • The GBA Plus Responsibility Centre (RC) routinely provides guidance and advice on inclusive language and best practices as part of all GBA Plus-related consultations;
  • The GBA Plus RC and the Advancement Centre for EDIA participated in the Pan-Canadian Terminology Committee’s 4th Annual Conference, “Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Why Terminology Matters”; and,
  • Hosted “Language Matters: Embedding Inclusive Language in the Workplace” for our Senior Management Team and the Supervisors’ Network.
• Influenced national communiques to ensure messages were connected to our EDIA Action Plan, overall vision and tone. Some examples were:
  • New Leadership Appointments;
  • Official Languages Day;
  • Leave for Religious Observances;
  • Our People Strategy;
  • Public Service Employee Survey 2022-2023;
  • Director’s Happy Holiday message in multiple Indigenous languages;
  • The Official Languages Action Plan 2022-2025; and,
  • Changes to the Deskbook, guideline 2.3, Decision to prosecute.

Under development and advancing

• An EDIA Communications Plan is in development.

Hold leaders accountable for implementing the organization’s EDIA vision and being role models

Focused Activities

• Integrate stronger EDIA commitments in managers and supervisors’ performance agreements
• Develop regional/divisional strategies, in collaboration with REDIACs that support the PPSC EDIA Action Plan
• Implement and promote a safe process by which employees can provide feedback to their managers and supervisors during yearly performance reviews

Accomplished

• Integrated stronger EDIA corporate commitments for managers in EX/LC positions for 2022-2023.
• PPSC’s Designated Senior Official for Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (SOEEDI) participated on the EX/LC Annual Performance Review Committee for the first time in 2022.
• The Alberta Regional Office added the following work objectives into every Counsel’s performance management agreement for 2022-2023:
  • Review files early for referrals to Edmonton Indigenous Court, Drug Treatment Court, Restorative Justice Pilot Project, or Mental Health Court;
  • Apply statutory considerations to prosecutorial decision making, including from the Criminal Code s. 718.2 for sentencing, and s. 515(1) for bail, s. 493.1 on “Aboriginal accused or vulnerable populations”;
  • Apply PPSC Deskbook policies, including Guideline 3.18 para 2.1; and,
  • Apply regional policies, such as the Prioritization Policy, when reviewing public interest to proceed and identifying files for withdrawal or stay, and/or determining appropriate sentence position.
• Launched the Our People Strategy 2022-2025. EDIA priorities are embedded and are meant to inform managers’ and supervisors’ people management decisions.
• Ongoing effort between Leaders and Regional EDIA Committees to work on regional EDIA initiatives and strategies. Some examples are:
  • The Alberta Regional Office:
    • Supported training on Managing Micro-aggressions (CCDI);
    • Hosted a conversation with Les Escobar (Federal Speakers Forum) on diversity and inclusion;
    • Supported training on “How to be an Ally to Racialized People” (CCDI); and,
    • Organized a Boyle Street Community Services education series.
  • The Ontario Regional Office:
    • Named a Languages Champion;
    • Supported Counsels who wanted to maintain their French skills, by assigning them as Co-Counsels on French trials and appeals; and,
    • Developed a list of training for articling students to take on the advice of their Regional EDIA Committee.
  • The Quebec Regional Office:
    • Hosted a conversation with Michel Mpambara who immigrated to Québec with his family in 1990 from Burundi. As a spokesperson for Bell Let’s Talk Day, he talked about an African’s man’s struggle to adopt the North American way of life;
    • Continues to work on updating their mentoring program; and
    • Ensures assessment boards include someone from their Regional EDIA Committee.
  • The British Columbia Regional Office:
    • Supported Trauma Informed Engagement training by Myrna McCallum, founding lawyer of Miyo Pimatisiwin Legal Services in North Vancouver, British Columbia;
    • Reviewed a long-term plan, proposed by the Regional EDIA Committee, to enhance their built environments to ensure better accessibility; and
    • Conducted new and targeted staffing approaches for a few positions with positive outcomes.
  • The Atlantic Regional Office:
    • Engaged the Regional EDIA Committee Chair, who was instrumental in a successful targeted hiring process; and,
    • Agreed to pilot a departmental articling program.
  • The Northwest Territories Office:
    • Hosted, by the Regional EDIA Committee, an event focused on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and Canada’s history of colonialism;
    • Ensures all LP employees engage in specific training on the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada as required by the Law Society of the Northwest Territories; and,
    • Collaborates with Human Resources to develop specific strategies in the hiring, retention and promotion of Indigenous employees.
  • The Yukon Regional Office:
    • Regularly provides funding to the Regional EDIA Committee to support their work;
    • Requires all new employees to take the Yukon University’s course titled: Yukon First Nations 101 (YFN 001); and,
    • Has a representative sitting on the:
      • Yukon Gladue Management Committee;
      • Yukon Integrated Restorative Justice Committee; and,
      • Yukon Therapeutic Courts Management Committee.
  • The Nunavut Regional Office:
    • Established an Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) committee that has created IQ boards updated regularly. One board is focused on Inuktitut language and expressions, and one is focused on Inuit culture and history;
    • Continued collaboration with Human Resources and Communications on a Northern Recruitment Strategy; and,
    • Supports employees who wish to take lessons in Inuktitut.
  • The Saskatchewan Regional Office:
    • Promoted two (2) specific National Film Board of Canada films:
      • Mary Two-Axe Earley: I am Indian Again for National Indigenous History Month; and,
      • Someone Like Me for Pride Month.
    • Regional Chief Federal Prosecutor, co-Led the revision of PPSC’s New Mission Statement and Values, including strong EDIA commitments; and,
    • Participated in local court and Indigenous community meetings and influenced a new directive on smudging for the Provincial court.
  • The Manitoba Regional Office:
    • Involved Indigenous employees in outreach activities and strategies to optimize attracting new employees for upcoming staffing process; and,
    • Ensured high-level work assignments were provided to support career development of talented equity group employees.
  • The National Capital Regional Office:
    • The Regional EDIA Committee facilitated a conversation around Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon as part of their book club;
    • Collaborated with the N.I.C.E to enrich their assessment board for several positions for the Kenora office; and,
    • Embedded an EDIA-related question into all staffing assessment processes.

