Western Standard - November 07, 2026


Senator Wells Defends DEI Hiring Against Alberta’s Bill 33

Rempel Takes Aim at the Big Immigration Lobby Why a US Political Shakeup May Not End Tariffs

Episode Stats


Length

2 minutes

Words per minute

129.12

Word count

347

Sentence count

18


Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
00:00:00.000 On September 24th, we gathered here in Ottawa with the Council, parliamentarians, and community leaders to discuss strengthening Canada's Employment Equity Act.
00:00:11.020 Our focus was ensuring that everyone has a fair opportunity to contribute and succeed.
00:00:17.140 Today, we are raising concerns about Alberta's Bill 33.
00:00:21.220 If passed, it would restrict employment equity measures in hiring and promotion across provincial public bodies and prohibit certain mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training, subject to some exceptions.
00:00:36.200 As a senator from Alberta, I'm deeply concerned about what this could mean for people who continue to face barriers in workplaces and schools, including Indigenous and racialized people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI plus communities.
00:00:55.380 Employment equity is part of the process of achieving substantive equality,
00:01:00.640 which is a concept recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada
00:01:04.560 and requires different treatment to address historical disadvantage and systemic discrimination.
00:01:11.560 Employment equity helps ensure that qualified people have a fair chance to demonstrate their abilities,
00:01:18.300 contribute their talents, and advance in their careers and professions.
00:01:21.840 To suggest that employment equity is not based on merit is simply not based in any facts or evidence.
00:01:31.060 We should strengthen our commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, not undertake efforts to weaken these important societal goals.
00:01:39.640 Diversity should be understood as our province's greatest strength, not a weakness.
00:01:44.700 Let me be clear. Every Albertan deserves a workplace where their abilities are recognized, talents are encouraged, dignity is respected, and opportunity is within reach.
00:01:58.200 This is why we have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Provincial and Territorial Human Rights Acts.
00:02:05.060 Bill 33, if passed in its current form, would weaken these important human right goals and obligations.
00:02:12.900 And it will most likely be found to be unconstitutional and a violation of the equality provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
00:02:22.000 The anti-EDI initiatives contained within Bill 33 are both unnecessary and unwanted.
00:02:28.920 The communities most impacted by these proposed legislative changes have not been consulted.
00:02:35.160 Quite simply, this bill is aiming to provide a solution to a problem that does not exist.