Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility - Action Plan 2021-2024

The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) is a key participant in the Canadian criminal justice system. As such, an important aspect of its mission is to contribute to making Canada a safe and just society. Every employee plays a unique role in PPSC's mission. This places them in a very important and privileged position of trust. It requires high standards of ethical behaviour and an emphasis on a collective responsibility in developing and maintaining an organisational culture where all employees are treated equitably with respect, dignity, and fairness.

When PPSC employees are able to bring their whole selves to work, feel valued, and offer their best potential, they will have a positive impact and be able to contribute in a concrete way. This will enable them to make the necessary changes to contribute in a meaningful way towards a criminal justice system that is more equitable and fair to all Canadians.

The PPSC is committed to an organizational culture change. To achieve this, we must work on a better understanding of each other, be intentional by striving to not create harm, to take anti-racism actions, and to be supportive of one another. Deepening our connections will allow us to co-create a workforce that is strongly anchored in the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. As we evolve, we will naturally build more courage to serve the Canadian society differently – more justly – through our daily prosecutorial work, and all decision-making.

To do this, we must all work together and advance on the following three (3) commitments:

  Deepen authentic, respectful, transparent, and accountable relationships

  Intentionally promote, recruit and retain employees to reflect diverse perspectives

  Integrate an intersectional lens in our prosecutorial work

The implementation of this Action Plan is an ongoing engagement that will require continuous dedication, action, and decision making on the part of the leadership team and all employees. It will take time, resources and perseverance. Our goal is for the PPSC to advance in a way that ensures everyone in the organization experiences a work culture that is more equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible. To achieve this, certain activities are focused on particular equity groups.

The work of the PPSC's Co-Champions for a Bias-Free Workplace has helped inform this Action Plan and key recommendations outlined in their final Report have been incorporated into the Action Plan's commitments, initiatives and focused activities. Together it reflects the organization's priority and commitment to justice.

The PPSC's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Action Plan is an evergreen document. Stakeholders will be engaged regularly to ensure commitments and focused activities are meeting our unique goals. Although this plan refers to accessibility, the PPSC is working on a comprehensive and complete accessibility plan driven by the Accessible Canada Act.

Much care was given to consulting broadly on this Action Plan. All staff were provided with an opportunity to comment on the draft. The following specific groups were provided with an additional opportunity to provide feedback and much richness was added as a result:

• National Council for Employees (e.g., Employees living with a disability, Indigenous Employees, Black Employees);
• National Diversity and Inclusion Committee;
• Human Resources;
• Bargaining Agents;
• Official Languages Committee;
• Mental Health and Wellness Committee;
• Indigenous Justice and Reconciliation Committee;
• GBA Plus Responsibility Centre; and,
• Senior Management.

This Action Plan also meets the PPSC's Employer Obligations, of Part I, outlined in the Employment Equity Act (EEA). In fact, our plan surpasses our legislative requirements by:

• Considering all equity groups; and,
• Investing in unique activities that will not only improve our workplace culture for employees but is deeply connected to our core mandate of working toward a fairer and more just Canadian criminal justice system.

The commitments and focused activities of this Action Plan also clearly support the following PPSC's organizational priorities:

• Advance Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Workplace;
• Foster a Culture of Trust and Engagement; and,
• Take Action Against Systemic Discrimination and Racism in the Criminal Justice System.

  Deepen authentic, respectful, transparent, and accountable relationships

These initiatives and the focused activities are at the heart of our commitment to inclusion. They bring about cultural change at the PPSC and help establish a strong foundation from which we can grow and uphold the integrity of a diverse people-centered workplace. Consequently, we envision that this commitment will create a stronger sense of community and belonging amongst all employees. This means that every employee feels comfortable, accepted, and supported by the organization when it comes to being their authentic selves.

[For the full Glossary definitions of acronyms click here.]

  Intentionally promote, recruit, and retain employees to reflect diverse perspectives

These initiatives and focused activities aim at ensuring that PPSC processes and programs are impartial, fair and provide equitable outcomes for every individual. They also support our engagement in actively ensuring our workforce is diverse at every level, by tapping into a much wider talent pool both internally and externally. By ensuring that equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility are integrated into our actions, we will retain our employees and are more likely to attract diverse talents. We believe that people from different backgrounds with varying life experiences will be able to provide new perspectives that will help improve and enhance our service to the evolving Canadian society.

[For the full Glossary definitions of acronyms click here.]

  Integrate an intersectional lens in our prosecutorial work

To achieve its mandate while ensuring the relevance of the service it provides to the Canadian public, the PPSC must enhance its understanding of the realities faced by individuals subjected to systemic discrimination and the significant overrepresentation of racialized persons in the criminal justice system. These initiatives and focused activities will support PPSC's engagement to raise awareness among its employees; revise its practice guidelines to incorporate the lived experiences of these individuals going through the criminal justice system; and be equipped to identify and address biases that exist. This will help us bring different and more inclusive perspectives to our decision-making. We believe that in doing so, the PPSC will contribute in a concrete way to the necessary change towards a criminal justice system that is more equitable and fair to all Canadians.

[For the full Glossary definitions of acronyms click here.]

Glossary of Terms

ACEDIA Advancement Centre for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

Equity Groups A group of people facing barriers to equal access and opportunities due to discrimination, which keeps them in a disadvantaged position, and who actively seek social justice and reparation.

EDIA Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

EC The Executive Council is chaired by the DPP and comprised of the senior leadership team of the PPSC (LC and EX) that report directly to the DPP and DDPPs. The Council's main mandate is to set the strategic direction and orientation of the organization on legal, policy, corporate management and law practice management issues. The council is also responsible for establishing and monitoring key departmental priorities and commitments.

Employees Includes everyone working at the PPSC including managers at all levels.

GBA Plus Responsibility Centre (RC) The GBA Plus Responsibility Center, within the Strategic Planning and Performance Measurement Team, is the departmental policy lead for GBA Plus at the PPSC. As the primary point of contact for GBA they provide advice and guidance in the promotion, implementation and monitoring of GBA Plus in the organization.

IJRC Indigenous Justice Reconciliation Committee

Intersectionality Interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.

MMIWG Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

NCE National Council for Employees

NCE ELD National Council for Employees Living with a Disability

NCE IE National Council for Indigenous Employees

NPPC National Prosecution Policy Committee

OLC Official Languages Committee

REDIC Regional Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee

Senior Management Senior management is composed of the DPP, both DDPP, all the chief federal prosecutors, deputy chief federal prosecutors (legal managers - LC) and all directors - executives (EX) across the department. In this plan, when this group is mentioned as lead or collaborator – it means that the managers regionally, in their division or in their team, will be responsible of engaging in the action described.

TRCC Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

2SLGBTQIA+ Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Androgynous and Asexual. Plus sign (+) indicates the countless affirmative ways in which people choose to self-identify.

Annex A: Detailed Focused Activities

  Deepen authentic, respectful, transparent, and accountable relationships

  Intentionally promote, recruit, and retain employees to reflect diverse perspectives

  Integrate an intersectional lens in our prosecutorial work

Annex B: Reporting and Performance Indicators

BEING DEVELOPPED

Date modified:

2023-12-06