Under development and advancing

• Human Resources and the Advancement Centre for EDIA are collaborating on establishing common EDIA work objectives for managers’ and supervisors’ performance agreements.
• The Advancement Centre for EDIA is gathering information on how other Government of Canada organizations have implemented a safe process for employees to provided feedback to their managers and supervisors.

Intentionally promote, recruit, and retain employees to reflect diverse perspectives

Integrate EDIA into talent development, performance management, advancement, retention, and recruitment strategies

Focused Activities

• Review practices and processes related to development, performance management, advancement, retention, and recruitment to remove systemic barriers. Conduct an Employment Systems Review
• Require assessment boards to be diverse beyond gender binary representation and include at least two members from an equity groups
• Require mandatory unconscious bias training (e.g., CSPS W006, CSPS H205) for all sub-delegated managers and assessment board members
• Host Learning Labs (LL) for sub-delegated managers to discuss inclusive hiring requirements and build confidence
• Communicate and support the use of flexible staffing mechanisms to maximize access to employment opportunities for equity-seeking groups
• Evaluate and promote priority access to second official language training for members of equity groups at all classification levels
• Contribute to the work surrounding the Indigenous Languages Act and initiatives that support the recognition of the use of these languages by our employees in the work they perform
• Develop national guidelines to support fair and equitable work assignments and career development opportunities
• Invest more in language training to ensure that OL requirements are not a barrier to equity group members and their promotional and hiring opportunities

