Boardroom Quotas for Women in Ontario?....

[DaSleeper]

New rules aim for equality in Ontario’s corporate boardrooms


Ontario is crafting new rules requiring public companies to set targets for the number of women in senior roles, a move with national implications that could reverse Canada’s decline in global standings for gender diversity in the corporate world.
Laurel Broten, Ontario’s minister responsible for women’s issues, revealed in an interview that the provincial government is working with the Ontario Securities Commission on ways to compel companies to set goals for boosting the number of women sitting as corporate directors, as well as in senior management.

More: New rules aim for equality in Ontario’s corporate boardrooms - The Globe and Mail

 

[Colpy]

New rules aim for equality in Ontario’s corporate boardrooms


Ontario is crafting new rules requiring public companies to set targets for the number of women in senior roles, a move with national implications that could reverse Canada’s decline in global standings for gender diversity in the corporate world.
Laurel Broten, Ontario’s minister responsible for women’s issues, revealed in an interview that the provincial government is working with the Ontario Securities Commission on ways to compel companies to set goals for boosting the number of women sitting as corporate directors, as well as in senior management.

More: New rules aim for equality in Ontario’s corporate boardrooms - The Globe and Mail

One word:

Idiotic.

 

[karrie]

I scoffed at these initiatives when hubby's company put it in place, and he was enraged at the potential impact it would have on his advancement in the company.

Honestly, it's changed the landscape of their company in a very short time, and I was surprised to hear how often the guys, even my own husband, who considered himself a fairly 'modern' guy, express surprise that women can do the work and do it well.

With their company being oilpatch driven, there was a real fear when hiring women for just about any position, that they would be harassed, abused, or just plain ignored. Having that mandate to seriously consider women's applications and hire women when they were qualified, changed even my hubby's hiring practices. Now they have women in a broader number of positions, and it's working well.

The only thing that I would caution the government about, is attempting to introduce 50/50 staff makeups, because very few industries have 50/50 gender makeups. There really aren't many women applying for rig work, for example. Or men applying to nursing. So they need to be cautious that they aren't penalizing companies for the natural distribution of gender interests.

let me say though.... I think there's a big difference between a company deciding its future, and a government mandating it.

If hubby was that grudging about company decisions, imagine everyone's attitude when it's not even in company control.

 

[WLDB]

One word:

Idiotic.

Agreed. The best qualified person regardless of sex or race should get the job.

 

[karrie]

Agreed. The best qualified person regardless of sex or race should get the job.

Everywhere else that I've ever seen policies like these written up, they apply to 'equally qualified applicants', they never demand someone with better qualifications be turned down. Does Ontario's proposal go beyond that?

 

[Zipperfish]

It can backfire too. When I was in school, they were quotas (or whatever they called them) for native persons law school admissions. Problem was the academic record for natives was so execrable they had to let some real stinkers into law school to keep the quota. So word got around quickly not to hire any First Nations graduaties from this law school. One poor native guy I knew--sharp cookie--couldn't get a job because of the quota.