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Andrew Griffith

Andrew Griffith is the author of Multiculturalism in Canada: Evidence and Anecdote and Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias: Resetting Citizenship and Multiculturalism and is a regular media commentator and blogger (Multiculturalism Meanderings). He is the former director general for Citizenship and Multiculturalism and has worked for a variety of government departments in Canada and abroad.

What citizenship applications tell us about policy implementation

  • Analysis of citizenship data shows that operational policy changes have a real impact, making naturalization either harder or easier for new Canadians.
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | October 7, 2024
Marc Miller
Marc Miller
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Marc Miller. After coming to power in 2015, the Liberal government reversed many Conservative-era changes to citizenship policy, writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What citizenship applications tell us about policy implementation

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | October 7, 2024
  • Analysis of citizenship data shows that operational policy changes have a real impact, making naturalization either harder or easier for new Canadians.

What citizenship applications tell us about policy implementation

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | October 7, 2024
  • Analysis of citizenship data shows that operational policy changes have a real impact, making naturalization either harder or easier for new Canadians.
Marc Miller
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Marc Miller. After coming to power in 2015, the Liberal government reversed many Conservative-era changes to citizenship policy, writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Executive-level diversity an accelerating trend in the federal public service

  • The public service is making a concerted effort to improve representation while sharing more granular data to showcase progress. The significant strides made in recent
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | June 14, 2024
PCO Clerk John Hannaford has echoed a 2021 public service 'call to action' to make the public service more inclusive. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Executive-level diversity an accelerating trend in the federal public service

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | June 14, 2024
  • The public service is making a concerted effort to improve representation while sharing more granular data to showcase progress. The significant strides made in recent

Executive-level diversity an accelerating trend in the federal public service

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | June 14, 2024
  • The public service is making a concerted effort to improve representation while sharing more granular data to showcase progress. The significant strides made in recent
PCO Clerk John Hannaford has echoed a 2021 public service 'call to action' to make the public service more inclusive. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

New electoral map and diversity

  • Given ongoing high levels of immigration and thus citizenship, the number of ridings with large numbers of immigrants, and visible and religious minorities will
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | January 22, 2024
Immigration Minister Marc Miller, pictured on the Hill on Oct. 16, 2023. The federal government recently announced that after increasing its annual immigration targets, it will now hold it at an estimated 500,000 new permanent residents in 2026. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

New electoral map and diversity

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | January 22, 2024
  • Given ongoing high levels of immigration and thus citizenship, the number of ridings with large numbers of immigrants, and visible and religious minorities will

New electoral map and diversity

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | January 22, 2024
  • Given ongoing high levels of immigration and thus citizenship, the number of ridings with large numbers of immigrants, and visible and religious minorities will
Immigration Minister Marc Miller, pictured on the Hill on Oct. 16, 2023. The federal government recently announced that after increasing its annual immigration targets, it will now hold it at an estimated 500,000 new permanent residents in 2026. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What changes a Conservative government might make to Canada’s immigration policies

  • While some have argued that immigration and related issues have become a third rail in Canadian politics, this need not be the case.
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | November 20, 2023
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks to his caucus in the West Block on Nov. 1, 2023. One of the ironies of assessing potential Conservative policies is immigration, citizenship, and related areas all pertain to government being 'gatekeepers,' writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What changes a Conservative government might make to Canada’s immigration policies

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | November 20, 2023
  • While some have argued that immigration and related issues have become a third rail in Canadian politics, this need not be the case.

What changes a Conservative government might make to Canada’s immigration policies

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | November 20, 2023
  • While some have argued that immigration and related issues have become a third rail in Canadian politics, this need not be the case.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks to his caucus in the West Block on Nov. 1, 2023. One of the ironies of assessing potential Conservative policies is immigration, citizenship, and related areas all pertain to government being 'gatekeepers,' writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Contrasting pre- and post-pandemic public service survey results

  • While the public service suffered less than many others during the pandemic, the May release of the Public Service Employee Survey diversity and inclusion
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | December 6, 2021
Of particular interest in comparing the public service Employee Surveys is whether the general positive change from pre- to post-pandemic workplace satisfaction and other indicators is shared by the different visible minority and Indigenous groups, whether harassment and discrimination responses have changed, and the extent to which government efforts to address racism and improve inclusion are seen as credible and effective by these groups, writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Contrasting pre- and post-pandemic public service survey results