Accomplished

• Reviewing our policies, practices and procedures for barriers is an ongoing activity. Examples of our efforts include:
  • Responding to outcomes of a Canadian Human Rights Commission audit, the Advancement Centre for EDIA conducted an Employment Systems Review to identify barriers that might prevent Racialized employees from accessing executive level positions;
  • PPSC Survey: Employees Living with a Disability Accessibility Survey, launched May 2022, explored barriers for our employees living with disabilities;
  • PPSC Survey: Understanding and Supporting our 2SLGBTQIA+ Employees, launched in October 2022, focused on barriers to being out in our workplace;
  • Researching and analyzing our practices in order to respond to the Many Voices Once Mind: A Pathway to Reconciliation Scorecard exercise;
  • Conducted a mandatory Public Service Commission Cyclical Staffing Assessment in 2021; and,
  • Analyzed a sample of Staffing files from 2021-2022 as part of an annual oversight exercise. This monitoring effort helps the PPSC to identify barriers and course correct.
• Given our unique mandate, recruitment and retention remains challenging for some equity-deserving groups. The recent review and update of the PPSC Deskbook guidelines, like 2.3 Decision to Prosecute, should help to make the PPSC more appealing for equity-deserving individuals: strengthening recruitment and retention as we deliver our core mandate in new and different ways.
• The Advancement Centre for EDIA reviews internal and external initiatives, templates and approaches for systemic barriers. Some examples of this work includes:
  • PPSC’s Employee and Managers’ Onboarding Guides;
  • Call of Interest template;
  • Corrective Actions – Amendments to the Public Service Employment Act;
  • Candidate Feedback Survey;
  • Canada School of Public Service’s Inclusive Hiring Practices for a Diverse Workforce (COR120);
  • Staffing Process Launch Meeting template;
  • Guide on Biases and Barriers in Assessments;
  • Staffing Advertisements templates;
  • Public Service Commission Appointment Policy and Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument;
  • Staffing Board Member Manuel;
  • Public Service Commission’s Initiatives Supporting Diversity and Inclusion in Student Employment Fairness Review Checklist; and,
  • Letter of Offer Annex.
• The use of Diverse Assessment Boards, in advertised appointments, is being tracked in our staffing log. Since 2021, 25% of our advertised processes, involved a diverse assessment board.
• The use of more diverse boards is being reported in regions like Nunavut, Ontario Regional Office, National Capital Regional Office and the Alberta Regional Office.
• The Assessment Committee Attestation Form (Annex A) has been revised and strengthened to capture more details of our board members and their personal identity factors.
• All pre-existing sub-delegated managers completed the required training:
  • Overcoming Your Own Unconscious Biases (CSPS N106); and,
  • Inclusive Hiring Practices for a Diverse Workforce (CSPS COR120).
• All new managers will have three months from their appointment to complete to above mentioned training.
• All Character Leadership Board Members are asked to complete
  • Moving from Bias to Inclusion (INC123); and,
  • The Harvard Implicit Bias Tests.
• The first Learning Lab (LL), titled “Intentionally Diversifying our Workforce”, was piloted with the sub-delegated managers of the Alberta Regional Office and the Ontario Regional Office. Adjustments have been made to the LL based on feedback. LLs are meant to provide an opportunity to discuss key messages from COR120 and targeted diversity recruitment and retention. LLs will be delivered to all sub-delegated managers.
• During initial meetings with hiring managers, called Process Launch Meetings, advisors discuss flexible staffing mechanisms to maximize access to employment opportunities for equity-seeking groups. One example is the use of targeted recruitment inventories that are easily accessible to managers through the Manager’s HR SharePoint site.
• Our Official Languages (OL) Action Plan 2022-2025 identifies evaluating and promoting priority access to second official language training for members of equity-seeking groups at all classification levels.
• Ongoing promotion of PPSC’s Official Languages Learning Boot Camp. 111 employees have registered for this learning opportunity since 2021.
• To recognize the use of Indigenous languages by some of our employees, various communications were translated and distributed in Inuktitut (roman and syllabics) and in Inuinnaqtun. Some examples are:
  • PPSC’s EDIA Action Plan 2021-2024;
  • Languages Day 2022;
  • DPP’s Announcement of the new DCFP of the Nunavut Region;
  • DPP’s holiday message sent to all employees;
  • DPP’s Announcement of our National Accessibility Plan 2022-2025; and,
  • Most emails sent from the Advancement Centre for EDIA references the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 14.i., which states “Our Aboriginal languages are a fundamental and valued element of Canadian culture and society, and there is an urgency to preserve them.”
• Through its ongoing participation between the Working group on Indigenous Languages in Nunavut and the Joint Committee on Indigenous Language between Treasury Board and the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the PPSC continues to be a voice in recognizing the use of Indigenous Languages in the Public Service. While the objective of the Working group on Indigenous Languages in Nunavut has not yet been met due to many competing priorities, the working group is working to revitalize its work as the capacity of the group is increased. The focus will be engaging in a total compensation study. In respect to the Joint Committee on Indigenous Language, a final joint report was written which represented the first inquiry into the scale and scope of the use of Indigenous languages in 24 federal public service organizations for the Program and Administrative Service (PA), Education and Library Services (EB) occupational groups and Parks Canada Bargaining Unit Members. The findings, while limited, provide a first-ever insight into the use of Indigenous languages in the federal public service.
• At the request of the former National Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Internal Audit and Evaluation Services studied the LP community and work assignment. 106 Counsels were consulted.

