Leadership Diversity in New Brunswick – Survey
The New Brunswick Multicultural Council (NBMC) has launched a survey to better understand the experience of immigrants and racialized individuals serving on boards, agencies, committees, and commissions within New Brunswick. Agencies, boards, and commissions play an important role in the decisions of government, are integral to the regulation of key sectors of the economy and provide the public with goods and services.
Participants in this survey will be invited to share how boards, agencies, commissions, and committees can best enable the participation of immigrants and racialized individuals who wish to contribute to building their communities through BACCs.
“We want to see leadership in New Brunswick that represents the diversity of our communities. We want to see immigrants elected to the legislature, municipal councils, school boards and commissions. We want inclusive leadership that speaks to all New Brunswickers,” stated Moncef Lakouas, President of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council. “Getting a sense of the current status of that mission and mapping out strategies and supports to increase diversity and representation in leadership roles is one of many steps in combatting systemic racism and achieving a more equitable and inclusive New Brunswick.”
The survey includes both qualitative and quantitative questions that address the opportunities and barriers to immigrant participation within these important organizations.
“While there is limited data on the level of civic participation of immigrants and racialized individuals in New Brunswick’s boards, agencies, commissions, and committees, this survey will open the door to understanding immigrant experiences navigating leadership spaces at all levels of government, such as the provincial, municipal, non-profit, and business sectors,” said Ivan Okello, Project Manager – Antiracism Initiatives at NBMC. “This will enable the co-creation of pathways for effective participation of immigrants and racialized individuals in various governance processes in New Brunswick,” he concluded.
NBMC is seeking the support of all its community members and partner organizations in ensuring the survey gets distributed as widely as possible across New Brunswick. “NBMC encourages everyone passionate about building pathways to immigrant inclusion and participation to share the survey among their networks and to participate themselves,” added Ginette Gautreau, Executive Director at the New Brunswick Multicultural Council. “But most importantly, NBMC is also calling on everyone who sits on boards, agencies, commissions and committees to consider the voices that are missing at those tables, and to explore ways to increase representation of our increasingly diverse community.”
The survey will be available in English and French to ensure it is accessible to a broad audience.
NBMC acknowledges the importance of Antiracism work in removing barriers to inclusion and facilitating civic engagement of newcomers, immigrants, and racialized individuals in New Brunswick. NBMC is inviting New Brunswick residents who are interested in joining its Anti-Racism Steering Committee to provide contact information at the end of this survey.
Link to survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V7LQLCX