Ninety-eight per cent of job postings at Canada’s top universities now require DEI compliance

By Mark Milke

Since the first European university was founded in Bologna, Italy, in 1088, the goal of higher education was supposed to be a search for truth. But too many modern ivory towers in the West, including in Canada in recent decades, have been drawn into trendy anti-reality policies, activism and illiberalism.

A key example is the rise of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and bureaucracies at universities. Some institutions now select students and professors based on race, ethnicity or gender on the assumption that doing so will somehow make up for discrimination 100 years ago. Others attribute differing economic outcomes between groups almost entirely to systemic racism, ignoring other contributing factors.

Both assumptions are flawed, but they explain why DEI offices have sprung up like toxic weeds over the last 10 years across Canadian and American campuses.

These policies rest on the mistaken premise that group disparities can only be explained by discrimination. In reality, income and wealth in a liberal democracy such as Canada or the United States result from multiple factors: education levels, family dynamics, geography (people in rural areas, including reserves, earn less than those in major cities), the length of time an immigrant has lived in the country, and a variety of other influences.

When these factors are accounted for, more similarities than differences emerge between groups.

For example, there is an average income gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians, but that is partly due to differences in education levels and geography. A greater proportion of Indigenous Canadians live in rural areas or on reserves, where employment opportunities and wages tend to be lower. When these factors are considered, the gap largely disappears. In 2020, Indigenous Canadians with a bachelor’s degree had a median income of $76,000, while non-Indigenous Canadians earned $77,500. Among those with graduate degrees, the trend reversed—Indigenous Canadians earned a median income of $85,000, slightly more than the $83,000 median for non-Indigenous Canadians.

The same holds true for women. The four highest-earning female groups in Canada, based on ancestry, are Korean, Chinese, South Asian and Filipino—reflecting their education levels and hours worked.

Yet despite these economic realities, DEI policies continue to promote a simplistic racism-explains-all ideology. This mindset has now deeply embedded itself in university hiring practices, where race-based selection criteria have become widespread.

A new Aristotle Foundation index analyzed 489 academic job advertisements at Canada’s 10 largest universities, examining their use of DEI criteria in hiring. Of those, 477 postings—98 per cent—used some form of DEI requirement or strategy to fill academic vacancies.

The data was categorized based on how DEI principles were applied, ranging from generic statements to explicit hiring preferences based on race, ethnicity or gender. This analysis allowed for the creation of a University Discrimination Index, offering a clearer picture of how deeply DEI influences hiring decisions.

The findings are striking. Every University of Toronto employment posting and 96 per cent of Dalhousie University’s job listings mentioned or implied that a candidate’s “contribution to DEI” was an asset. McGill University and the University of Saskatchewan required all applicants to complete a DEI survey. Nearly two-thirds of postings at the University of British Columbia and 55 per cent at the University of Manitoba required candidates to submit a DEI statement or essay.

Some might argue that requiring DEI statements does not necessarily mean a university will discriminate in hiring. But that is unlikely, given the vast amount of time, money and advocacy DEI proponents dedicate to promoting race-, ethnic- and gender-based hiring quotas.

Beyond the implicit message of who is likely to be hired, some universities are explicit. The University of New Brunswick barred white males from applying for a research chair position in “quantum sensors for space” in its physics department. At UBC, nearly one in five academic job postings explicitly restricted applications to individuals from a particular race, ethnicity or other immutable trait.

Even without addressing the lack of viewpoint diversity at Canada’s universities, the core problem with diversity, equity and inclusion policies is not the desire for a diverse workforce—diversity is beneficial because talent exists in all groups.

The problem with racial, ethnic and gender hiring quotas is threefold. First, they treat individuals based on group identity rather than individual merit. Second, they assume that identity largely explains success or failure. And third, they undermine merit as a hiring principle.

The result is an anti-individual, anti-meritocratic and illiberal hiring approach at many of Canada’s largest universities.

–

Mark Milke is the president of the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy, which recently released DEI and academic hiring in public universities: An index of university discrimination in Canada.

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The views, opinions and positions expressed by all Troy Media columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of Troy Media, TV Punjab and Ubiq Broadcasting Corp.

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Ontario is in a debt crisis. Voters must demand fiscal responsibility.

By Jay Goldberg

One billion dollars a month.

That’s how much Ontario taxpayers are spending on interest payments alone.

That money isn’t going to health care, roads or schools. It’s covering debt obligations, a growing cost that Ontarians cannot afford to overlook as they head to the polls.

With a provincial election set for Feb. 27, voters will soon decide who will lead the province and, more importantly, who will manage its finances.

Ontario already has the most indebted subnational government in the world. In the past two decades, it has balanced the budget just twice. During that time, borrowing costs have risen, and the province has taken on more debt. That debt now requires billions in annual interest payments—money that could otherwise fund public services.

