Report shows discrimination in job market

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A new study released by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation reports that hidden discrimination and "polite racism" prevent First Nations people from gaining equal access to jobs.

The study, Unequal Access: A Canadian Profile of Racial Differences in Education, Employment and Income written by Jean Lock Kunz, Anne Milan, and Sylvia Schetagne from the Canadian Council on Social Development, is based on recent statistics and focus group discussions with visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples across Canada.

"Clearly the talents of Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities are being under-utilized or wasted as a result of systemic discrimination," said Dr. Kunz. "This is not good for the productivity of the Canadian economy and the cohesion of our society."

On the West Coast of Vancouver Island, First Nations account for more than 3.5 per cent of the total population, higher than the B.C. average of 2.5 per cent, yet few Nuu-chah-nulth people are employed in Port Alberni, Tofino, Ucluelet, and Gold River, except in the offices of First Nations governments or First Nation's businesses.

"Out of all the people here who live in Tsaxana, a Mowachaht / Muchalaht community on the outskirts of Gold River, I'm one of only five Native people who has ever worked in the town of Gold River," said Colleen Jack. "Even though we're a very important part of Gold River as a whole, there's something happening in the non-Native business community that seems to prevent us from getting jobs outside those we create for ourselves."

The study reveals that despite higher levels of education attained by visible minorities compared to that of white Canadians, they still suffer from lower levels of employment and income. The study also found that Aboriginal people, visible minorities and immigrants to Canada have more difficulty than others in finding employment in all regions of Canada.