Canadian gender studies professor has foul-mouthed meltdown as conservative leader announces plans to ban DEI in hiring
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has tabled a bill to end diversity, equity and inclusion policies in public-sector hiring and promotions, saying decisions should be based on merit. The proposal has drawn criticism from politicians and union representatives, while a Canadian professor’s profane social media response to Smith attracted widespread attention.
The bill would cover municipalities, public agencies, Crown corporations, post-secondary institutions and school boards, but has not passed. Simon Fraser University associate professor June Scudeler’s post had been viewed more than 123,000 times by Thursday; Smith did not respond. Opposition politician Kathleen Ganley called the bill a solution to a problem she had not heard raised, while union leader Sandra Azocar described it as “dog whistle politics”.
In short
- Alberta proposes ending DEI-based public-sector hiring and promotion policies.
- Professor June Scudeler criticised the plan in a widely viewed post.
- The bill remains unpassed and has drawn political and union opposition.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters argue that public-sector hiring and promotion should turn on relevant skills and performance, with consistent standards for everyone. They contend that formal DEI requirements can give weight to characteristics other than merit, risk unfairness to individual applicants and undermine confidence in public institutions; the bill would make merit the stated basis for decisions.
The case against
Critics argue that formally neutral hiring can still preserve barriers and patterns of exclusion, so targeted DEI policies can help ensure qualified people have a fair chance. They contend that removing those policies across a wide range of public institutions could weaken efforts to address unequal access without showing that existing programmes have caused unfair hiring; they also see the bill as a political response to a problem not clearly demonstrated in the report.
Explained simply
Alberta is a province in western Canada, and Danielle Smith is its premier, the elected head of its provincial government. Diversity, equity and inclusion, often shortened to DEI, refers to policies intended to widen access to jobs and address barriers faced by particular groups.
The proposal would apply across much of Alberta’s public sector, including schools, universities and government-owned organisations. It has not become law, and debate centres on how public employers should weigh merit alongside efforts to make hiring and promotion fairer.
The professor mentioned is June Scudeler of Simon Fraser University in neighbouring British Columbia; her reaction drew attention online. Opposition politician Kathleen Ganley and union leader Sandra Azocar have also criticised the proposal, reflecting disagreement about whether it addresses a real concern and what effects it could have.