Every dollar spent servicing debt is a dollar that isn’t going toward frontline services. The more the province borrows, the greater the long-term strain on essential programs such as health care and infrastructure. The challenge for the next government will be balancing priorities while ensuring Ontario’s finances don’t spiral further out of control.

Successive governments of all political stripes have struggled to rein in spending. As borrowing costs climbed, so did Ontario’s reliance on debt to finance operations. The result is billions in interest payments each year—funds that could otherwise support essential services or tax relief.

Yet election campaigns tend to focus on promises rather than fiscal realities. Over the next few weeks, party leaders will unveil spending plans to win over voters. What’s often missing in these discussions is a clear strategy for funding new commitments without deepening the deficit.

If Ontario is to get its finances under control, two key steps are needed.

First, Ontario’s next government should commit to balancing the budget this spring.

In the fall economic update, the provincial government projected a $1.5-billion deficit for 2025-26, with a return to balance the following year. That deficit could easily be wiped out so long as the government doesn’t dip into its $1.5-billion contingency fund. The fiscal path to balance is there—it just requires discipline.

Ontario has done this before. In the mid-1990s, facing a severe fiscal crisis, the province made tough decisions to rein in spending and restore financial stability. More recently, in the late 2010s, the government brought the province close to balance before the COVID-19 pandemic derailed fiscal plans. While the pandemic necessitated emergency spending, Ontario now needs to return to sustainable budgeting.

Second, every dollar of new spending should be offset with a corresponding reduction elsewhere in the budget.

Ontario’s debt now exceeds $400 billion, far more than Quebec’s, which has a lower debt-to-GDP ratio despite historically running deficits. Even California, a state with a much larger economy, has managed to control its debt burden better than Ontario has over the past decade. If these jurisdictions can take meaningful steps to manage their finances, Ontario should be able to do the same.

Politicians often argue that deficits are necessary to fund critical public services. While that may be true in times of crisis, running long-term deficits without a plan to return to balance puts the province in a precarious position. Interest rates fluctuate, and if borrowing costs rise, Ontario’s ability to fund essential services could be compromised. Responsible budgeting isn’t about austerity. It’s about ensuring future governments can still afford to invest in what matters most.

Households manage their budgets by cutting back in one area to make room for new expenses. The provincial government should do the same. If a political party wants to introduce a new spending program, it should identify where the money will come from—whether through savings, efficiencies or reallocation of existing funds.

This election will decide Ontario’s financial future. Without responsible policies, debt will keep rising—leaving the next generation to pay the price.

Political leaders will be tempted to make ambitious promises in the coming weeks. But beyond the headlines, Ontarians must ask a critical question: How will it be paid for?

Jay Goldberg is the former Ontario Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Jay is a seasoned public policy professional with a strong academic background and commitment to fostering meaningful governance and public affairs dialogue. With extensive experience in academia and public policy, Goldberg has established himself as a thought leader.

© Troy Media

The views, opinions and positions expressed by all Troy Media columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of Troy Media, TV Punjab or Ubiq Broadcasting Corp.

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Many job seekers think cover letters are outdated, but recruiters disagree

By Nick Kossovan

Nowadays, landing a job requires doing what others don’t. That’s why the ongoing debate about whether to include a cover letter with an application is perplexing.

As a job seeker, you should want to do everything possible to differentiate yourself from the competition. The common argument against writing a cover letter is that recruiters and hiring managers won’t read it, leading many job seekers to believe it’s not worth the effort.

Nobody knows exactly what percentage of recruiters and hiring managers read cover letters or how much they influence hiring decisions. Most insights on this topic are anecdotal or based on limited survey data.

Some job seekers look for the easiest route—putting in minimal effort. But nothing worth having comes easy. Given today’s competitive job market, it’s essential to increase your chances wherever possible. A cover letter provides a competitive advantage by making it easier for hiring managers to connect your qualifications and experience to the role.

Not including a cover letter is a missed opportunity to:

1. Pitch why you’re the right candidate for the job.
2. Show that you’ve taken the time to understand the role and its requirements. Many job seekers apply indiscriminately, so those who demonstrate they’ve read and understood the posting stand out.
3. Provide additional evidence to support your candidacy.
4. Demonstrate your writing skills.

This isn’t a debate. The level of effort you put in reflects how much you want the job. Sending a cover letter—or a thank-you email (another topic for another day)—demonstrates your seriousness and strengthens your application. No hiring manager rejects a qualified candidate for including a cover letter. However, some hiring managers consider omitting one unprofessional.

Not including a cover letter is lazy. And hiring managers don’t hire lazy.

Recruiters and employers favour applicants with cover letters, if only because it shows passion and investment in the role.

