Equity in employment isn’t just companies’ issue

One of Saskatchewan’s biggest challenges for the future is ensuring an even playing field for those who want to work in the province’s most influential industries.

It is important that companies working in oil, agriculture, potash, uranium and other resource sectors create an atmosphere where gains can be made in the number of women and Indigenous people employed. But the companies are just one of the many groups who need to step up to the plate to make this happen.

Take the comments of Maryann Deutscher, general manager of human resources for K+S Potash, on the challenges companies face to help women reach parity in the Canadian branch of their company.

“Is it realistic to say it would be 50 per cent? No, it’s probably not realistic because your pool’s just not there yet, right?” Deutscher said. “When you’re thinking 10 years, there’s people that have to be in those trades, in those operator-type roles now … Will it grow? It’d be great to see it even grow by 10 per cent and get up to that 25-30 per cent, for sure.”

It is truly unfortunate that the pool of workers in the province only makes it realistic for women to fill around a quarter of the jobs at that company. Parity is too distant a dream to even consider.

Despite the economic challenges currently faced by resource sectors, efforts like education on gender bias, harassment and the physical renovation of mines and other facilities to make room for women need to continue.

So too do the companies need to keep up some of the efforts that have been made to increase the number of First Nations employees on the books.

Of course, all levels of government must continue to work at improving educational and employment outcomes for Indigenous people. With less than 40 per cent of First Nations students graduating from high school on time, and an unemployment rate that is four times that of the general population, the issues are pressing. The economic future of the province is tied to these numbers improving.

Educational institutions like the University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Polytechnic are leaders on this issue, taking some of the strongest action when it comes to improving opportunities for Aboriginal people and women. The business community and donors should stand behind this work with increased contributions and new scholarships.

It will take action on many fronts to make Saskatchewan a truly equitable place for all people to live and work.