Mr. Speaker, back in 1994 we warned the government that its employment equity bill would cause reverse discrimination because it relied on the voluntary self-identification of minorities in the public service.
In March I had a call from one of my constituents who was told by the Public Service Commission that job applications were only being accepted from visible minorities. Although she was very distraught and upset at the time, my constituent had the presence of mind to ask for a telephone number for a supervisor, so I was able to confirm that this serious and unwarranted reverse discrimination had taken place.
How can this be employment equity? The Liberals' ill-advised legislation now has men pitted against men, women pitted against men, women pitted against other women, and all of it based on ethnic background. It is a guaranteed recipe for disharmony. The government refused to see it at the time and it still cannot see it.
There are none so blind as those who cannot see.