New report urges the Canadian government to eliminate preferential and restrictive hiring provisions in the public service  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

CALGARY —  New research released today by the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy reveals the Canadian government’s DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies are eroding merit-based hiring in the federal public service—with potentially serious consequences for the country.

Does the Government Hire for Competence? A survey of DEI hiring practices in the Canadian government reviewed 301 federal job postings across 59 departments and agencies, between February and July 2026, and found:

• DEI language was virtually ubiquitous, appearing in 95 per cent of job postings. More significantly, 42 per cent of postings explicitly or potentially prioritized applicants based on race, ethnicity, or other group-identity characteristics. Four per cent of postings restricted eligibility to certain groups.
• These practices continue despite the expressed preferences of most Canadians who, in polling, support inclusion in principle but reject identity-based hiring.
• Although Canada’s Employment Act prohibits hiring quotas, these federal employment-equity initiatives operate like a quota system.
• Empirical evidence challenges the rationale and need for such preferential DEI job postings. Treasury Board data show most designated groups already meet or exceed workforce availability benchmarks, including at the executive level. 

“Every community, without exception, contains individuals of outstanding competence,” notes co-author Conrad Eder. “A staffing system designed to identify and appoint those individuals serves Canadians better than one that seeks to predetermine staffing outcomes based on group membership.” 

The full survey, Does the Government Hire for Competence? A survey of DEI hiring practices in the Canadian government, is available at aristotlefoundation.org.

-30-

Media Contact

Cathy Simpson 
Outreach and Engagement Officer 
cathys@aristotlefoundation.org 
905-329-3548