Under development and advancing

• The Staffing Board Member Manual is currently being reviewed to:
  • integrate the requirement of assessment boards to be diverse; and,
  • include the requirement to complete CSPS COR120.
• The Advancement Centre for EDIA is collaborating with the Internal Audit team to finalize recommendations based on the results of the LP community work assignment study.
• Regions continue to assess and forecast their Official Languages needs and are conscious that language training may be a barrier to equity group members.
• Several stakeholders are exploring how to recognize employees who use Indigenous languages, in our workplaces, to conduct our core business particularly in our Northern Regions.

Establish promotion, recruitment, and retention targets for equity groups at all classification levels

Focused Activities

• Continue to diversify PPSC’s leadership, beyond gender binary, ensuring multiple identity factors are considered
• Promote diversity targeted staffing processes to meet core business goals and legal obligations
• Raise awareness and promote the use of PPSC’s Workforce Analysis, all Calls to Action around EDIA and other data sources
• Explore implementation of national equity, diversity, and inclusion mentorship/sponsorship/leadership development initiatives (e.g., Mentorship Plus, Mosaic, etc.)
• Establish a pilot project in at least two regions to explore a departmental articling program (CFP/DCFP)
• Explore and share best practices to recruit and retain Persons with Disabilities
• Develop and implement tools to support national and regional outreach to colleges, schools, professional associations, community-based associations

