Canada Post recently asked CUPW members to complete an equity survey. There is a reason for this. Historically, certain communities have been left out of Canada Post hiring. For example, the percentage of disabled and Indigenous people in our workplaces does not reflect those communities adequately or proportionally as a percentage of the population.
There is some confusion about the meaning of equity. Some say we are equal and should be treated the same. Of course, on the surface that might seem obvious. All humans have rights and we should be equal. However, saying it does not make it so. The playing field is not equal for all. Colonial practices, full of white male able-bodied privilege, resulted in a hierarchy of who had more access than others. At one time, women were virtually excluded from paid work, as were numerous new Canadians. Equity must take place first to achieve the equality we all seek and to better reflect the demographics of our society.