A common question is whether to include your cover letter as an attachment or in the body of an email. I recommend the latter, as it makes an immediate impression when the email is opened. Keep it short (75 to 150 words) and concise. This highlights two essential career skills: written communication and the ability to articulate the tangible value you bring to a company.

Your cover letter has one job: get the recipient to read your resume. With attention spans shrinking, getting to the point is critical. Writing with brevity will serve you well throughout your career. Keep it short and simple.

[Date]
[Recipient’s first name],

I’m writing to apply for the IT Project Manager position advertised on LinkedIn. Having led Global X’s development team (12 IT professionals) for seven years, overseeing key projects from conception to delivery, I am an ideal candidate for this role.

Some of my career highlights:

• Directed a $5.8-million digital transformation project for an air transport company, reducing lost/damaged cargo incidents from five percent to 0.8 per cent.
• Reduced costs for a clothing manufacturer by $2 million by conducting a gap analysis of its supply chain process.
• Implemented a cloud migration strategy for over 200 legacy applications, achieving zero downtime and cutting operational costs by 35 percent.

Call me at (XXX) XXX-XXX to schedule a mutually convenient time to discuss how I can contribute to [Company].

Sincerely,
Name
Attached: Resume

That’s it. No long-winded claims about being a “team player,” “detail-oriented,” or a “fast learner.” Employers hire based on results, not self-assessments. The key is to provide three achievements not found in your resume or LinkedIn profile.

Ask yourself: What results did I achieve in past jobs, projects, or tasks?

If writing a concise cover letter that could improve your chances of landing an interview seems like too much effort, you might need to question how badly you want the job.

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job.

© Troy Media

The views, opinions and positions expressed by all Troy Media columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of Troy Media, TV Punjab and Ubiq Broadcasting Corp.

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Toronto: According to a new survey, Olivia Chow has gone far ahead in the race for the post of Mayor of Toronto. But still the voters have not been able to make up their minds.

According to a survey conducted by the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC), Chow currently enjoys support from 16 per cent of voters.

With this modest increase, Chow has overtaken former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders and counselor Josh Matlow, who is getting 12 percent support. Councillor Brad Bradford and former Liberal MP Mitzie Hunter are currently backed by six percent of voters.

26 per cent of the voters who have already made up their mind are with Chow, with Saunders having the support of 20 per cent and Matlow with 19 per cent. 39 per cent of the voters are yet to decide which candidate they want to vote for and only 18 per cent of the voters say that they will vote for their candidate.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by Mainstreet Research also shows the wind direction towards Chow. According to this survey, 26 percent of the voters are ready to vote in favor of Chao. Former councillor Ana Bailão, a close political aide to former mayor John Tory, is said to be second only to Chow with 21 per cent support.

Tory resigned in February 2023 after an affair with his own staff member came to light. Toronto’s by-election will be held on June 26.

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Toronto: Acting on a search warrant last week, Toronto police recovered stolen vehicles worth $1 million.

According to a release issued on Monday, Durham police said that at 11:45 p.m. on Thursday, police received reports of lexus theft.

Police officers then reached Hopkins Street on Warren Road in Whitby. The release stated that when the police officials conducted further investigation they also found other stolen vehicles.

The next day, a search warrant was issued on Friday and investigators recovered 11 stolen vehicles. Of these, 10 were Lexus SUVs and one was a Range Rover.

The recovered vehicles are said to have been stolen from Durham, York, Halton, Toronto and Niagara. The police say that the investigation is still going on by them.

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Ottawa: Police in Canada have arrested 119 people, including 47 Punjabis, and recovered 556 cars. The value of these cars is said to be 17 crores. Among those arrested is a 58-year-old punjabi man.

Since 2019, the police were very upset with the increasing incidents of car theft in Toronto, Canada.

A campaign was being run at the ground level regarding this. Canada’s RCMP has traced these people with the help of CCTV cameras. The investigation of this case was started in November 2022. So far, 119 people have been arrested in the case.

Those arrested include Nirmal Dhillon (47), a resident of Caledon, Canada, Sukhwinder Gill (40), a resident of Woodbridge, Jagjit Bhinder (40), a resident of Brampton, Iqbal Hair (50) of Toronto, Pradeep Grewal (38), a resident of Brampton, Jiten Patel, 31, and Varinder Calla (32). Gurveen Ranaut, 26, from Brampton, Ramanpreet Singh, 29, from Mississauga, Chauhan, 45, from Brampton.

