Working precariously

Recognizing the growth of the racialized population of Canada, the report emphasizes the concern about hierarchical structures affect- ing the distribution of opportunity in the labour market and argues that this growth in the racialized popula- About the authors tion makes the issue of racial discrimination one of great importance. [...] Not only does it of Canada’s multicultural reality, the growth of the rob the economy of a valuable resource in a com- racialized population puts the issue of racial dis- petitive global environment, it undermines the crimination in employment front and centre in the competitiveness of Canadian business at home and early twenty-first century labour market policy abroad. [...] By 2011, 100% net new immigrants in the Canadian labour market to entrants will come from this grou p , making the determine the prev alence of racial discrimination in issue of racial discrimination critical to their inte- em p l o yment as a feature of the Canadian labour gration into the Canadian labour market and to the ma r ket in the early twenty-first century. [...] It is significant men, women and immigrants full access to to note that the growth of the racialized population Canadian labour markets, racial discrimination in far outpaced that of the Canadian population in em p l o yment denies Canada the full benefit of the general over the last census period – 1996-2001 potential of a growing prop o r tion of Canadians. [...] Not only are we able to document a signifi- in terms of the access to the benefits of the expan- cant wage gap, but the size and persistence of the sion of the Canadian economy over that period, an gap suggests continuing problem with income indicator of structural discrimination in employ- inequality in the Canadian labour market for racial- ment.