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | December 6, 2021
  • While the public service suffered less than many others during the pandemic, the May release of the Public Service Employee Survey diversity and inclusion

Contrasting pre- and post-pandemic public service survey results

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | December 6, 2021
  • While the public service suffered less than many others during the pandemic, the May release of the Public Service Employee Survey diversity and inclusion
Of particular interest in comparing the public service Employee Surveys is whether the general positive change from pre- to post-pandemic workplace satisfaction and other indicators is shared by the different visible minority and Indigenous groups, whether harassment and discrimination responses have changed, and the extent to which government efforts to address racism and improve inclusion are seen as credible and effective by these groups, writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Diversity and inclusion: public service hirings, promotions and separations

  • With the clerk of the Privy Council’s call to action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the federal public service, the related 2020/2021 deputy
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 1, 2021
With Privy Council Clerk Ian Shugart’s call to action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the federal public service, the related 2020/2021 deputy minister commitments on diversity and inclusion, the president of the Treasury Board supplementary mandate letter, and the Public Service Commission's audit of employment equity representation in recruitment, the government has aligned the key performance instruments to improve diversity and inclusion in the public service, writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Diversity and inclusion: public service hirings, promotions and separations

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 1, 2021
  • With the clerk of the Privy Council’s call to action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the federal public service, the related 2020/2021 deputy

Diversity and inclusion: public service hirings, promotions and separations

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 1, 2021
  • With the clerk of the Privy Council’s call to action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the federal public service, the related 2020/2021 deputy
With Privy Council Clerk Ian Shugart’s call to action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the federal public service, the related 2020/2021 deputy minister commitments on diversity and inclusion, the president of the Treasury Board supplementary mandate letter, and the Public Service Commission's audit of employment equity representation in recruitment, the government has aligned the key performance instruments to improve diversity and inclusion in the public service, writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What the Public Service Employee Survey breakdowns of visible minority and other groups tell us about diversity and inclusion

  • Following the 2019 Employment Equity Report provision of disaggregated representation for visible minorities, Indigenous people, and persons with disabilities, the 2019 Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) similarly lays
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | November 2, 2020
Black employees report being a victim of discrimination the most, generally and with respect to race and colour. But all groups report significantly higher discrimination than all employees, according to data analyzed by Andrew Griffith. Pexels photograph by Andrea Piacquadio

What the Public Service Employee Survey breakdowns of visible minority and other groups tell us about diversity and inclusion

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | November 2, 2020
  • Following the 2019 Employment Equity Report provision of disaggregated representation for visible minorities, Indigenous people, and persons with disabilities, the 2019 Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) similarly lays

What the Public Service Employee Survey breakdowns of visible minority and other groups tell us about diversity and inclusion

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | November 2, 2020
  • Following the 2019 Employment Equity Report provision of disaggregated representation for visible minorities, Indigenous people, and persons with disabilities, the 2019 Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) similarly lays
Black employees report being a victim of discrimination the most, generally and with respect to race and colour. But all groups report significantly higher discrimination than all employees, according to data analyzed by Andrew Griffith. Pexels photograph by Andrea Piacquadio

Immigration virtue signalling in both directions

  • OTTAWA—As discussions about immigration levels and issues such as temporary foreign workers are likely to increase post-COVID, it is important to appreciate that these
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | October 8, 2020
Consciously or not, we all use narratives to drive our arguments and positions. The narratives we use reflect a mix of interests and values. Narratives have elements of identity politics (policies targeted to narrow constituencies) and virtue signalling (superficial support for positions) designed to target and attract individuals and groups, writes Andrew Griffith. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Immigration virtue signalling in both directions

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | October 8, 2020
  • OTTAWA—As discussions about immigration levels and issues such as temporary foreign workers are likely to increase post-COVID, it is important to appreciate that these

Immigration virtue signalling in both directions

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | October 8, 2020
  • OTTAWA—As discussions about immigration levels and issues such as temporary foreign workers are likely to increase post-COVID, it is important to appreciate that these
Consciously or not, we all use narratives to drive our arguments and positions. The narratives we use reflect a mix of interests and values. Narratives have elements of identity politics (policies targeted to narrow constituencies) and virtue signalling (superficial support for positions) designed to target and attract individuals and groups, writes Andrew Griffith. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