Accomplished

• Since 2021, there have been 15 appointments to EX and LC positions. During appointments, various personal identity factors were considered including gender, Persons living with a disability, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and Racialized persons.
• During Process Launch Meetings, Staffing Advisors discuss targeted staffing with hiring managers and ask multiple questions like “Can I use this staffing action to:
  • Diversify my workforce;
  • Meet PPSC’s target to hire Persons living with a disability; and,
  • Meet the objectives of the Privy Council’s Office’s Calls to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service?”
• As per the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Preference, Nunavut Inuit are given preference for all jobs during external processes. In addition, PPSC’s Inuit Employment Plan (2019 – 2023), commits us to hire only Inuit employees for positions located in Nunavut, with the exception of prosecutors.
• The 2021 Budget included funding to respond to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Calls to Justice. A Northern Recruitment Strategy has been developed and implemented. Its goal is to increase human resources capacity in the northern regional offices and helps us meet our commitments of:
  • Reducing delays;
  • Minimizing trauma; and,
  • Building stronger relationships with these victims and witnesses.
• The Call Letter for the 2023-2024 Human Resources Planning exercise linked this work to the EDIA Action Plan. Data gathered, from this exercise, will be used to identify diversity targeting staffing goals.
• The Advancement Centre for EDIA mapped the PPSC’s EDIA Action Plan to the Privy Council’s Office’s Calls to Action and the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions’ relevant Calls to Action. This mapping was published internally and externally and clearly outlines how our EDIA Action Plan will help address the Calls to Action.
• The Advancement Centre for EDIA has embedded Census Data and other data dashboards (e.g., Public Service Commission) on its iNet page under the tab “Plans, Reports and Audits”.
• The Advancement Centre for EDIA has shared key data with our EDIA stakeholders that included reports like:
  • Public Service Commission’s Annual Report 2021-2022: Building tomorrow’s public service today; and,
  • Employment Equity Promotion Rate Study (2022).
• Advancement Centre for EDIA drafted a Sponsorship Program framework modeled after Treasury Board Secretariat’s Centre for Inclusion and Diversity’s (CDI) Mentorship Plus initiative. The Sponsorship Program aims to develop Employment Equity and equity-seeking employees to become executives (EX). The framework has been submitted to Human Resources.
• The PPSC promoted the CDI’s Mosaic Leadership Development program.
• The Internal Audit and Evaluation Division reviewed PPSC’s Articling Student recruitment practices and related costs. Their review included EDIA considerations. Findings were communicated to the Senior Management Team in January 2023.
• That Alberta and Atlantic Regional Offices have agreed to explore a pilot PPSC departmental articling program.
• The Advancement Centre for EDIA’s Accessibility Officer has ongoing conversations with managers and employee about recruitment and retention of Persons with Disabilities. More then 50 files were opened and managed by the Accessibility Officer.
• Outreach and tool development varies across Regions. As well, there are well established relationships between the PPSC with some universities and bar associations (e.g., Ontario and Quebec).
• As part of the Northern Recruitment Strategy, unique approaches to recruitment have been taken already like:
  • Participating as an exhibitor in the Nunavut Career Fair and Training Expo in Iqaluit;
  • Attending the Yellowknife Career Fair and Training Expo; and
  • Announcing our attendance at Training Expos on various social media platforms.

Under development and advancing

• Collaborating with HR to support greater use of our Workforce Analysis data by our Staffing Advisors.

Build trust and strengthen self-identification

Focused Activities

• Continue to follow and contribute to TBS’s initiative to modernize the self-identification process and ideology
• Integrate employee-centric self-identification messages throughout organizational communications
• Launch a self-identification campaign

Accomplished

• PPSC established a small working group to follow Treasury Board Secretariat’s (TBS) progress on centralizing and strengthening the self-identification process.
• Feedback provided to TBS on:
  • the new questionnaire;
  • Self-Identification guides;
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs);
  • Various communication tools; and,
  • Surveys on how self-identification is managed currently in our organization.
• Key employee messages around self-identification, developed by TBS, was shared with the Co-Leads of our NCEs/N.I.C.E and our Regional EDIA Committees.
• While the PPSC waited for TBS’s official Self-Identification launch, our Letter of Offer (LOO) Annex was improved by strengthening the sections on:
  • Self-identification (i.e., “Be Yourself!”); and,
  • Accommodation (i.e., “How Can we Help You?”).

Under development and advancing

• Adjustments to this LOO Annex will be made with links to TBS’s application portal once the new Self-Identification form is available.
• Advertisements are being reviewed and updated to ensure inclusion is at the forefront of our recruitment and self-declaration is promoted during staffing processes.
• Areas where self-identification is mentioned, are being reviewed such as:
  • Onboarding documentation;
  • Human Resources tools; and,
  • iNet.

Integrate an intersectional lens in our prosecutorial work

Review PPSC’s prosecutorial policies and practices

Focused Activities

• Ensure that all identified employees have completed the mandatory training: Expanding our Mindsets – Applying an Intersectional Lens to Prosecutorial Work (A GBA Plus Approach)
• Engage in the first phase of the PPSC Deskbook review through an intersectionality lens
• Implement the revised PPSC Deskbook chapters through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRCC) and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) lenses (TRC Calls to Action # 57)
• Ensure that PPSC’ policies and prosecution guidelines are reviewed to reflect concrete measures in addressing the overrepresentation of racialized persons and systemic discrimination in the criminal justice system
• Complete a scan of national and provincial justice sector report recommendations that focus on systemic discrimination and anti-racism to identify recommendations for action that are linked to the PPSC mandate
• Engage in the first phase of the review our Report to Crown Counsel Guidelines using an intersectionality lens

