One appreciates that there will always be those who see the glass as half empty. We would hope that opinion leaders, such as the editorial of a national newspaper, would take the initiative to laud the half-full approach; that is presenting the positive.

As recently as last year, the public service reached an out-of-court settlement with one racial minority individual who had been passed over several times for promotion even after having demonstrated is competence for years. He was not the only person that launched such a suit some 10 years prior, but he was the only one who had the patience to stay with the case.

We find it very difficult to believe that the hiring committee for this particular position would ever opt for someone who is not qualified to fulfil the responsibilities of the position. Or is the suggestion that incompetence is expected of racial minorities? Are they simply expected to "screw up"?

In the year 2000, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) released a report which, among other things, notes that the farther up the ladder one goes in Canadian companies, organizations and institutions, the less likely one will find a racial minority. The report also shows that the main area whereby racial minorities are highly represented in senior management positions is when they are independent entrepreneurs. The CRRF believes that not only the federal public service but all levels of government should set an example in remedying this imbalance. That is one of the special measures provided by the Canadian Charter of Rights and sanctioned by the United Nations.

Yours truly,

Patrick G. Hunter
Communications Director