Federal immigration minister Ahmed Hussen first delivered the idea of "name-blind" recruitment to Parliament last year. ( FRED CHARTRAND / THE CANADIAN PRESS )Ottawa has launched a pilot project to reduce biases in the hiring of federal civil services through what is billed “name-blind” recruitment, a practice long urged by employment equity advocates. “Name-blind recruitment could help ensure the public service reflects the people it serves by helping to reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process.”Article Continued BelowSome companies in the private sector including banks and accounting firms have already adopted the practice, which removes names from application forms in order to stop “unconscious bias” against potential recruits from minority backgrounds. Treasury Board President Scott Brison, who championed Hussen’s initial idea, said he welcomed the opportunity to explore new ways of recruiting talent for the public service. The six departments participating in the pilot includes Department of National Defence; Global Affairs Canada; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; Public Services and Procurement Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada; and the Treasury Board Secretariat.

Source: thestar April 20, 2017 15:03 UTC