‘Non-advertising’ hiring up due to feds’ new appointments policy, data shows

  • The new appointments policy allowing for greater flexibility in the hiring of federal public servants came into effect in April 2016, resulting in a
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | June 1, 2020
Public Service Minister Anita Anand, pictured at West Block, as she discusses the feds' response to COVID-19. The Public Service Commission has reported on an overall increase in non-advertised appointments to 34 per cent of hires in 2017-18 compared to 25 per cent in the previous fiscal year, writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Non-advertising’ hiring up due to feds’ new appointments policy, data shows

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | June 1, 2020
  • The new appointments policy allowing for greater flexibility in the hiring of federal public servants came into effect in April 2016, resulting in a

‘Non-advertising’ hiring up due to feds’ new appointments policy, data shows

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | June 1, 2020
  • The new appointments policy allowing for greater flexibility in the hiring of federal public servants came into effect in April 2016, resulting in a
Public Service Minister Anita Anand, pictured at West Block, as she discusses the feds' response to COVID-19. The Public Service Commission has reported on an overall increase in non-advertised appointments to 34 per cent of hires in 2017-18 compared to 25 per cent in the previous fiscal year, writes Andrew Griffith. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Taxing Canadian expats not the silver bullet for generating post-COVID revenue

  • Chandra Arya, the Liberal MP for Nepean, Ont., recently argued for changing the current residency-based taxation approach to the U.S. citizenship-based taxation (CBT) approach,
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | April 29, 2020
Liberal MP Chandra Arya recently argued in Policy Options that Canada should switch to a taxation model based on residency. In a rebuttal, Andrew Griffith says this is a questionable path to take. Photograph courtesy of the office of Chandra Arya

Taxing Canadian expats not the silver bullet for generating post-COVID revenue

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | April 29, 2020
  • Chandra Arya, the Liberal MP for Nepean, Ont., recently argued for changing the current residency-based taxation approach to the U.S. citizenship-based taxation (CBT) approach,

Taxing Canadian expats not the silver bullet for generating post-COVID revenue

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | April 29, 2020
  • Chandra Arya, the Liberal MP for Nepean, Ont., recently argued for changing the current residency-based taxation approach to the U.S. citizenship-based taxation (CBT) approach,
Liberal MP Chandra Arya recently argued in Policy Options that Canada should switch to a taxation model based on residency. In a rebuttal, Andrew Griffith says this is a questionable path to take. Photograph courtesy of the office of Chandra Arya

Government missed the most important reform in amending citizenship legislation

  • OTTAWA—Recent amendments to the Citizenship Act rolled back many of the restrictive provisions introduced by the previous government. These include reducing the residence period
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH, ROBERT VINEBERG | November 20, 2017
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, pictured in a Hill scrum recently. Recent amendments to the Citizenship Act rolled back many of the restrictive provisions introduced by the previous government, write Andrew Griffith and Robert Vineberg. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Government missed the most important reform in amending citizenship legislation

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH, ROBERT VINEBERG | November 20, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Recent amendments to the Citizenship Act rolled back many of the restrictive provisions introduced by the previous government. These include reducing the residence period

Government missed the most important reform in amending citizenship legislation

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH, ROBERT VINEBERG | November 20, 2017
  • OTTAWA—Recent amendments to the Citizenship Act rolled back many of the restrictive provisions introduced by the previous government. These include reducing the residence period
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, pictured in a Hill scrum recently. Recent amendments to the Citizenship Act rolled back many of the restrictive provisions introduced by the previous government, write Andrew Griffith and Robert Vineberg. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canadian expats shouldn’t have unlimited voting rights

  • In responding to the Supreme Court challenge of the five-year limit of voting rights, the government has proposed in Bill C-33 to extend voting
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH, ROBERT VINEBERG | February 15, 2017
Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould is in charge of shepherding Bill C-33, currently at second reading, through the House. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Canadian expats shouldn’t have unlimited voting rights

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH, ROBERT VINEBERG | February 15, 2017
  • In responding to the Supreme Court challenge of the five-year limit of voting rights, the government has proposed in Bill C-33 to extend voting

Canadian expats shouldn’t have unlimited voting rights

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH, ROBERT VINEBERG | February 15, 2017
  • In responding to the Supreme Court challenge of the five-year limit of voting rights, the government has proposed in Bill C-33 to extend voting
Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould is in charge of shepherding Bill C-33, currently at second reading, through the House. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Diversity and inclusion agenda: impact on the public service

  • OTTAWA—The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 21, 2016
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Andrew Griffith says, overall, the public service is reasonably diverse with respect to women, visible minorities, and indigenous people. For the executive ranks, women are almost at parity, but visible minorities are under-represented as are aboriginals.