Accomplished

• Since the launch of “Expanding our Mindsets – Applying an intersectionality Lens to Prosecutorial Work” in 2021, the following has been achieved:
  • the GBA Plus Responsibility Centre (RC) has delivered 24 training sessions for prosecutors. As of March 31, 2023, 76% of all PPSC prosecutors have completed the training;
  • the Advancement Centre for EDIA has supported the RC in providing the training sessions;
  • the training has been adapted to support the learning needs of the paralegal community; and,
  • 84% of paralegals have completed the training as of March 31, 2023.
• The GBA Plus RC coordinates all registration, monitors progress and collaborates with the regions to help ensure all prosecutors and paralegals are able to complete the training.
• In 2022-2023, the Executive Committee mandated the National Prosecution Policy Committee (NPPC) to perform the first phase of its intersectional review of the Deskbook. The NPPC completed its review of four (4) guidelines and submitted modifications to the Executive Council for their approval:
  • Chapter 2.2 – Duties and responsibilities of Crown Counsel
  • Chapter 2.3 – Decision to prosecute
  • Chapter 3.7 – Resolution discussions
  • Chapter 3.8 – Alternative measures
• In addition, based on recommendations from the Indigenous Justice and Reconciliation Committee (IJRC), the NPPC presented proposed changes to the DPP that were published in January 2022:
  • Chapter 5.5 – Domestic violence; and
  • Chapter 6.1 – Drug Treatment Courts.
• The NPPC is currently working on the next phase of its intersectional review of the Deskbook by:
  • Reviewing chapter 3.18 – Judicial Interim release; and
  • Participating to the creation of a new chapter on sentencing.
• Deskbook Guideline 2.3: Decision to Prosecute has been significantly updated and promoted widely as of February 2023.
• To date, the Advancement Centre for EDIA and the GBA Plus RC have reviewed and provided advice on four (4) Deskbook Guidelines.
• The NPPC and Deputy Directors of Public Prosecutions hosted a full day conference on "Canada’s Bail System: What is Not Working and How Can Prosecutors Make it Better”.
• The Manitoba Regional Office (MRO) is working closely with First Nations and the police, in Northern Manitoba, to enhance community safety. The MRO is developing a pilot program that will allow the PPSC to prosecute safety bylaws under the Indian Act. The MRO is committed to using restorative justice initiatives. By doing so, the PPSC will strengthen the responsiveness of the justice system and hopes to disrupt the harmful effects of intoxicants on First Nations residents, particularly those in isolated communities.
• The Ontario Regional Office produced a Pretext Stop Report based on their analysis of over 200 closed prosecution files between January 1, 2018 and December 6, 2021. The purpose of the review was to better understand how such stops arise and to assess the PPSC’s approach to addressing over representation in the criminal justice system. Findings were presented to Executive Committee in January 2023.
• The British Columbia Regional Office has created a restorative justice pilot project. Files are reviewed with the consideration of restorative justice and alternative courts are considered on every file, particularly files involving Indigenous Peoples, Black and other Racialized Persons. This work includes a significant amount of relationship building with Indigenous Justice Programs. The British Columbia Regional Office has also just convened a committee to consider the optimization and revitalization of our alternative courts so that they can be better used.
• Meeting held in February 2023 between the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Deputy Directors of Public Prosecutions, the Senior Designated Official for Employment Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and five (5) Muslim Leaders. The objective was to explore ways the PPSC can contribute to a reduction of Islamophobia: biases, stereotypes or prejudices that are based upon an incorrect association of the Muslim community with terrorism offences.
• In response to the findings published by the British Columbia Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, the PPSC sought to evaluate the downstream effects of racial disparities in policing in the work of prosecutors. The British Columbia Regional Office analyzed the impact of racial disparities in policing on PPSC British Columbia’s operations, decision-making, and the resulting effects on the criminal justice system. In addition to investigating the downstream effects of racial disparities in policing, the project sought to address broader questions about the role that the British Columbia Regional Office plays in addressing the racial disparities present in British Columbia’s criminal justice system. The report’s findings are significant for positive change within the PPSC and will prompt further research and consultation. Findings were presented to Executive Committee in January 2023.
• The NCE for Black employees, the Ontario Regional Office’s Regional EDIA Committee in collaboration with the Advancement Centre for EDIA, hosted a learning event on “Bias, Discretion and Race-Based Data Collection” in February 2023.
• The Quebec Regional Office offered a learning event titled « Le profilage et la surreprésentation des personnes marginalisées dans le système de justice criminelle » in February 2023.