Similarly, Gagandeep Singh, 23, Sandeep Takkar, 36, Satwinder Grewal, 29, Princedeep Singh, 25, Amrit Clair, 28, from Cambridge, Ajay Kumar, 23, from Toronto, Khemnath Singh, 58, from Brampton. Inquilab Singh, 26, Harpreet Singh, 35, Manpreet Gill, 36, from Brampton,

44-year-old Mandeep Singh Toor, 23-year-old Dilpreet Singh of Mississauga, 33-year-old Tridev Verma of Brampton, 31-year-old Joga Singh, 32-year-old Dilpreet Saini of Brampton, 37-year-old Manpreet Gill, Gauravdeep Singh, Jasdeep Janda (25), 28-year-old Harshdeep Singh of Brampton, 27-year-old Ravi Singh and Navjot Singh of Brampton, Diljot Dhillon (24) Sunil (42) from Niagara Falls, Khavinder Singh (42) and Alambir Singh (23) from Toronto, Jasraj Singh (18), Mehkash Sohal (18), Amanjot Sandhu (19) of Brampton, Manpreet Gill (36) and Jasdeep Singh (25) of Brampton bave been arrested.

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Ottawa: After years of political opposition and parliamentary scrutiny, the federal Liberal government’s online streaming act, also known as Bill C-11, was passed in the Senate. After getting the royal seal, this bill will now take the form of a law.

Bill C-11 was cleared by the Senate on Thursday evening. The bill, sponsored by Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, was passed by senators after some amendments.

It is worth mentioning that for the first time since 1991, the way has been paved for the reform of the Broadcasting Act and during this time online content can also be discussed.

The bill, which was passed by a majority of MPs last month, got approval with 52 votes to 16 from the senators.

With the passage of this bill, digital platforms like Netflix and YouTube will now have to contribute financially to the Canadian subject as well.

With the passage of the bill, online streaming platforms will now come under regulatory authorities such as the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission. Under this, if these digital platforms do not offer Canadian content for Canadian users, then they may also have to pay a fine.

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Ontario: The Ontario government is investing several million dollars to improve the province’s bail system. By doing so, the government wants to ensure that they fulfil all the bail conditions granted to high-risk offenders and those with a mindset of repeating violent crimes.

On Thursday, Premier Doug Ford announced that $112 million would be invested to set up violent crime bail teams, bring in new technology, provide resources to prosecutors for complex bail hearings, as well as promote the Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement (ROPE) squad of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

“We urgently need bail reforms,” Ford said. We see every day how innocent and innocent people lose their lives at the hands of dangerous criminals. We want to ensure that dangerous criminals are kept imprisoned behind bars so that the naked dance of death can be stopped from our streets.”

$24 million will be given to police services for three years for a new Bail Compliance and Warrant Appreciation Grant to establish dedicated Bell Compliance Teams. The OPP’s rope squad will be given $48 million to set up the Bail Compliance Unit.

This will focus on those convicts who do not meet the bail conditions or abscond. At the same time, the province will invest $ 26 million to set up intensive serious violent crime bail teams.

This will help prosecutors prepare for bail hearings and establish a new bell monitoring system across Ontario through the Bail Compliance Dashboard.

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Ontario: A new strategy has been announced by the Ford government to promote police regulation in Ontario. Under this scheme, it has been decided to reduce the cost for new recruits and in the new bill, it has also been decided to reduce the educational qualification for this work.

Premier Doug Ford said his government would bring in a bill that would end the condition of post-secondary education for police recruits which means that only a high school diploma will be enough to join the police.

Speaking from The Toronto Police College in Itobico on Tuesday, Ford said crime in Toronto has increased by more than 20 percent at the same time last year. People don’t feel safe.

We need more police officers around us.

With the new bill, the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA) will be amended so that a secondary school diploma is enough to become a police officer. The province is also working on eliminating tuition fees for a 12-week basic constable training program at Ontario Police College.

The decision to abolish tuition fees will be implemented from early 2023. The province says that this fee will be refunded to the recruits who have paid this fee this year.

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Ottawa: Federal workers have intensified their strike after flight attendants from across Canada took part in the rally held on Tuesday. These flight attendants demand that they should also be paid when they are at work.

Unlike other professions, flight attendants do not get paid when they start their shift but are paid from the time the aircraft is preparing to take off and after the flight reaches its destination. The union leading the flight attendants says they spend almost a week every month without pay.

“When they report before work, as if they have a report time at 8:00 a.m., they’re briefing before the flight, doing more safety checks, preparing for catering, they don’t get paid,” said Rena Kisfaalvi, a flight attendant. When the plane lands and the passengers are disembarking from the plane, they do not even get paid for that time. If there is a medical problem and they have to stay there for help, they do not even get paid for it.

“They have to undergo annual training as safety professionals,” said Fred Hahn, president of Cope Ontario. But even for this compulsory training, which is a quarterly in total, they don’t get any money. Kisfalvi said that flight attendants have to take care of the passengers in addition to giving them food items, but they do not come in any number.

The union wants the federal government to take action in this regard and big airlines should also work in this direction. For this, the union has also launched an awareness campaign.

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