Canada Energy Regulator
A posting for a Technical Specialist, Indigenous Regulatory Oversight role at the Canada Energy Regulator states that selection may be limited based on ethnicity, and invites applicants to self-declare membership in designated employment equity groups.
What happened
The Canada Energy Regulator posted a job for a Technical Specialist, Indigenous Regulatory Oversight position in Calgary, Alberta. Under 'Organizational Needs,' the posting states: 'To support employment equity objectives, diversity and inclusion and to meet business objectives, selection may be limited to a member of an equity seeking group.' This restricts who may be selected for the role based on membership in a demographic category rather than solely on individual qualifications. The posting also states under 'Equity, diversity and inclusion': 'The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the population it serves. We promote employment equity and encourage you to self-declare if you belong to one of the designated employment equity groups when you apply.' This invites applicants to categorize themselves by sex, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation/gender identity as part of the application process. The posting further states the CER is 'proud to be an employer of choice for Indigenous Peoples,' defining this by ethnicity ('First Nation, Inuit, or Métis'), and describes offering coaching, cultural events, and leave specifically tied to this ethnic categorization.
Expected harm
Candidates for this technical specialist position are told that selection may be limited based on ethnicity rather than evaluated purely on demonstrated skills and experience, undermining the principle that people should be judged as individuals on their character and abilities. The self-declaration request asks applicants to sort themselves into demographic categories (sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity) before their qualifications are even considered, reinforcing a system where institutional decisions are shaped by group membership rather than individual merit. Framing an ethnicity, such as being a First Nations, Inuit, or Métis person, as a criterion for organizational belonging or eligibility treats a demographic trait as though it were a qualification, which does not respect the singular worth of each applicant regardless of background.
Supporting quotes
“To support employment equity objectives, diversity and inclusion and to meet business objectives, selection may be limited to a member of an equity seeking group.”
“The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the population it serves. We promote employment equity and encourage you to self-declare if you belong to one of the designated employment equity groups when you apply.”