Under development and advancing

• Ongoing work by the NPPC to make changes to the Deskbook chapters is influenced by scanning other justice sectors and their recommendations around addressing systemic discrimination and anti-racism.

Note: No activity has begun, to date, to review our Report to Crown Counsel Guidelines using an intersectionality lens.

Integrate EDIA principles to training and curriculum at the PPSC’s School for Prosecutors

Focused Activities

• Co-develop equity, diversity, and inclusion training at both levels of the PPSC’s School for Prosecutors
• Develop transparent criteria on recruitment of faculty members and instructors for the School for Prosecutors to ensure diverse perspectives

Under development and advancing

• Headquarters Counsel Group has created a new full-day curriculum within the School for Prosecutors that covers the decision to prosecute, bail, and sentencing, through the lens of the newly revised Guideline 2.3 of the PPSC Deskbook.
• Develop transparent criteria on recruitment of faculty members and instructors for the School for Prosecutors to ensure diverse perspectives.

Support PPSC’s response to the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into MMIWG

Focused Activities

• Create a customized TRC and MMIWG training curriculum focusing on Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit and Métis realities (TRC Calls to Action #57)
• Support the development of PPSC’s engagement strategies plan focusing on the Northern Indigenous communities

Accomplished

• Mandatory, customized training on the “Historical and Present Indigenous Realities, Trauma and Gladue Reports” was developed in consultation with the Indigenous Justice and Reconciliation Committee and National Indigenous Council for Employees. The delivery started in December 2022. To date, approximately 100 employees have completed this learning series.
• As part of the PPSC’s response to the MMIWG Calls for Justice, the Northwest Territory Regional Office created a Specialized Sexual Violence Prosecution Team (SSVPT) in April 2022. The SSVPT responsibilities include reviewing and improving PPSC practices and policies related to sexual violence investigations and prosecutions with the objectives of adopting trauma-informed and culturally competent approaches and promoting legal and advocacy excellence.

Under development and advancing

• The Nunavut Regional Office is creating Inuit paralegals positions to represent the PPSC in the Nunavut Court of Justice. These positions will assist the Justice of the Peace Court and in summary conviction matters. The positions will be at three (3) different levels: junior court workers, Inuit court workers (working level), and senior court workers.  The Court Worker Program responds to a number of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice. There are three positions and the training has begun for two employees in the junior court worker positions. A third one joined the team in March 2023.
• The Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Team (IQT) created permanent space within the Nunavut Regional Office to apply Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit traditional values and behaviours) while assessing the decision to prosecute and during the prosecution of a file. As part of this project, a set of considerations and criteria for prosecutors was established by the IQT. If the reviewing prosecutor concludes that IQ should be actively engaged, they then seek approval to move it on to the IQT. The PPSC will retain, in every community in Nunavut, elders and interpreters to assist with the consultation. The project has started with a pilot in two communities.

Engage and collaborate with investigative agencies and other stakeholders to address systemic discrimination of equity groups and the overrepresentation of racialized persons in the criminal justice system

Focused activities

• Promote intersectionality lenses to prosecutorial training outside the PPSC and influence a larger cultural change in the criminal justice system

Under development and advancing

• Many examples already provided in this progress report show that PPSC engaged concretely with different stakeholders to influence actions addressing systemic discriminations of equity groups and their overrepresentation in the criminal justice system.

Note: No activity has begun, to date, to specifically promote intersectionality lenses to prosecutorial training outside the PPSC.

Date modified:

2024-02-28