Egalitarianism and equity key to the 'smart and caring nation'

OTTAWA LETTER:Canadian life offers many benefits – but a survey published this year contains a warning for the rising numbers of Irish moving there

THE FALL colours are in full bloom as the train approaches Ottawa. Every shade from gold to orange reflects the sunlight.

Trees alongside the Rideau canal change colour before those in copses further away; the effect is one of balanced calm.

Earlier, leaving Toronto's Union station, Maurice, the directeurof coach No 3, took great care in explaining how to open an emergency window should the need arise. First in fluent French and then in word-perfect English, he outlined our dining options on board.

For the umpteenth time I reflect on how workers here take enormous pride in their work. Cleaners, restaurant staff, bus drivers; it doesn’t seem to matter what the job entails – there is a palpable sense that they feel their job is worth doing.

Egalitarianism and equity are cornerstones of Canadian working life. Recent Ontario legislation requires that all employers must comply with accessibility standards aimed at levelling the playing field for Ontarians with disabilities.

It has been estimated that there are 1.85 million people with disabilities living in Ontario.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act is a staged implementation of five sets of standards, which aim to create a completely accessible society by 2050. The five standards address the areas of customer service, employment, information and communication, transport and the built environment.

By enlisting partnerships with a range of voluntary organisations, the ministry of community and social service is raising awareness among the public; guides, resources and training programmes have been developed, providing aid to organisations with the practical implementation of the Act.

The needs and rights of those with disabilities in our own and other western countries are sometimes described in less than positive terms. Figures and statistics are used to highlight the drain which illness and disability have caused to our coffers.

The contrasting Canadian approach to its 4.2 million citizens with disabilities is interesting; it is estimated that working-age Canadians with disabilities have consumer spending power of approximately 25 billion Canadian dollars (€17.47 billion) per year. Far from being a drain on society, their economic influence is significant.

With a predicted shortfall of up to one million workers in Ontario alone, it is hoped that by increasing access to education and employment, people with disabilities will be able to participate in meaningful occupation on an equal footing.

Every year, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) publishes a “Vital Signs” study – a snapshot of social issues such as employment, crime and integration. The latest survey contains a warning for the rising numbers of Irish emigrating to Canada. It says recent immigrants to Canada with a university education are more than four times more likely to be unemployed than Canadian-born workers with a university degree.

The news for unskilled migrants appears to be better: for recent immigrants without a degree, diploma or certificate and Canadian-born workers with the same education, unemployment rates are much closer – 19.5 per cent versus 15.9 per cent.

Integrating newcomers into the workplace is a necessity; it is estimated that from next year Canada will rely on immigrants for its entire labour force growth.

There is good news on the crime front too. A 15-year trend of steadily declining violent crime continues. At 932 incidents per 100,000 of population in 2008, violent crime has fallen 12 per cent since 1991, meaning fewer murders, abductions and assaults. Ottawa scores especially well, with a violent crime rate of less than 600 incidents per 100,000.

Often derided for their stereotypical conservatism and staidness, these traits mean Canadians avoided the worst of the global economic crisis.

It’s a trend likely to continue under the influence of its most recent governor general, whose installation took place on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill this month. “We want to be the smart and caring nation,” David Johnston said in his first official address. “A society that innovates, embraces its talent and uses the knowledge of each of its citizens to improve the human condition for all.”

A lifelong academic with a passion for public service, Johnston, according to a friend from the University of Waterloo, brings to the role “an extremely sensitive ability to relate to people of all levels of society”.

The autumn colours intensify as I head to the capital’s airport for the return trip across “the pond”. An airport security worker plays a practical joke as my hand luggage is screened. Canucks having fun while taking their job seriously? It may be time to revise that national stereotype.