QUESTION PERIOD — Employment and Social Development
Employment Equity
November 4, 2025
Welcome back, senator.
In Budget 2024, following the recommendations of the Employment Equity Act Review Task Force in 2023, the government promised to expand the definition of “designated groups” in employment equity legislation, including two new designated groups — Black people and 2SLGBTQI+ people — while replacing the term “Aboriginal Peoples” with “Indigenous Peoples,” replacing the term “members of visible minorities” with “racialized people” and updating the corresponding definition, and aligning the definition of “persons with disabilities” with the Accessible Canada Act to make it more inclusive.
My question is this: When will the government be implementing these changes? Thank you.
Thank you for the question. I don’t have a specific answer to give you on that question, but I will certainly raise the question with the minister. I’ll come back to you as soon as I can and let you know if there’s an agenda or a specific moment when the government is intending to implement this legislation.
Perhaps a supplementary question might not apply, but given the extent of changes recommended, what measures will you be putting in place to ensure accountability and transparency as the changes are rolled out? Thank you.
With the same engagement for the supplementary question, I’ll raise the question with the minister and I will certainly get back to you sooner.