Diversity and inclusion agenda: impact on the public service

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 21, 2016
  • OTTAWA—The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that

Diversity and inclusion agenda: impact on the public service

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 21, 2016
  • OTTAWA—The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Andrew Griffith says, overall, the public service is reasonably diverse with respect to women, visible minorities, and indigenous people. For the executive ranks, women are almost at parity, but visible minorities are under-represented as are aboriginals.

Diversity in political backrooms still lacking

  • OTTAWA—The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 7, 2016
Some of the recent hires that Liberal government has made include Ali Salam, Annabelle St-Pierre Archambault, Maxime Dea, Dan Brien, Kirsten Mercer (who's recently left her position), Vincent Garneau, Mathieu Filion and Rebecca Caldwell. Photographs courtesy LinkedIn

Diversity in political backrooms still lacking

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 7, 2016
  • OTTAWA—The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that

Diversity in political backrooms still lacking

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 7, 2016
  • OTTAWA—The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that
Some of the recent hires that Liberal government has made include Ali Salam, Annabelle St-Pierre Archambault, Maxime Dea, Dan Brien, Kirsten Mercer (who's recently left her position), Vincent Garneau, Mathieu Filion and Rebecca Caldwell. Photographs courtesy LinkedIn

Diversity in political backrooms still lacking

  • The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 2, 2016
Some of the recent hires that Liberal government has made include Ali Salam, Annabelle St-Pierre Archambault, Maxime Dea, Dan Brien, Kirsten Mercer (who's recently left her position), Vincent Garneau, Mathieu Filion and Rebecca Caldwell. Photographs courtesy LinkedIn

Diversity in political backrooms still lacking

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 2, 2016
  • The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that

Diversity in political backrooms still lacking

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | March 2, 2016
  • The Liberal government included in its mandate letters to all ministers a “commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure gender parity and that
Some of the recent hires that Liberal government has made include Ali Salam, Annabelle St-Pierre Archambault, Maxime Dea, Dan Brien, Kirsten Mercer (who's recently left her position), Vincent Garneau, Mathieu Filion and Rebecca Caldwell. Photographs courtesy LinkedIn

Diversity on parliamentary committees: Does it matter?

  • With the recent election of the remaining parliamentary committee chairs, we have the final piece in the puzzle of how the overall increased diversity
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | February 26, 2016

Diversity on parliamentary committees: Does it matter?

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | February 26, 2016
  • With the recent election of the remaining parliamentary committee chairs, we have the final piece in the puzzle of how the overall increased diversity

Diversity on parliamentary committees: Does it matter?

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | February 26, 2016
  • With the recent election of the remaining parliamentary committee chairs, we have the final piece in the puzzle of how the overall increased diversity

Implementing diversity and inclusion in Parliament: A more complete picture

  • With the appointment of parliamentary secretaries and opposition critics, we now have a more comprehensive picture of gender and visible minority diversity in Parliament’s
Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | December 22, 2015
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured with his Cabinet at Rideau Hall on Nov. 4. The Hill Times photograph by Steve Garecke

Implementing diversity and inclusion in Parliament: A more complete picture

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | December 22, 2015
  • With the appointment of parliamentary secretaries and opposition critics, we now have a more comprehensive picture of gender and visible minority diversity in Parliament’s

Implementing diversity and inclusion in Parliament: A more complete picture

Opinion | BY ANDREW GRIFFITH | December 22, 2015
  • With the appointment of parliamentary secretaries and opposition critics, we now have a more comprehensive picture of gender and visible minority diversity in Parliament’s
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured with his Cabinet at Rideau Hall on Nov. 4. The Hill Times photograph by Steve Garecke
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