Conservative MP launches task force targeting federal DEI policies
'When I say liberal racism, I'm trying to remind people that 50 years ago, when they wouldn't hire a person because of their skin colour, and we look back at that and say that was wrong, that's still happening today, and it's still wrong,' Jamil Jivani told Rebel News.
Conservative MP Jamil Jivani says federal diversity, equity and inclusion policies have created a system where Canadians are increasingly judged by identity rather than ability, and he's launching a parliamentary task force to challenge it.
Speaking with Rebel News in Ottawa, Jivani said what he calls "liberal racism" is simply "the same kind of ancient racism, bigotry, prejudice and discrimination that most people think of when they think of racism," except it is now "often dressed up as a progressive idea."
"When I say liberal racism, I'm trying to remind people that 50 years ago, when they wouldn't hire a person because of their skin colour, and we look back at that and say that was wrong, that's still happening today, and it's still wrong," he said.
Jivani pointed to federal responses to Conservative Order Paper questions on DEI hiring practices, saying multiple departments admitted they do not always hire the most qualified candidate.
"They say they do not hire based on most qualified candidate. That is a phrase they use in their response to us," said Jivani. "They also show a series of diversity targets based on race and quotas."
According to Jivani, some departments are tracking employees by race and identity categories in ways Canadians would find troubling.
"The Department of Justice admitted to assigning their employees special codes based on race so they could track where they are in the organization in terms of promotions," he said. "It's a real creepy desire to control other people and to decide, based on a very superficial assessment of another human being, what kind of job you should have or how far you should get in your career."
To address the issue, Jivani has assembled a parliamentary task force made up of Conservative MPs that will hear from expert witnesses and examine legislative reforms, including potential changes to the Employment Equity Act.
"The goal is to start to map out what would it look like to actually change this," he said. "What would it look like to restore meritocracy in Canada and meritocracy in the federal government?"
Jivani also argued Canada's immigration system has become unmanageable and said current levels are hurting young Canadians trying to enter the workforce.
"We need drastically lower numbers," he said. "The immigration system needs significant changes. It's rotten at the moment."
Jivani was equally critical of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, saying young Canadians are losing opportunities to gain the work experience that helps build long-term careers.
"The demand to reform the program comes from the belief that Canadian kids weren't getting the opportunities that they need," he said. "It's a very serious issue."
He also defended a petition he is sponsoring calling for an end to federally recognized heritage months and commemorative celebrations, arguing that the government should place greater emphasis on a shared national identity.
"We need to be able to invest in the things that make us the same, not the things that make us different," said Jivani. "The purpose of government is to actually have a unified vision for the country."
Jivani linked these issues to what he sees as a broader tendency within the Liberal government to manage public opinion and control information.
"Here in Ottawa, there's a palpable smugness among the Liberals. They really do think they're better than most other people," he said. "Until we elect a new government that wants to dismantle this desire to control others, we're going to keep fighting it and running into it."
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.
https://mybook.to/sheilaFeatured Stories
