Reports

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Aboriginal People

In the private sector:

Aboriginal people did not benefit substantially from the large number of hiring opportunities in 1999. Their representation was higher than the 0.6 per cent reported in 1987, but at 1.5 per cent was up only slightly from 1.3 per cent in 1998. Their share of hirings, at 1.5 per cent in 1999, was considerably lower than their 2.1 per cent Census availability.

Aboriginal people's representation increased in both the transportation sector, from 1.3 per cent in 1998 to 1.8 per cent in 1999, and in the "other" sector, from 2.0 per cent to 2.4 per cent. This was due to the fact that they received shares of hiring equal to or greater than the Census benchmark in both these sectors.

However no gains were made in the two other sectors, where the representation of Aboriginal people remained unchanged at 1.3 per cent in banking and at 1.1 per cent in communications. In banking their share of hires was 1.1 per cent, as it was in 1998. In the communications sector, Aboriginal people received only 0.8 per cent of all hires, a lower share than the year before.

In the public sector:

The experience of Aboriginal people in the public sector stands in sharp contrast to the private sector. Their representation increased to 3.3 per cent as of March 31, 2000, compared to 2.9 per cent in the previous year. Some of this increase is due to the departure of Revenue Canada, where the representation of Aboriginal people was somewhat lower than the average in the public service. The increase is also due, however, to the fact that Aboriginal people received a share of hirings which, at 3.9 per cent, was considerably higher than the Census benchmark of 2.1 per cent.

The experience of Aboriginal people continues to vary considerably among federal departments and agencies. The Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, where Aboriginal people occupy 28.5 per cent of all positions, employs close to 21 per cent of all Aboriginal employees in the federal public service. As of March 31, 2000, 23 of the 40 departments and agencies with more than 200 employees met the Census benchmark, an increase of four from the previous year.

The share of hirings received by Aboriginal peoples was above the Census benchmark of 2.1 per cent in all occupational categories, and in both indeterminate and term positions. However, because the volume of staffing actions at the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs has a disproportionate impact on these data, the Commission is paying close attention to the hiring goals of other departments and agencies during the course of audits to ensure that Aboriginal people receive equitable treatment across the federal public service.

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