5 Conclusions and Recommendations

5.1 Conclusions

5.1.1 Relevance

The evaluation found that ARADS’ activities are highly relevant and closely aligned with government priorities as well as departmental roles and responsibilities relating to anti-racism, diversity and inclusion. ARADS is aligned with the Clerk of the Privy Council’s Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service. ARADS and its activities are also mostly perceived to be relevant as they reflect the increased focus on EDI-related topics within the Government of Canada as well as society at large over the last few years.

The context within which ARADS operates is evolving. Some trends support the ongoing relevance of ARADS, although others suggest that there are trends that may decrease its relevance. Some key trends that may affect ARADS future relevance include a societal shift away from anti-racism and equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts both in Canada and globally. However, some institutional commitments such as the modernization of the Employment Equity Act and upcoming anti-racism plans, could bolster ARADS’ role. Reports like the Dr. Zellars report and heightened expectations from equity-seeking groups for data and engagement are also influencing ARADS’ direction. Furthermore, the EDI landscape is broadening to include issues such as ethno-religious conflicts and religious minority inclusion. This expanded focus is already shaping ARADS’ work and may further influence its future relevance.

5.1.2 Design and Delivery

The evaluation found that ARADS was implemented as planned and has actively delivered several activities aligned with its Results Framework. The Results Framework was created as an important early output of ARADS to guide its efforts on anti-racism and anti-discrimination in the Department. ARADS was established without permanent funding and many positions were staffed via assignments from other parts of the Department. Since its implementation in November 2020, ARADS’ activities and role have expanded and evolved to respond to new expectations and demands. ARADS has taken on numerous initiatives and become a central hub for EDI within Justice Canada. This presented challenges for ARADS, and the current scale of activities and demand placed on ARADS increased pressure on its resources.

Increased coordination, communication and collaboration are used to manage ongoing relationships between ARADS and other areas within Justice Canada, particularly as it relates to activities of the HR Branch and the equity-seeking and diversity advisory committees. However, there are misunderstandings of ARADS’ role and responsibilities in multiple contexts. More work is needed to define and communicate the role of ARADS both within ARADS and within Justice Canada to reduce misunderstandings and better support their work.

ARADS’ activities and themes of representation, career development, training and culture change, and accountability, as well as ARADS’ approach to carry out its work are similar to other comparable initiatives across the Government of Canada. Additionally, ARADS incorporates many of the best practices/promising approaches for addressing racism, discrimination, equity and inclusion and is leading in some areas compared to similar initiatives.

5.1.3 Effectiveness

ARADS is effective in tracking progress to measure achievement of expected results. ARADS focuses on collecting and reporting on data to inform its own decision-making as well as the decision-making of the Department. ARADS gathers data and tracks and reports on its progress through multiple mechanisms and tools. No major data gaps were identified through the evaluation, though there were some challenges accessing data held by ARADS.

Four outcomes were explored during the evaluation, and there is evidence that ARADS has made good progress on all areas. First, ARADS provides strategic and useful advice to those who seek it. ARADS also provides data to inform decision-making processes, which was identified as valuable and important. However, there are some opportunities for improvement particularly relating to clarifying roles and responsibilities of ARADS regarding the provision of advice on HR matters.

Second, ARADS provides coordination and administrative support for Justice Canada’s equity-seeking and diversity advisory committees. Although this support is seen as critical, there are some challenges in the consistency of the supports ARADS provides. These challenges were linked to a lack of capacity and resources (e.g., frequent staff turnover) within ARADS. Also, additional support would be useful in terms of strategic advice, forward planning and regular administrative support. ARADS also works with employee networks to understand the progress that has been made on the Results Framework and to consult on the Department’s equity plan as well as other relevant issues. This ecosystem in which ARADS works brings additional complexities and creates challenges for ARADS to take positions that are representative of all EE groups.

Third, ARADS has taken many steps to raise awareness and knowledge on EDI and interrelated topics, including development and delivery of training, and conducting outreach activities. There is some indication that awareness levels of ARADS vary within the Department.

Fourth, ARADS has a created a good foundation for culture change within the Department as a long-term goal. ARADS’ efforts to raise awareness of the issues has been an important first step in promoting culture change within Justice Canada. Specifically, increased awareness of EDI issues has resulted in Justice Canada staff more routinely incorporating EDI in their work processes. Moreover, increased representation levels among Justice Canada staff were identified as a success in advancing culture change.

5.2 Recommendations

Based on the findings described in this report, the following recommendations are made:

Recommendation 1: ARADS, in collaboration with its partners, should clarify and communicate its mandate, roles and responsibilities to improve coordination and collaboration in the area of anti-racism and EDI-related matters.

Recommendation 2: ARADS should strengthen the support it provides to the equity-seeking and diversity advisory committees and ensure it is consistently applied to enhance ARADS’ relevance and effectiveness.