A program designed to remove barriers to equality in employment by identifying and eliminating discriminatory policies and practices, remedying the effects of past discrimination, and ensuring appropriate representation of the designated groups.
(équité en emploi) Various measures designed to eliminate discrimination and to remedy the effects of past discrimination against designated groups, usually in the area of employment. The Employment Equity Act identifies four designated groups: visible minorities, Aboriginal people, women, and persons with disabilities. In Canada, plans in relation to employment are called "employment equity plans" while those that relate to education are sometimes called "education equity plans." The term "affirmative action," usually limited to U.S. policies, is only used in Canada's Perfomance 2005 to reflect the exact wording employed in the mentioned survey. (Environics, Focus Canada-Multiculturalism and Ethnic Tolerance, 2004)