Speech
Opening remarks
by Keith Spicer
Chairman, Canadian Radio-television
and Telecommunications Commission
before the Standing Committee on Human Rights & the Status of Disabled Persons
Ottawa, Ontario
February 9, 1995
(CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY)
Mr. Chairman, I'm pleased to appear before the Committee today to discuss the
CRTC's role in encouraging employment equity within the broadcasting system.
Joining me is our Vice-Chairman of Broadcasting Mr. Fernand Bélisle and the
Secretary General of the Commission, Mr. Allan Darling.
As Members of the Committee will know, the CRTC was created by Parliament in
1968 to supervise and regulate the broadcasting system. In 1976 responsibility
for the regulation of telecommunications carriers was added to the Commission's
jurisdiction. In exercising this mandate, the Commission has a long tradition of
promoting fair, equitable on-air portrayal of all segments of our society. For
example, in 1986 the Commission put in place its policy on gender portrayal,
covering radio and television programming and advertising.
With the CRTC's encouragement, private broadcasters subsequently developed a
self-regulatory industry code. Compliance with the code has been made a condition
of licence for all privately-owned broadcasters. We've also attached a condition
to CBC's licences requiring adherence with the Corporation's internal
gender-portrayal guidelines. The Commission's policy and the industry's code were
most recently amended in 1992, following a thorough public review process.
In terms of employment equity, this responsibility was added to the CRTC's
mandate by the 1991 Broadcasting Act. At the time, the Commission
expressed its concerns about this expanded role, given the CRTC's limited
resources, lack of expertise in the employment equity field, and the potential
for creating overlapping, dual regulation of the industry. The Broadcast industry
was already subject to the jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission and, for
companies with 100 or more employees, the Employment Equity Act
administered by the Ministry of Human Resources Development.
Notwithstanding these concerns, the Commission proceeded to develop its own
employment equity policy through an extensive public consultation process. Staff
also worked with officials of Human Resources Development to avoid duplication
and overlapping. The effectiveness of our policy lies in our ability to ensure
public accountability through our existing licensing process.
The most productive approach rests on a consistent effort to educate and
increase broadcasters' awareness of employment equity matters, but the Commission
intends to be persistent in supervising the implementation of the policy. The
review is done in the context of applications for licence renewal, for a new
licence and for authority to transfer ownership and control.
The main elements of the Commission's approach include:
- a special employment equity questionnaire as a standard part of the CRTC's
licence application;
- the 15 largest corporations are also required to provide data on
representation of the four designated groups in their management;
- undertakings with more than 100 employees, and therefore subject to the
Employment Equity Act, are expected to discuss in detail their formal
employment equity plans and to address the annual score they have been given by
Human Resources Development;
- licensees with under 100 employees, even the smallest, are expected to
outline the steps they are taking to promote employment equity within their
company. They are encouraged to make every effort possible.
- the Commission's decisions on granting or renewing of licences, as well as
those dealing with transfers of ownership or control, now routinely reference
the licensees plans and performance so that a spotlight continues to be turned
on this important issue.
I have available for you copies of our policy statement on Employment Equity
and of the Questionnaire Broadcasters are asked to complete when applying for a
licence renewal.
I should note that the CRTC does not exercise employment equity supervision
for the telecommunications companies under its jurisdiction.
While licensees have responded to our approach in a sincere, cooperative way,
private broadcasters, in particular, have expressed their continuing concerns
about the need for CRTC involvement, given the existing, overlapping mandates of
the Human Rights Commission and Human Resources Development in the area of
employment equity. I understand the Canadian Association of Broadcasters has
requested to appear before you. It may be worthwhile hearing their concerns
directly.
Mr. Chairman, that is a brief overview of the CRTC's efforts todate. I'm sure
Members of the Committee will want to explore this further, so I will end my
remarks at this point to allow as much time as possible for questions.
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Contact:
CRTC Public Affairs
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
Telephone: (819) 997-0313
TDD: (819) 994-0423
Fax: (819) 994-0218 |
